[Womble]

Hi folks,  I'm sorry to subject you to these photos, but I'm at a loss as to how to help this girl!

Her problems started with pockets developing in her hooves like this (this is one of her back feet):



However, this soon developed into very raw looking sores on her toes. This photo is both of her front feet together, and as you can see, they are a real mess :



Can anybody advise what has caused this, and what the correct treatment should be? 

Thanks!!

[fsmnutter]

Hard to be sure from a photo but looks like footrot.
Should be treated with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injections with antibiotic spray, then after a few days when less lame, the dried out dead horn can gently be trimmed back.
Just out of interest, how long has this taken to develop and what treatment has she had so far?

[Kimbo]

Poor girl. I hope you get on top of this soon Womble.

[Marches Farmer]

The first photo, where the horn is away from the foot, could be shelly hoof - sometimes casued by mud getting pushed into the gap between horn and soft tissue when the sheep are on continually damp ground or thick, wet grass, much like getting mud under your fingernails.  I suggest putting her in the shed for a couple of days if you can - it will dry out the foot and make weight-bearing easier for her, if your ground is presently damp.

[Keepers]

One of the vets on this forum will probably have a good idea as to what it is 

[Loobylou]

You could inject with alamycin la which is antibiotic, use a foot bath and try keeping them clean, see if it clears it up. Hope this helps

[verdifish]

One of the vets on this forum will probably have a good idea as to what it is 

FSM nutter is a vet! 

Had they been trimmed prior to this all happening and do they smell?

[Anke]

Smell?! If yes, defo footrot. Alamycin LA as suggested already and I would footbath in something like Lameless. If it persists - the vet can inject Micotil (but not you yourself). If you have to use Micotil I would seriously think about not breeding from her again, but I know in a small flock that is a very difficult decision.

[Hellybee]

Do I see a mass on one toe looking bit pink. They look real sore. Soak her tootsies in hoof phast or the likes, put her on dry ground to let them dry.  You can plug em with cheviot foot paste, a b spray too, dress them vet wrap, or duct tape and keep her on dry ground, they may improve they may not but I don't think we d keep her. 

[Big Light]

As well as the alamycyn and blue spray if you can't foot bathe kling on blue( kob) ,who do an.expensive foot bath mix , also do a paste which you put onto the clean foot and in the crevices which is good for improving the foot

[Womble]

Thanks All,

I'm really embarrassed to not have spotted something as common as footrot now  .

She's had issues with shelly hoof for about three months (which I did trim back to open up the pocket). Her toes also weren't great, and looked a bit raw. However, this was recovering, and three days ago she was still running around.

I think the footrot must be a new infection which has under-run the previous healing from the shelly hoof - last night I had just thought it was the original condition getting worse.  I didn't notice any smell last night either, though I didn't specifically sniff for it! (I take it the smell is the same as with scald?).

So, the plan is to bring her in later, footbath her with goldenhoof+ and give her a jab of alamycin. I'll then trim off any dead bits once everything has dried up, and will then no doubt be back for more advice. Wish me luck!! 

[Kimbo]

yes, wishing you lots of luck 

[Bionic]

Awww, poor girl. Hope you can get it under control Womble

[Foobar]

I used to get a lot of shelly hoof (leading to foot rot).  I stopped trimming and I don't get any now ( ).  I only trouble I get now is with rams that I buy in that have routinely been trimmed before.

[Kimbo]

Foobar, that's very interesting. Im a new sheep keeper and I feel quite worried about our ovine feet: to trim or not to trim? I feel as though Im spending hours a day researching it but just seeing conflicting advice. I heard a report on Farming Today earlier in the year about not routinely trimming at all....... but wont the foot then just grow into an awkward shape and cause lameness and other problems?
Its a real headache for the inexperienced