[Hillview Farm]

why does it never rain but it pours? 

It seems to be blow after blow at the mo! My Health is suffering due to all the stress I am going through.

One of my bought in (in jan) Pedigree ewes who I paid a lot of money for...... Is showing signs of CLA. I rang a friend who had it a few years back and described what this ewe had. Lumps on one side of her face, one lump had a scab which I picked off and found toothpaste like non smelly pus.

My Best BLOODY Ewe with the best BLOODY ram lamb at foot of 7 weeks. 

My worry is after they were put into quarantine and passed with only some lameness issues' which we sorted they were put with my ewes.  Does anyone or any vets here know the incubation period? How other's pick it up? Can I blood test for it?

I contacted the seller last night but he was away on holiday but the bloke I spoke to was very concerned and said to call back on Sunday BUT the seller had sold them to me as vaccinated! He said you can get it from OZ with a licence.

Lastly As I'm sure some of you may be screaming at your screens by now, she is going into isolation today and get the vet out in the week (by the time I realised what it looked like and how bad the pus is, I had let her go )

[Tim W]

Don't panic yet---could be a number of things

Get her tested ---can't remember if it's blood or pus that they want? I have had the same thoughts before and always had a negative result from the lab results

This is the problem with buying in stock though---I'm running into the same experience with bought in ewes, they come with a host of problems that you have to work through. It can sometimes take years to cull out the problem animals

Only half of my 30 odd bought in pure charollais ewes will survive this years culling regime and there are only a handful of ewes I would call fit for purpose--and only 1 that I can call a good ewe on all fronts ---but that's the ram breeders job, to cull out the junk and produce a healthy/disease free /functional animal to sell

[shep53]

 I would also say don't panic until you get a positive test .   The pus should be very thick and cheesy and have the appearance of an onion rings , the pus is VERY VERY contagious and can survive for months , so tons of disinfectant ?? .  You can blood test for it .       They pick it up by physical contact or often  at shearing when the abcess is cut and remains on the shears until the next sheep  , their are lymph glands on the shoulder and front and back of the rear leg .     It can also go internal and attack the vital organs .       many sites on the web if you google it

[Hillview Farm]

Tim do you know what else it could be?

I thought when the lumps were cut open they look like onion rings?? 

[Tim W]

Off hand can't remember what I was told ----but it could easily be an abscess caused by thorns or any number of bacterial/viral infections
Either way there is nothing you can do until you get a positive /negative diagnosis----relax

The onion ring effect is often quoted as a sign of CLA but it is not definitive by any means---blood test gives you an indication of exposure to the bug

I think incubation is fairly short---couple of months? But I am not sure

lesson is that quarantine can never be too long! And it pays to blood test new rams/purchases for a variety of diseases. I screen my flock for Border/MV/CLA/Johnes etc every year which gives me a high confidence that I am low risk for these diseases and I plan to test all high value rams I sell in the same way

I just took samples from my purchases from last July to double check in case anything has incubated since then, I can then integrate the animals into the main flock if needs be
 

[shep53]

Tooth or jaw infection ,   or cruels can cause facial abscesses

[Hillview Farm]

what is cruels? Googled it but cant find much!

[shep53]

ACTINOBACILLUS   LIGNIERESII    causes wooden tongue in cattle and cruels in sheep

[Porterlauren]

Incubation is up to four months.

[Porterlauren]

http://www.afbini.gov.uk/add-cla-bva-28-september-2007.pdf

[shep53]

 update ??

[Hillview Farm]

She was put into insulation and the vet came a few days later. She had two lumps, one on the side of her jaw which he lanced and found nothing in there and the other lump which was sort of on the underside/ side of her jaw, slavia gland infection.

She's a five year old and confirmed to be vaccinated for cla so the vet thought she was just a lumpy ewe ( got a lump on her foot too)