In the western villages of Dee Maw Hso Township, Karenni State, an increasing number of young cattle, around one and a half years old, have been suffering from foot and mouth disease (FMD) since the third week of February, according to local residents.

“If they don’t receive treatment, the wounds last for one to two months, but if medicine is administered, they start recovering within a week. Right now, many cattle are affected by foot and mouth disease, but we don’t have the necessary medicine. The older cattle are not as severely affected, but the younger ones, around one and a half years old, are getting sick in large numbers,” said a local woman from Dee Maw Hso Township.

The exact number of cattle that have died from the disease is still unknown. Locals say the outbreak began as temperatures started rising.

Dee Maw Hso Township has no veterinary pharmacies, and necessary veterinary medicines are not available. As a result, locals are using human medicines such as Gentamycin, Penicillin, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat their livestock, according to a pharmacy seller.

“There aren’t many veterinary medicines here. There is only one pharmacy that sells animal medicine, but the specific drugs needed for treating foot and mouth disease, like Oxy (Oxytetracycline), are unavailable. So, people are buying human medicine and using it to treat their cattle,” the pharmacy seller explained.

Currently, there are no veterinary clinics or trained veterinarians available in Dew Maw Hso or the neighboring Hpruso Township. As a result, farmers lack knowledge of both preventive and treatment methods for the disease.

With the dry season just beginning, locals fear that the outbreak may worsen, further threatening their livestock.