A call to your Federal or State animal health official is warranted (and encouraged) when you observe something suspect of a foreign animal disease. Which of the following would NOT be suspect and NOT warrant a call to an animal health official?

• A. Severe, malodorous, blood-tinged diarrhea in several two-week old calves in a dairy with 50 cows
• B. Vesicles or erosions of the mouth and feet in one cow
• C. Sudden death in 30% of the animals in a small herd of water buffalo
• D. 75% mortality in lambs from a flock of 1000 sheep

Answer: (A)

When a call to a Federal or State animal health official is warranted, it’s because the signs point to a foreign animal disease or a highly unusual outbreak that could spread quickly. The situation described as severe, malodorous, blood-tinged diarrhea in several two-week-old calves on a small dairy is most consistent with common neonatal calf enteritis pathogens (such as clostridial or viral enteropathogens). These problems are well-known, typically managed at farm and veterinary levels, and not characteristic of foreign animal diseases, so they would not by themselves trigger a mandatory federal/state notification.

By contrast, vesicles or erosions of the mouth and feet in a single cow are classic red flags for vesicular diseases like foot-and-mouth disease or vesicular stomatitis, which are notifiable and require official investigation. Sudden death affecting a sizeable portion of animals in a herd, such as 30% in water buffalo, is another strong trigger for reporting due to the potential for rapid spread and exotic etiologies. Very high mortality in a large flock, like 75% in lambs, likewise signals a serious outbreak that should be checked with authorities.

So the observation that would not warrant a call is the neonatal calf diarrhea scenario, because while serious, it aligns with endemic, non-notifiable diseases rather than foreign animal diseases.