Livestock Owners and Veterinarians Should Report Unusual Animal Health Symptoms

USDA is encouraging livestock owners and veterinarians to report any unusual animal health symptoms to their local agricultural officials. USDA continues to safeguard American agriculture from foreign animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). As part of this effort, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has certified more than 450 foreign animal disease diagnosticians located throughout the United States to investigate every instance of potential foreign animal diseases.

In the last year alone, APHIS has investigated approximately 400 such potential situations. None of these tested positive for FMD. This continued vigilance ensures that an incursion of a foreign animal disease would be identified quickly. Any changes in the United States disease status will be posted on the APHIS Web site.

FMD is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine. It also affects sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. Symptoms of FMD include blisters around the mouth or on the feet, reduced appetite, and lameness. FMD can be confused with several other but less harmful diseases such as vesicular stomatitis or swine vesicular disease.

When an investigation is conducted, the location is placed under quarantine until laboratory tests confirm whether or not the condition is FMD. No such investigation has turned up FMD in the United States since 1929.

SOURCE: USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service