So are vast herds of elk, deer and mountain goats, and the giraffes, elephants and other cloven-hoofed animals at zoos. If just one case occurred, thousands of animals could be infected because the virus can be carried up to 30 miles by the wind. Increased travel and the globalization of food trade bring increased risks for disease and additional responsibilities to be on alert. Painful blisters may form in the mouth or on the muzzle, causing slobbering or drooling. Later, the blisters break, forming raw patches or ulcers.
Blisters can also develop on a female animal's teats, causing mastitis in dairy cattle.
Blisters on the feet cause lameness. Affected animals are reluctant or unable to drink, eat or walk. And they will lose weight quickly. Immunity against one does not protect an animal from other types. There is no way to distinguish between a positive test from vaccine versus exposure to the disease.