[pinkvisla1]

Need some advice I noticed today 2 of my sheep have horrible mouth sores around nose as well looks swollen I think it's ORF

How can I treat this? The y have never had this before I have read it's very contagious to humans as well!

Will this be painful for them and will it spread to the others?

Hate to see them like this it looks awful!

[twizzel]

Orf will spread quickly so isolate the affected ones if you can. It’s a virus so you have to let it run it’s course, but keep an eye out for secondary infection and treat with antibiotics if necessary. Rock salt and Brinnicombe Fro-But buckets will help dry up the sores and increase the time it takes to get over it. Try not to handle the sheep as it’s transmitted to humans and very painful.

[Fleecewife]

When we had orf run through our flock, we sprayed the sores with ubiquitous blue spray (while protecting the sheep's eyes) to prevent infection. Keep an eye on udders and lamb's mouths, as the ewe can get mastitis when a lamb is infected, and the lamb will be unwilling to suckle.
Definitely don't touch around the sheep's mouth or udder with your bare hands (wear disposable gloves), don't touch your face, eyes, mouth or nether regions (for example when a man pops behind a hedge for a quick pee, straight from the sheep) before you wash your hands very thoroughly.  Orf is apparently very painful to sheep and human.
As well as your flock getting orf by contact with an infected animal or piece of wood, feed trough etc, it can be acquired if you bring in new stock which have been vaccinated against orf.  I think it's maybe a live attenuated vaccine (please correct that anyone who knows) so the new sheep will pass the orf on to your non-vaccinated stock, while showing no signs themselves.

[SallyintNorth]

Yes the vaccine is a live one and will cause orf in naive unvaccinated sheep, so don’t vaccinate unless you have orf on your farm, and don’t use pens where someone else has vaccinated unless your sheep are immune.

Yes it’s painful, but it’s not the end of the world.  It’s a virus so nothing really helps, but you can help prevent / treat secondary infection.  Our vet recommended dunking their heads in a strong solution of Diaz (and it has to be Daz, the one that gives the ‘blue white’), and it does seem to help the sores heal without getting infected.  I usually use septiclense purple antiseptic spray as well.  If they do have infected sores then yes use the blue antibiotic spray.

Yes watch the mothers, if they aren’t immune they can get orf in the udder.  Sometimes it’s an indication they don’t have enough milk - the lambs keep pullling on empty teats, sores ensue, orf gets in (it enters through broken skin), now everything gets worse and mastitis often follows. 

At this time of year, an outbreak often starts when the lambs puncture their mouths eating thistles, so move them onto pasture without thistles if you can.

It looks awful, I know, but it really isn’t as bad as it seems, provided it’s just the lambs’ faces and not the mums’ udders.  Daz and Septiclense, non-spiky pasture, and they’ll recover.  Frobut buckets probably do help - but also create an opportunity to spread the infection :/.

[pinkvisla1]

Thankyou for all your advise

I’m not sure what you mean by DAZ? Do you mean the washing powder?

I have the blue spray ? Not the purple where can I get this?

1 of the sheep looks really swollen around the mouth and nose with sores!
Where can I buy the Lick Block from? Does it have to be a certain one?

[twizzel]

Dennis Brinnicombe make the mineral lick, you should be able to find a supplier locally if you contact them in the website. Or rock salt will help, the pink lumps that you can buy for horses.

[SallyintNorth]

Dennis Brinnicombe make the mineral lick, you should be able to find a supplier locally if you contact them in the website. Or rock salt will help, the pink lumps that you can buy for horses.

The lick bucket is called Frobut.   Most Agri merchants have it or can get it.

To be absolutely clear, the salt you want is red rock salt, often called Himalayan Rock Salt, and not the Red Rockies salt / mineral block, which is also sold for horses and is dangerous for sheep.

[SallyintNorth]

I’m not sure what you mean by DAZ? Do you mean the washing powder?

Yup!  The very same.  The constituents seem to be very effective at stopping secondary infections to the orf virus.  Make up a good strong solution of it - it should look blue and a bit thick - and dunk their faces in it.

I have the blue spray ? Not the purple where can I get this?

The one I use is Septiclense.  Again, Agri merchants will have it.  It’s just an antiseptic spray.  No point using expensive antibiotics when there aren’t any bacteria to kill . Not to mention the issue of causing antibiotic resistance by inappropriate use.  If the sores look at all infected - with evident pus or heat - then by all means use the blue antibiotic spray.

[bj_cardiff]

With due respect to the comments above, I rarely treat Orf these days and find it lasts the same amount of time as when it is treated. I've never had it this time of year though and if I found the flies were bothering the sheep I'd take more aggressive action.

As you say sheep I'm assuming they don't have lambs on them? I'd avoid feeding them concentrates (or hay) as you really want to avoid any nose to noise contact, so gathering them up to pull out the 'affected ones' could infect the rest of the flock.

[Foobar]

My lambs had orf this year (probably due to my excessive thistles), and for once I didn't treat them.  I would usually spray with Nettex Bacticyde, but I didn't bother this time.  I would say that perhaps the orf lasted a little longer than if I'd have treated, but not by much, but also I was feeding them daily, so that probably helped it spread too.

[bazzais]

Dont catch it yourself - its not very nice - its a bit like youve dipped your hand in the fat fryer for 20 minutes.  Luckily it stayed on my hands - would not like it anywhere else more sensitive thats for sure. Was sitting down for a wee for a few weeks or wearing gloves.

[pinkvisla1]

As always you've all been great help!

That Orf looks horrendous and i seem to be more worried about it than my sheep.  They dont have lambs just my lovable lawn mowers!

I am going to move them to another field tomorrow less thistles!  I had never heard of Orf before!? we are just your typical accidental smallholders! and this is our expensive hobby!  We have learnt more from this website and seem to get by with trimming their feet, worming applying flystrike and have someone to shear them!  We thought having sheep would be easy, we are so wrong but we try our best! and we enjoy it!  BUT this Orf looks awful, we only have 5 sheep 1 has it real bad the other 2 have had it (small scabs left) and the other 2 no signs yet!

So when i move them i want to thoroughly clean their shed whats the best disinfectant to use? i will scrpae it all out and clean all round including the farm gate!  i read it can hang around on the land for 17 years!

[Anke]

Once they have had it they are normally immune to it, or get a lesser infection. I have never treated my sheep or goats for it, and let it run its course.

[Fleecewife]

Given how painful orf is for humans, it's likely to be as bad for sheep, except they will not let us know that. Treating the sores with something soothing should help the sheep feel less stressed and in pain.  It's not just about how long the sores last, but the sheep's welfare too.  I wonder if Aloe Vera would help?  Just remember to wear gloves when you apply it.