Clinical signs of bluetongue

Bluetongue (BTV) is a non-contagious, viral disease affecting domestic and wild ruminants including sheep and cattle. Here are some of the clinical signs to look out for if you suspect an animal is infected.

Signs in cattle

Cow with redness crusting nose and exsudate eyes APHA
Cow with red interdigital cleft APHA
Cow with ulceration of the nostrils APHA
Cow with mouth ulcers APHA

Redness, crusting nose, exudate eyes

Red interdigital cleft

Nostril ulceration

Mouth ulcers

Cow with crusting around the nostrils APHA
Cow with crusting around the nostrils APHA
Cow with lesions on teats APHA
Cow with lesions on teats APHA

Crusting around the nostril

Crusting around the nostrils

Lesions on teats

Lesions on teats

Cow with nose redness APHA
Cow with nose redness and exsudate eyes APHA
Cow with dental pad ulcers APHA

Nose redness

Slight nose redness, exudate eyes

Dental pad ulcers

Signs in sheep

Sheep with crusting round the nostrils APHA
Sheep with clear mucoid nasal discharge APHA
Sheep with raw ulcerative lesion lower lip APHA
Sheep with ulcers on the dental pad APHA

Crusting around nostrils

Clear mucoid nasal discharge

Raw ulcerative lesion on lower lip

Ulcers on dental pad

Sheep with crusting round the nostrils APHA
Sheep with crusting nasal discharge APHA
Sheep drooling with crusting around the nostrils APHA
Sheep with lesions in the mouth APHA

Crusting around nostrils

Crusting nasal discharge, swelling of face

Drooling, crusting around nostrils

Lesions in mouth

Sheep with lesions in mouth APHA
Sheep with nasal discharge APHA
Sheep with nasal crusting APHA
Sheep with nasal crusting APHA

Lesions in mouth

Nasal discharge

Nasal crusting, swelling of face

Nasal crusting

Sheep with nasal crusting lesion APHA
Sheep with nasal discharge and crusting APHA
Sheep with nasal discharge and crusting APHA
Sheep with nasal discharge and salivation APHA

Nasal crusting, lesion, swelling of face

Nasal discharge, crusting

Nasal discharge, crusting, swelling of face

Nasal discharge, salivation, swelling of face

Sheep with nasal redness and crusting APHA
A sheep lying down in a field APHA
A sheep lying down in a field APHA
A sheep lying down on straw APHA

Nasal redness, crusting

Recumbant

Recumbant

Recumbant

Sheep with salivation and crusting APHA
Sheep with ulcers or sores in the mouth APHA
Sheep with ulcers or sores in the mouth APHA
Sheep with ulcers or sores in the mouth APHA

Salivation, crusting

Ulcers or sores in mouth

Ulcers or sores in mouth

Ulcers or sores in mouth

Sheep with ulcers or sores on the nose APHA

Ulcers or sores on nose

Download and print a quick-reference guide to the signs of BTV-3 in sheep

Further information

Bluetongue virus latest news and advice

Find out more about BTV, including how to spot, prevent and control it

Read our bluetongue FAQs

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