# Lamb scabby mouth



## Evie91 (11 May 2020)

One of my lambs seems to have developed scabby mouth. I’ve read every article I can find and pretty sure it fits the bill. All articles state not to bother calling a vet and no treatment but to let it run its course.
Is this the case? Should I call the vet? I’ll probably do an advice call tomorrow anyway but looking for some reassurance this evening - his poor little mouth is a mess, cracked lips, scabby muzzle and obviously very sore to feed. 

So far the other lamb doesn’t have it. I don’t want to seperate them as I only have the two and they sleep leaning on each other- so think it would be stressful for them both but realise she’s likely to get it too. They are pets. In a couple or three weeks, maybe a month  I have a friends seven lambs coming to join us for a while - should I put them off?

Any advice greatly appreciated, poor little lad didn’t have the best start in life and now this!


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## Tilo (11 May 2020)

That sounds like Orf. We tend to spray affected areas with blue spray and it usually clears up in a couple of weeks.
Careful, as it can be passed onto humans, so wash hands throughly after handling.


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## irishdraft (11 May 2020)

Sounds like orf it can spread to humans and be very nasty


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## Evie91 (11 May 2020)

Thanks for replying. I‘ll get some blue spray. I’m aware antibiotics won’t work etc but obviously painful for him so anything for that? He’s had some willow.
I’m trying to be very careful as read it can spread to humans but it’s tricky when he wipes his face all over me half way through feeding! He also loves a fuss, so nudges me with his scabby nose. I am washing hands and disinfecting his bottles, washing clothes etc.
Any ideas as to why he might have caught it? His bottles are washed and disinfected after each use, I muck out the stable once a week and they have a very deep bed. His grass pen has not been used for four years at least (since I’ve had horses on it).


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## Errin Paddywack (12 May 2020)

Some of mine have orf too, first year for quite a while.  Luckily not too badly.  Am keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't spread to more of them.  I caught it once on the back of my hand, I think from bottle feeding.  Can vouch for it being extremely painful.
As to where it comes from goodness knows.  We have gone years without it then had a sudden outbreak.  Weird as ours don't have contact with any neighbours sheep.


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Ok, thank you. At least I know it’s not something I’ve done- being new to lambs.
Just hoping the other doesn’t get it or me or my husband. Hard when his mouth obviously hurts so wiping it on everything, we’ll see.


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## Tilo (12 May 2020)

No we dont know where Orf comes from either. We 'scratch' our lambs for Orf with Scabivax before they are turned out,  but we still have the odd few that get it, even worse if they spread it to the ewe when they suck and give her mastitis. But least you dont have that to worry about being cade lambs. Sounds like you are doing the right thing. All the best!.


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## Tiddlypom (12 May 2020)

Adam had a lamb with orf on Countryfile recently, if I remember correctly. Or am I getting muddled with the Yorkshire Vet? Anyhow the lamb got sorted .

TP (who knows not a lot about sheep .)


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## Pearlsasinger (12 May 2020)

Ask your vet for blue spray - terramycin, usually.  Sheep respond well to it.  The advice to leave it is disgusting - it is a painful condition and it can spread throughout the flock.  Some advice is only given on financial grounds by some sources, although it hardly makes financial sense to end up with multiple animals doing badly.


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Excellent thank you all. Any lamb/sheep advice much appreciated, completely new to this and keen to learn.
Been on the phone to the vets and blue spray on order.


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## Tilo (12 May 2020)

Evie91 said:



			Excellent thank you all. Any lamb/sheep advice much appreciated, completely new to this and keen to learn.
Been on the phone to the vets and blue spray on order.
		
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Good plan!


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## Moobli (12 May 2020)

It won’t be anything you’ve done, it’s in the environment and is a virus.  Some years we get an outbreak and some years hardly see it.  It’s a zoonotic disease but it isn’t passed from one human to another.  
It’s a self limiting condition but we treat with blue spray to try to help dry it up.


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Thanks to all for your advice - much appreciated. Now have blue spray.Peter lamb is sporting Blue muzzle, ear and chest!! Husband looks like a smurf. Have sprayed piper lambs muzzle as a preventative measure - not sure if that’s a thing.
Vet said to spray once a day. Obviously hurt him, I’d asked for painkillers, was offered one dose, so didn’t take it as hoping for a weeks course. What is the equivalent of Bute for sheep?


