Author Topic: Pink eye/conjunctivitis (Read 8284 times)

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **on:** July 15, 2014, 01:03:08 pm »

We have in one year had 3 episodes of pink eye/conjunctivitis with pretty much every ewe being affected. I have just injected 2 of this year's lambs with Alamycin LA and also treated with Orbenin as well as treating 2 ewes. The vet has been pretty unhelpful about it and I am just treating it as soon as the eyes look a bit milky and there is discharge. It is a complete pain and by far the most frequent problem my sheep have. Does anyone know what might be causing it? I don't have a particuarly large number of sheep on my land which seems to be a potential cause from what I have read. Does anyone know if Wiltshire Horns are particuarly susceptible to it? I have been seeing lots on this board about culling out sheep with problems but that would pretty much leave me with no sheep left!
Helen

Hellybee · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2014, 01:32:48 pm »

Babe, I think you should call other vets, I'd be getting rid of this one.

We ve not had any thing eye related here, bar the odd lamb with entrophy. They were treated topically with ab eye ointment , plus of course changing the eye lid conf. But the only account I can remember being eyeball was cattle related, new forest she had fly related, came with it in one eye, milky white it was. conjunctivitis highly contagious, careful you don't get it either

HUGE good luck

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2014, 02:02:20 pm »

The reason the vet is being unhelpful is probably that it is endemic in your area and that there really isn't much you can do about it.

If their eyes get sore / infected then topical a/bs help, of course, but our experience on the moorland farm was that the treated group got better at the same pace and with no better outcome than the untreated ones. Which was pretty much what the vet had told us to expect while they were, at our insistence, injecting a/bs into one group's eyes.

Sorry.

You will find some other ideas about treatment regimes on this board if you do some searches.

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2014, 02:10:20 pm »

Thanks for your replies. I have seen some pretty scary pictures of what happens if you just leave it and it seems to cause them pain if not dealt with promptly. I will ask some sheep farmers locally whether they also have problems and whether it is endemic in this area. The shepherd who shears our hoggets says that she gets it from time to time but it doesn't seem to spread through her whole flock like it does in mine.
Helen

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2014, 02:18:35 pm »

Helen, I wonder whether, by treating so thoroughly and so promptly, your stock are not developing a natural immunity to this infection?

With some worms - cocci for instance - our vet says it's best, if possible, to let the lambs gain a little bit of exposure before dosing them for it, otherwise the keeping ewe lambs don't build their own immunity to it, as we've knocked 'em all off before they've had a chance to get a challenge from them.

Same may apply to the pink eye infection, and the reason other flocks round about don't have such a huge problem is that the hoggs or lambs get it, build immunity, and don't get it again in subsequent years.

Just a thought.

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2014, 02:30:56 pm »

I have wondered this as well. The only thing is that it is obviously painful and from what I have read having it doesn't give any long-term immunity. When my ram had it last Autumn he just looked so sad and was obviously in pain and I don't think he was really able to see where he was going I am also fearful of it causing blindness if it ulcerates and spreading through the flock so have been treating it as soon as I have spotted the symptoms. We have a Small Shepherd's group in the area and I am going to speak to one of the advisers to see what he would do. Thanks again for your advice.
Helen

Ideation · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2014, 04:46:25 pm »

What area are you in, out of interest?

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2014, 06:00:26 pm »

Surrey.

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2014, 06:36:29 pm »

I struggled getting the cream into my girls eyes and resorted to a quick spray of engemycin , that seemed to clear it up pretty quickly, none of mine were unable to see but it certainly spread pretty quickly.

firther · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2014, 08:03:52 pm »

spray some blue spray into sheeps eye, works a treat and no ill effect. I wouldn't do it on lambs though.
some1 told me about this idea a couple of years ago and yea I did think it a little extreme so let me mate try it on his sheep 1st

lol.

farmvet · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2014, 12:12:46 am »

terramycin spray etc sprayed in the eye is extremely painful & not recommended.
Most flocks have repeated problems but after a year or so it subsides to just an odd case. It often seems to be triggered by any other eye irritants eg flies, dust, wind, bright sunlight. The bacteria involved are very good at "hiding" to flare up again at a later date. There seems to be a genetic predisposition in some sheep which may be due to eye conformation or local immunity in the tear film

firther · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2014, 06:37:32 am »

it is painfull for a minute or so and then there fine and problem won't come back. you only have to treat once which is good lol. the sheep farmer who told me about it as 50 odd years experience with sheep and also as a great reputation. its also a lot easier than trying to get that gel stuff or powder in there eye. plus you're only stressing the sheep once instead of repeated treatments

suziequeue · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2014, 04:25:35 pm »

We have one lamb with this. The rest of the flock seem unaffected but will check again tomorrow. My concern is that the dust etc kicked up by the gather in this dry weather is in itself a risk factor.

Our affected lamb has been separated from the rest of the flock and treated with Orbenin but unfortunately the eye has perforated so she is going to the vets tomorrow to have it removed the the socket cleaned up etc. Happy to keep her with one eye as she is from a good Mum and will breed nice lambs in the future I expect.

Poor little thing $:-\$ $:-\$

FiB · « **Reply #13 on:** November 26, 2014, 06:33:43 pm »

Just been down to the vet for ointment... First case of this. Wondered if it was coincidence that I switched to last years hay a few days ago... A bit dustier, but not smelling mouldy or off? She was walking around in circles a bit, but steady on her fit ( strongly resisted being walked into own).... Classic pink eyes with milky film. Hopefully will clear up quickly.... Fingers crossed