Author Topic: Bald patch - biting lice or scab? (Read 6841 times)

FiB · « **on:** September 23, 2012, 05:16:56 pm »

One sheep has shed a lot and one starting to scrtach and loose whisps of fleece. Had biting lice bad last year and so have crovected all - but this one looks drier than I remember last year. No wounds but a bit scaly - could it be scab rather than biting lice? (Sods law if it is cause last year I wsa told it was scab and it wasnt, was biting lice. (after I had dectomaxed them all!)). Greateful for your opinions.

Sheep outwardly completely well and unworried - not even scratching that much.

shep53 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2012, 07:04:13 pm »

Initial thought on the picture Mycotic dermatitis ( lumpy wool ) you also say one is starting to scratch with loose wisps of wool this sounds like lice. If you are worried about scab then you need the vet to take skin scrapings to put under microscope

FiB · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2012, 07:57:38 pm »

Thanks Shep - I havnt seen scab, nor can I find good pictures, but from descriptions it didnt seem like it - but thought there would be some good experience of her to comment. Will keep an extra eye on her, but if no better will take her down to vet for positive ID. From further search on what you thought it looked like seems treatment is whole flock dipping after shearing?

http://www.sheepvet.com.au/sheepvet/page1.pdf

Thanks again, Fi

shep53 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2012, 12:06:26 pm »

Point no4 on the list in the link i think is applicable , in the picture it looks to be drying and healing .Maybe a bit of cream to moisturise the skin ? Remember if you worm in the autumn and have not done so yet DECTOMAX will cure scab and worm

FiB · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2012, 02:04:35 pm »

I did wander about a bit of moisturiser and thought I was being daft!!! Not planning to worm as recent Faecal egg count came back clear. Flukicide planned for beginning of Oct. (Tup hire sorted for November). Shep, tanks for being here and sharing your experience

jaykay · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2012, 05:38:35 pm »

I'm a bit behind the beat here (as usual

) but I was just going to say it doesn't look like rain rot, we have it here a lot, wonder why

As Shep says, Dectomax in the autumn is a good thing anyway, for scab, lice and worms.

shep53 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2012, 08:25:07 pm »

I am always very careful when members ask for help with a diagnosis based on a small picture, an overall picture of the sheep from different angles would help , even then it is just a best guess based on information given . Photosensitization looks like the picture when the skin drys out and cracks but the ears and face would show the same wool loss , plus facial swelling as the first signs, and non of this has been seen . Scab i would expect to see a dirty stained fleece with the fleece short in places and missing in others with red sores and healing scabs due to constant rubbing against any thing ,constantly scatching with the back legs and nibbling at its own body , even a standing person can be used as a scratching post, again not mentioned . Lice you normally see wool tags pulled out with wool hanging from the sheep mouth or horns plus scratching and not large bare patches, and if you look carefully you will see the lice . Fleece Rot tends to have a matted wool with hard scabs often a bacteria stains the area iv'e seen green / blue /yellow colours . Mycotic dermatitis tends to have scabs which heal and grow out with the wool often in layers as they re infect . BUT as with all health problems nothing is ever simple and you can have very mild or classic or very severe cases , as said only a best guess only a VET can give a firm diagnosis. DECTOMAX does not treat lice

jaykay · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2012, 08:33:58 pm »

From the Pfizer website:

Quote

DECTOMAX® Injectable Solution is indicated for the treatment and control of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, warbles (see precautions), lice and mange mites. Consult your veterinarian for assistance in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of parasitism

shep53 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2012, 08:44:54 pm »

YOU are correct but only for cattle the list for sheep and cattle are different and the lice are different

I use the national office of animal health ( NOAH ) to check the product data sheet

FiB · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2012, 10:01:31 pm »

Yes - different lice!!!

I found that out last year Decto treats sucking lice, but not Biting lice(which is what mine had last year after dectomaxing (I even looked under the microscope at the vets to see - grizzely little buggers!).

I really appreciate the inputs and appreciate (as I'm sure we all do), that it is opinion based on our experiences, not a true diagnosis. The main thing is, that from all thats been said - I'm pretty sure its not Scab. If its biting lice - Ive got em with the crovect, if its the other I'll keep an eye and get a scrape done if not getting any better. Yes to whispy shreds, no to any facial probs , although the wool loss does present exactly as you've described shep). Lice is still a suspect, but I dont remember such dry baldness last year, so will keep a very close eye thanks. Another disease brought onto my 'radar' - Thanks again all