Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infectious disease of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. It can also affect wild animals, especially buffalo, which act as a significant hosts and in which the disease is generally much milder than in cattle. The virus can be harboured for periods in the nasopharynx of wild fauna. The importance of the disease in small stock such as sheep and goats is largely as carriers of disease to cattle. But in Kenya it has ben shown that goats are infrequent carriers and sheep not at all. The disease is enzootic in many parts of the world. It is caused by seven serotypes of Foot and Mouth disease virus namely: - A, O, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3 and ASIA 1. The disease is mainly transmitted through inhalation or ingestion of the virus from contaminated feeds and direct contact with infected animals. Human can also transfer infection to other animals through movement of people and vehicles from an infected premises to susceptible areas. Meat amd milk and semen from infected animals can spread infection. As can ticks, and people working with infected cattle can harbour the virus in their nasal mucosa for up to 28 hours.Windborne spread can be important under certain conditions as is spread by flocks of birds. The important thing to remember is that this is one of the most contagious diseases known and act accordingly by taking every possible measure to prevent the entry of infection. The incubation period is on average 3 to 8 days ( 1 to 21) after the animals are infected with virus. Infected animals will then discharge the virus through the saliva, rupture of vesicles and blisters on the tongue and feet and other discharges from the nose and through coughs to the materials in contact or directly to other animals thereby infecting them.