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## fiestiemaestie (12 May 2020)

They can have metacam for pain relief.


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## twiggy2 (12 May 2020)

A couple of places I work give ewes and lambs free access to rock salt links and one place that had had issues for a few years hasnt had any orf for 2 years in a row now.


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Thank you.
One more question- bought some fly spray on vet advice. Plan to apply this weekend. Vet said to start mid may. It’s called clindecell or something like that. Also bought the applicator. Any top tips for applying successfully?


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Thanks for the tip about rock salt. Would same lick I buy for the horse suffice? Do I also need to get them a vitamin lick? They’ve taken to the creep feed this week, so trying to keep that ad-lib. Plus hay and straw in their stable and obviously grass in outdoor pen but have added a couple of willow and hawthorn branches and bit of ivy. Does that sound ok?


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## Errin Paddywack (12 May 2020)

Mine always have rock salt, hasn't made any difference to incidences of orf.

Evie, there should be instructions on the fly spray about application.


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## Tilo (12 May 2020)

Our cades have access to wheat straw, lamb creep pellets and water, and are bottle fed milk 3 x day. They range from 2-5 weeks. We throw a mineral block in if there's one going spare. Rockies do licks but they must not contain copper!. Weve only fly sprayed and dagged our ewes so far. But we would spray a line down the centre of lambs back and down the side of each back leg so it looks like an upside down 'Y'. We use Clik Pour on which is good, last year we used Ectofly and it was cheaper, but we dont think it worked as well as Clik.


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## Evie91 (12 May 2020)

Thank you - that’s it click something or other. I’ve not taken it out of the box yet.
Will get them a lamb lick and rock salt. Lambs are six weeks old, 7 on Sunday and I’m feeding four times a day. The lamilac milk instruction said to feed up to one and a half litres a day each, so do this over four feeds, not sure they could drink much more in one go at the minute. Hoping to drop to three feeds a day at 8 weeks. I’ve been told they might have a bottle for up to 8/9 months old.
They only go out during the day if the weather is fine and over ten degrees. Does this sound about right?


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## Errin Paddywack (12 May 2020)

I use Dysect, that kills maggots as well as keeps flies off.  Useful if you do get a case of maggots.


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## YorksG (13 May 2020)

Errin Paddywack said:



			I use Dysect, that kills maggots as well as keeps flies off.  Useful if you do get a case of maggots.
		
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Spot on does the same.


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## Errin Paddywack (13 May 2020)

Not heard of using spot on.  Is this what you mean?


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## twiggy2 (13 May 2020)

Pet lambs should be weaned at 4-6 weeks as the chance of bloat increases at this age.
Many say that having them in grass and powdered milk increases it too as does hay and powdered milk.
Join ladies who lamb UK in Facebook, it's a really friendly place with oodles of good advice.


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## Evie91 (13 May 2020)

The Farmer I know advised to continue feeding but cut down the number of feeds per day when they are able to drink more in one go.
I asked the vet if I should worry about bloat and whether I should look at weaning at five weeks (as I’d read commercial cade lambs are weaned abruptly at five weeks) and her advice was to keep feeding milk. They have ad lib hay, straw and creep feed- which they definitely are eating more of.


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## YorksG (13 May 2020)

Errin Paddywack said:



			Not heard of using spot on.  Is this what you mean?

View attachment 47101

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Yes that's the stuff, works very well. We have one that gets strike very very easily, no idea what's different about her, and that sorts her out. We do use it as a preventative as well, but have been a bit late twice!


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## Evie91 (15 May 2020)

Thanks so much for the advice. The blue spray has really made a difference- looking much better today And definitely more like himself.
Also joined ladies who lamb


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## Tilo (15 May 2020)

Thanks for the update! Glad the blue spray has worked, its good stuff!. We use it all the time, you can spray in between their toes if you have any foot troubles, it bubbles up and stimulates the area to heal and kill infection.


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## Evie91 (15 May 2020)

Not so sure I should have joined ladies who lamb! Frightened myself to death with the horror stories of humans catching orf!!!


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