Dr SS Singh, Dean, College of Veterinary Sciences, said that the team of experts visited the affected villages four times in February and March. They examined sick dairy animals, collected nasal swabs and blood samples, and conducted post mortem of dead animals.

On post mortem, the trachea (wind pipe) of the animals was found full of froth, and sero -sanguineous fluid was found to be responsible for their difficult respiration and death. The clinically affected animals had erosions in mouth and feet, and difficult respiration.

The GADVASU experts said that the course of FMD disease is 8-10 days. To avoid secondary bacterial infections, the animals are treated with antibiotics, washing of foot and mouth lesions, with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The virus of the disease persists in the air, and are taken in during inhalation and ingestion. So leftover feed and water of the diseased animals should not be used for healthy animals, say the experts. All the secretions of affected animals like saliva, nasal discharge etc contain virus.

The team of experts from GADVASU led by Dr MP Gupta Head, Epidemiology and Preventive Veterinary Medicine, came to the conclusion that the affected animals were not vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease, which was the cause of the disease.

The farmers are advised to contact local Veterinary Officer, in charge of the Civil Veterinary Hospital, to vaccinate all animals in the village. The experts said that treatment of sick animals with antibiotics is very costly.