Often blisters may not be observed until they have ruptured. Ruptured vesicles 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 is often observed.
Abortions often occur.
Milk flow of infected cows drops abruptly. Conception rates may be low. Meat animals do not normally regain lost weight for many months. Recovered cows seldom produce milk at their former rates. Confusion With Other Diseases FMD can be confused with several similar but less harmful domestic diseases, such as vesicular stomatitis, bluetongue, bovine viral diarrhea, and foot rot in cattle, vesicular exanthema of swine, and swine vesicular disease.