# So about hoof and mouth...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-hoof-and-mouth/77105>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 20, 2001, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-hoof-and-mouth/77105 "2001-08-20T07:12:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-hoof-and-mouth/77105/1 "2001-08-20T07:12:00Z")

</div>

I have recently moved in with my widower grandfather, who lives on the home place - a dairy farm. In a couple of months I’m going to visit Spain and, possibly, Morocco. I would really rather not be the source of a hoof and mouth/anthrax/mad cow disease outbreak in Central Minnesota. I also know that the chances of bringing back any diseases are remote.

My common sense is butting up against my irrantional paranoia here - should I be worried about this or am I just being weird?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![therealblaze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@therealblaze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/therealblaze)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-hoof-and-mouth/77105/2 "2001-08-20T09:36:32Z")

</div>

I’d say there is no risk involved but to make sure you can disinfect yourself before going back home.  
[This link](http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/) will probably be helpful.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-about-hoof-and-mouth/77105/3 "2001-08-20T09:42:00Z")

</div>

It’s pretty easy to avoid bringing in foot and mouth disease and suchlike (insert disclaimer here; I’m not a Customs official or a vet but, through various ways and means, I’ve been talking to vets about this lately).

[ul]  
[li]Don’t bring meat or untreated animal products back into the country. That means no salami, no untreated hides (buying a leather handbag is okay), no raw or cooked meat.[/li]  
[li]If you go hiking through affected areas, make sure you clean your shoes thoroughly before re-entering the US. Ditto clothes.[/li][li]Don’t try and smuggle a cow in under your jacket. Especially if it’s drooling a lot - that’s one of the signs of foot and mouth disease.[/li][/ul]

Really, it’s pretty basic: don’t bring in anything that Customs says you can’t.