Papules, vesicles and pustules may form on the diseased skin and are described by different authors, but they are not characteristic of the disease as are the epidermic proliferations.
In some rare cases nervous symptoms appear, the animal moves unsteadily without proper sense of balance, it may toss its head and horns as if attacking an enemy or it may sink into a somnolent or comatose condition. Wasting advances rapidly, abortion occurs in pregnant females, the weakness becomes extreme, the animal remains constantly down, unable to rise, rests his head on the ground, breathes heavily and stertorously and perishes with or without convulsions.
Diagnosis in Cattle. Individual symptoms of cattle plague may be found in other diseases, but the aggregate symptoms, in a rapidly spreading and fatal affection, and connected with a previous prevalence of the disease in the country or district, or distinct evidence of the introduction of infection should in every case obviate error. The chief diagnostic symptoms are: a sudden, very marked rise of temperature; a congestion or blush of the visible mucosæ generally (mouth, nose, vulva, eyes); the formation of white curd-like epithelial concretions on the inside of the lips, dental pad, or gums of the incisors; the formation of red spots or petechiæ on the mucosæ; later the desquamation of the softened epithelium with the formation of erosions or even ulcers; the wart-like rounded epidermic eruptions on the skin; the great abdominal tenderness with tucking up of the abdomen, and sudden arrest of the expiration with a sharp clicking sound and moan; the fœtid, watery diarrhœa and exposure of the dark red, congested and hæmorrhagic rectal mucosa; the discharge from nose, mouth and eyes; the characteristic fever odor; and the rapid progress of the disease from animal to animal, and to a fatal issue. The rapidly advancing contagion and its fatality in cattle, sheep and goats, together with the immunity of horses, dogs, birds and human beings are important elements in diagnosis.
Malignant Catarrh of Cattle is distinguished by the absence of active contagion, one or two only in a herd being attacked; by the absence of the curd-like concretions on lips, dental pad, and gums; by the involving of the matrix of the frontal horns; by the great congestion, swelling and discharge from the eyes; and by the impossibility or improbability of the cattle plague contagion in the particular locality. In localities where cattle plague actually prevails, it may sometimes be impossible to distinguish at first, and then every precaution should be taken to prevent diffusion of infection in case it should be cattle plague.
Thrush of the mouth, though causing an eruption of the same kind, occurs in sucklings only, is unattended by fever, marked congestion, or severe abdominal symptoms.
Foot and Mouth Disease, though equally contagious, and spreading with the same rapidity, is easily distinguished by the very slight hyperthermia, the vesicular character of the mouth and mammary eruption (the cuticle being raised by an abundant clear straw-colored liquid exudate); by the absence, in nearly all cases, of severe abdominal disorder; by the all but constant vesiculation of the interdigital space, and by its mild and non-fatal issue. Swine contract it as readily as cattle and sheep, and horses, dogs, birds and men by inoculation.
Dysentery is marked by the absence of the early, abrupt hyperthermia, though the temperature may rise gradually to a high point; also of the curd-like concretions on the buccal mucosa; by the earlier onset of the fœtid diarrhœa, and by the indisposition to contagious diffusion apart from the confined, foul, crowded buildings. The lesions are mainly on the large intestines while in cattle plague they are on the small intestines, fourth stomach, mouth, throat and skin.
Gastro-enteritis and Stomatitis from corrosive agents and irritant bacteria, can be traced to a definite local cause, do not extend beyond the herd or animal poisoned, and usually occur where the possibility of cattle plague can be excluded. There is usually an entire absence of the white epithelial concretions, of the blush of the mucosæ generally, and of the wart-like epidermic proliferation.
Anthrax of the alimentary tract and rectum is distinguished by the fact that it is largely an enzoötic disease, not spreading widely by simple contact; that it is easily transmissible to horse, dog and man; that it lacks the buccal epithelial concretions and characteristic desquamations and the warty-like skin products; that it shows marked enlargement and engorgement of the spleen; and that the blood and local lesions contain the large sized, square ended anthrax bacillus.
Diagnosis in Sheep and Goats. This is based on the same phenomena as in cattle; the sudden and exalted hyperthermia, blush or petechiæ of the visible mucosæ, concretions on the lips, gums and skin, epiphora, salivation, prostration, emaciation and diarrhœa. These last symptoms are, however, less marked than in cattle and the mortality and infectiousness are materially reduced. Pneumonic complications are much more common in sheep.