[Duckie155]

Hello, I got my first flock of Jacobs sheep in April, 6 tups, one has been lame for a month. Any thoughts on what the best treatment is? I keep cleaning & spraying with purple spray weekly but he’s no better. Brought him in last night so I can treat him more regularly. Any thoughts on what this is? His hoof doesn’t smell, but the sole looked manky a month a go, sole looks better now but he’s still lame & grazing on his knees. I trimmed it a month ago & believe this may have caused more problems, any thoughts from  on you wise shepherds on how I can get him right?

[Duckie155]

First photo was a month ago, second one is more a recent photo.

[Duckie155]

A few days ago !

[shep53]

Way worse in the last picture ,there is pus and rot under the horn  . Best would be to either find some one local with experiance or take the sheep to see a vet and get an antibiotic injection ( if the vet has seen your sheep in the last 6 month's then a phone call to describe the look of the foot may do ) not easy to tell from the pictures but if it smells rotten then footrot

[bj_cardiff]

I think he has shelly hoof/white line disease and some obvious scald/infection. Bacteria has eaten away at the 'stuff' that holds the outsiide of the hoof wall to the hoof. On the outside of both cleets he has a load of mud up inside the hoof wall, You'll need to pick it out is its probably this compaction thats causing the lameness. I would cut away the loose hoof to prevent more soil compacting and spray with antibiotic spray to kill the bacteria.

It would probably be a good idea to get a vet to do it if your not sure how

[SallyintNorth]

I'm sorry to say that those feet are worsening from the first pic to the last. They are now a serious welfare issue.  Get a vet to him.

[Duckie155]

Thanks for your replies. I have been speaking to an experienced friend regularly who sold me the sheep, he advised me the treatment but having spoken to the vet I think he advised me wrongly. Vet tells me current advise is not to trim feet at all & my friend told me to trim all round the initial problem, vet thinks this may have made problem worse .
Foot doesn’t smell & never has so thinking more likely shelly hoof.
Vet said this is difficult to treat.
We’ll try the antibiotic injection & spray, hope it will help. Poor lamb, feel so awful for him. I won’t be keeping sheep again as it has been so stressful.

[harmony]

Thanks for your replies. I have been speaking to an experienced friend regularly who sold me the sheep, he advised me the treatment but having spoken to the vet I think he advised me wrongly. Vet tells me current advise is not to trim feet at all & my friend told me to trim all round the initial problem, vet thinks this may have made problem worse .
Foot doesn’t smell & never has so thinking more likely shelly hoof.
Vet said this is difficult to treat.
We’ll try the antibiotic injection & spray, hope it will help. Poor lamb, feel so awful for him. I won’t be keeping sheep again as it has been so stressful.

The vet is correct that current advise is not to trim UNLESS you need to. Has anyone else other than yourself seen the foot? If it doesn't smell then it isn't rot. Please get the vet to look or someone with experience. I think telephone advice given your inexperience hasn't been the best.


Have you really got 6 entire tup lambs? What do you intend to do with them?

[bj_cardiff]

I think the advice not to trim was more aimed at people who routienely trimmed all sheep twice a year - wether they needed it at all. I stopped routienely trimming my sheep years ago and their feet have imprpved as a result.

Sometimes I get a lame sheep with a very long hoof, or even a torn bit, or a cavity. When I do you really need to trim it. I think in this case I would speak to the person you brought the sheep from and ask them to come and take a look.

[twizzel]

I would not trim a foot with active footrot- get the infection sorted first with antibiotics and then return the foot back into shape after it’s healed. Trimming can spread the bacteria to other sheep as well through the clippings.

[SallyintNorth]

Am I the only one who is seeing a foot with almost no sole here?   This sheep is in torment!  It needs a bandage to keep its flesh off the ground, doesn't it?

[bj_cardiff]

Am I the only one who is seeing a foot with almost no sole here?   This sheep is in torment!  It needs a bandage to keep its flesh off the ground, doesn't it?

I think the sole is very thin but I suspect the lameness is caused by the compaction between the hoof wall and foot. I would want that taken care of and then to see how lame he is. I would not bandage, I would hope that if kept in dry conditions the sole would firm up and heal.

[twizzel]

I can see what sally is saying, normally the “bulb” of the heel has horn growing over it (bulb being the bottom, not the pointy toe). FWIW I think the excessive trimming has not helped and the OP should get a vet to look ASAP.

[shep53]

Get your vet to have a look ,please ,since you say there is no smell is the horn ( nail ) on the clee (toe ) on the left in the picture  separating  from the flesh just below the hair at the bottom of the leg also you can see rot coming out of the sole in 2 places , if so then you may be looking at CODD so  AB'S needed

[ZacB]

Duckie, where about are you in the world???
One of the fine folk on this forum might be kind enough to come out & assist. For me advice on a forum or via the telephone is always just a starting point - I’m more of a look & see type learner, appreciate watching & listening to someone in person.
One additional point - purple spray, waste of time I’m lead to believe, all the goodies were taken out a while ago. The new purple is in fact blue - Alamycin, we source from our local vet.