[dyedinthewool]

Hi,
It never rains but it pours.....going on from my earlier post about my ewe losing her lamb - being given an 'orphan' only he wasn't and the person wanted him back but gave me another instead.  It's been an uphill battle with my 'herdy'  she hasn't really wanted to let this lamb suckle unless I've insisted... so I've been supplementing with a bottle.  This morning I noticed the lamb had a slightly swollen lip and a bit of blood there as well, so had a look and on the bottom of her top lip (if that makes sense) was this wart like bubble, I'm sure it wasn't there last night when I fed her.  I thought OH mY gOD is it ORF... So after putting a bit of Udder cream on it I came in and scrubbed my hands - didn't think to put on gloves before applying the cream.  Googled ORF and that is what it is. My worry in now has she (the lamb) infected Herdy.  I've kept them together but not let her feed from Herdy, I reduced Herdy's concentrate to zilch, as she (Herdy) doesn't have much of an udder - I think she was drying herself off despite little one having a bit. Is she likely to get mastitis?
I can't isolate the pair and they have been with the other two ewes and their lambs, inspected them and at the moment they seem okay but will keep an eye on them (paranoid now).
To-night I sprayed the 'wart' with the 'green/blue' antibiotic just in case of secondary infection.
I googled ORF again and came up with a Spray called Active VMB is it any good or should I be looking at giving her a jab of something.
I now recall the lady who gave me the lamb saying she had ORF last year with some of her lambs, would the lamb maybe picked it up from her farm or does it pass from mum(if she had it last year) to lamb.
Sorry for all the Q's and the long post, but the photos I've seen look horrendous.  AND my immune system is not good and I've a couple of cuts on my hands....... I'll be wearing gloves while I continue to bottle feed the baby.

[twizzel]

Orf is a virus, so whilst you can jab with pen&strep it won't cure it, just prevent secondary infection that comes from the open/broken skin after the warts fall off. You've just got to sit it out and wait for it to clear up. 3 of mine had it this year, I treated with 3 days pen and strep and used orf paste just to soothe the sores, although I think sudocrem is probably just as good (and probably cheaper!). I think my guys cleared up after a couple of weeks and looking at them now at 6 weeks old you wouldn't know they had it.
The 3 of mine that had it were in with another 2 orphans who never got it, so your lambs and ewes might be ok.

[Pedwardine]

Unfortunately can't offer any advice as no experience    yet. Just wanted still to offer sympathy and support and so hope for you that it proves manageable and that you've not contracted it. Also hope that someone in the know comes along soon to respond to your post.
Amanda x
 
Ah, cross posted with a knowledgable sort. Hope that helped 

[supplies for smallholders]

As stated above its a virus and will run its course....

Keep an eye out for secondary infections and dont inject with antibiotics unless you need to for infections.

There are several preparations available specifically for Orf, which will ease the irritation and speed healing, but they wont cure it.

No point really looking for a cause - it happens.....

If your immune system is low then double glove and cover all exposed skin - orph in Humans can be very painful in some cases.

[SallyintNorth]

If orf is about on your farm, then your ewes will have immunity to it, so unless your Herdy girl is under the weather, she shouldn't be affected.

However, if this lamb has brought orf to your farm and you didn't previously have it, then all your sheep could be susceptible.

Most healthy sheep will shake it off anyway - a few pustules, a few cracks and bleeds, it heals, all over.   

Any that do get a worse dose of it will mostly still heal up and get better, but do watch out for any secondary infections.

Where there are suckling lambs then there are cracks in teats to allow the infection into the ewe's udder - and  thence to the lambs.  So be alert for orf on suckling lambs and check the mother's udder.  If she's under the weather at all, including if she's struggling to feed her lamb(s), then she's at risk of the orf leading to mastitis.    But if you are vigilant and treat any secondary infection immediately, all should recover.

[dyedinthewool]

Thanks to you all for the replies.
It's  great to have help on hand if only to reassure those of us who have little knowledge that things are not as bad as you think and that it's not just you that has the problems.
It been a lovely  day here and the lambs have been out racing around - I gave them an old bale of hay to play on - they are such time wasters.  I just sat on a bench and watched them play I'm the King of the Castle. While mums just grazed (what little grass there was....) then they all snoozed in the 
 
Thanks again
 When I got them in tonight they had their tea and were all fast asleep with in minutes.

[SallyintNorth]

A (near)perfect day for a sheepkeeper, then.    Just need a little bit of grass growth... 

[FiB]

old post - but still providing help and info THANKS     just noticed one of the 'top up on field' lambs has a few warts around mouth.... 

[Dougal]

If the sores on the face start getting bad a wee spray with Tetracyclin spray (Blue antibiotic spray), Iodine or Bactikil will a speed the clear up. You will know if you have caught it. Starts as a small red itchy spot, grows to normally about the size of a 5p with a white centre. Itches like hell. Goes brown a weepy in the middle!!! Nice!! Blue spray works on more than just animals though!

[Marches Farmer]

Blue spray as soon as you see anything that might possibly be orf.  If the ewe's drying up then the lamb may be damaging the teats as it tries to get milk out, so I suggest you check the ewe's teats every day and spray them if you see any lesions at all, whether or not they're orf-like.

[Foobar]

Put out lump rock salt, as well as containing lots of minerals, it is supposed to ward off the evil Orf.

[SallyintNorth]

Antibiotic spray is not effective against orf, as orf is a virus.  The only reason to use antibiotic spray is if there is a secondary bacterial infection or there is a strong likelihood of getting one.

Farmers come in for a lot of stick for what the public seem to perceive as the wanton and unjustifiable use of antibiotics - so please think before using them and do not use them unless there is a real bacterial issue.

[FiB]

Antibiotic spray is not effective against orf, as orf is a virus.  The only reason to use antibiotic spray is if there is a secondary bacterial infection or there is a strong likelihood of getting one.

Farmers come in for a lot of stick for what the public seem to perceive as the wanton and unjustifiable use of antibiotics - so please think before using them and do not use them unless there is a real bacterial issue.

I'll be doing nothing unless I see signs of secondary infection .  Will get some rocksalt just in case it helps!!!

[dyedinthewool]

Well I did get 'Orf' on my left hand index finger knuckle, the knuckle that gets closest to the lamb when bottle feeding.  At first thought it was a thorn as we had been laying a hedge - but after a few days it took on the white ring with a spot in the middle - foolishly I didn't sort it for another few days....(could do with a Banging HEAD here)  so it got quite red and gooy,  so kept putting iodine on it to dry it up, but was still sore.  After 6 weeks it is now slowly clearing up about the size of a 5p. I put a dry lint plaster on it when out with the animals or if likely to meet humans as it doesn't look very nice.  I did use gloves but obviously it was too late I already had it....!!!
Babby lambs 'wart' dropped off after six weeks and only one more of the lambs got a small wart on HIS mouth - he is her best friend
 

[Brucklay]

Great to be able to search - knew I had read this post but didn't take all info in!!


I've got it too - right hand pointing finger, discovered a wart low down on one of the shetland's I'm topping up - his sister is fine and so is mum (checked her uder and it's fine - just not a lot of milk).


Now I don't want to pass it too any of the bottle fed lambs - so gloves and should I put iodine on me anything more powerful?