Key signs of the disease include slobbering, lameness resulting from blisters followed by erosions in the mouth or on the feet. Ruptured blisters discharge either clear or cloudy fluid and leave raw, eroded areas surrounded by ragged fragments of loose tissue. Sticky, foamy stringy saliva is produced. Consumption of feed is reduced because of painful tongue and mouth lesions. Lameness with reluctance to move also is often observed.
Abortions often occur.
Milk production drops and conception rates may be low. Foot and mouth disease can be confused with several similar, but less harmful diseases such as bovine viral diarrhea, foot rot, bluetongue and vesicular stomatitis in cattle or vesicular exanthema of swine and swine vesicular disease. The United States has been free of foot and mouth disease since 1929. In addition to recent outbreaks of the disease in Europe, various types of the disease have been identified in Africa, South America, Asia and part of Europe. Although animals often recover from the disease, its effects often linger for months.