[Clinical signs and differential diagnosis of foot and mouth disease in pigs]

Abstract

FMD in pigs is primarily a foot disease. It is dominated by rather painful formation of vesicles in the epidermis of the feet (coronary band, interdigital clefts, bulbs) combined with severe lameness. Complications will be seen as detachment of the hoof and secondary infection of disrupted aphthae which may cause purulent arthritis of the pedal joint. Concerning differential diagnosis are to be considered all cases of acute lameness, vesicle-formation as typical lesions of exudative epidermites of pemphigus in the course of infections with S. hyicus or S. aureus as well as degenerative changes after selenium-intoxication, specially near the coronary band, sometimes linked with exungulation.