What are typical BSE signs?

• A. Coughing and sneezing with fever.
• B. Staggered gait, drooling, loss of muscular control, muscular atrophy.
• C. Hair loss and itching.
• D. Increased appetite and alertness.

Answer: (B)

BSE is a brain disease, so the signs are neurological rather than respiratory or skin-related. A cow with BSE typically shows an unsteady, staggering gait and poor coordination as the disease disrupts motor control. Drooling can occur from difficulty swallowing, and as the illness progresses, muscle weakness leads to atrophy. This combination of ataxia, dysphagia-related drooling, and muscle wasting fits the neurological pattern of BSE.

The other symptom clusters point to non-neurological issues: coughing with fever suggests a respiratory infection; hair loss with itching indicates skin conditions or parasites; increased appetite and alertness don’t align with the progressive neurodegenerative decline seen in BSE.