[Fronhaul]

Looking for some advice please if anyone has any input.

I have a ewe who sustained an injury to the base of her neck.  This would not heal and became infected.  Vet kept telling me to use long acting antibiotics but after 4 jabs there was no real improvement.   Any other solution the vet came up with amounted to several times the value of the ewe but I was tearing my hair out trying to work out what to do.  In desperation I ordered some manuka honey dressings (the proper medical grade ones) and used half of one of these topped with a sterile wound dressing for three days.   I didn't want to put her down unless absolutely necessary because she is a great mum and had just reared two lambs one of which wasn't hers.

I have just taken the dressing off and there is a huge improvement but one very small area is still giving out a little pus.  It seemed to me that letting some air get to the area might not be the worst idea so I have applied a little of the honey cream I bought and not dressed the area again.  Obviously she is inside and out of the rain and at the moment she seems perfectly happy on her own although she can hear other sheep nearby.

Have I done the right thing by not dressing the wound again do you think?  Since I weaned the lambs and brought her in she is a changed animal.  Much more alert and she seems much happier.  She is eating reasonably well (probably too well for a primitive) and finally seems to be putting some weight on.

And although the cost of the pack of dressings seemed expensive if this works it will be a very cost effective solution to the problem.

[Fleecewife]

Without seeing the wound it's hard to say.  It could be that the persistently pus-y bit is a track or sinus going deeper.  If that is the case you need to keep the top unhealed and allow the track to heal up from the depths.
 
On the other hand it could just be that the wound is healing well but just hasn't quite got there yet.
I would suggest that you keep a close eye on it whilst leaving it uncovered as you have.  If it improves then you have done the right thing, if it goes downhill then put on another occlusive dressing.
 
It is very interesting to hear about the Manuka honey dressings.   Let us know how it goes 

[Foobar]

Was it the same antibiotic that was used the four times?  Or did it change type?


I know that some antibiotics don't work on me, but an alternative will (okay I'm not a sheep, but you get the principle ).

[Fronhaul]

Three different types   The advice was then effectively that the ewe wasn't worth spending any more on and it was time I bit the bullet.  I don't mind biting the bullet when it is hopeless but I felt I owed this one a little more effort.  She didn't appear to be in pain but she was miserable.  She picked my pocket today to make the point she had stood beautifully for us to work on her and deserved a treat - she got one.

[Bramblecot]

What caused the injury?  Might give a clue as to the type of infection??  I hope she is ok

[Mallows Flock]

I am really like the Manuka Honey idea as treatment but have always wondered.... will it not attract flies???

[jaykay]

1. I think you probably did the right thing leaving the remaining bit open to the air

2. How did you keep the dressings on?

I ask because I'm currently looking after three Ryeland for my Dad. One he bought (in the ring, didn't see her close up beforehand) has got rainrot I think, with some patches of sore skin on her back. It isn't getting better,  we gave her a pen and strep jag and put some eumovate cream on.

But it's chucking it down here and so, though I like the idea of honey dressings, I'm wondering how they'd stand up to the rain? I don't have anywhere to permanently house her, though she has across to a small field shelter to get out of the worst of the weather.

[woollyval]

Manuka honey...in fact any honey is antibacterial and works wonders on humans...I have friends on whom the manuka dressings have literally saved their skin with infected operation scars....if it works on humans why not sheep...well done...keep putting it on and cover with breathable dressing just coz sheep are grubbier than people and to keep flies off!

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi where do you get the dressings from, would be interested as i have a sow who has rubbed what i took to be an insect bite on her side and made a right mess its now very swollen and when she rubs it and the scab comes off its very 'meaty' underneath and bloody and just doesn't seem to be healing, if i can keep a healing dressing on it she might get rid of it.
thanks
mandy

[Fronhaul]

I got mine from the New Zealand Honey Shop http://www.newzealandhoneyshop.co.uk/ .  I held them on with another absorbent dressing on top with some electrical type tape but not a very sticky one and she was really good with it.  I used really long strips not very tightly so they went round her neck.  With the other dressing on top there didn't seem to be a problem with flies.

I am checking her two or three times a day and she is staying in so hopefully we are now winning with her. 

[Sylvia]

I always use Calendula (English Marigold) which you can buy, dried, in most health food shops or on line. Infuse it with something like petroleum jelly. The trouble with Manuka honey is, due to H&S it has to be pasteurised which MUST destroy the essential ingredient for dealing with infection.

[Fleecewife]

I would think that the main ingredient for dealing with infection is actually just the sugar.  You could use good old granulated which would be cheaper.

[Fowgill Farm]

Thanks for the info have had a look at website, wow see what you mean about being an expensive option, i see they also do a manuka antibacterial gel which might be more use to me, ceratainly very interesting.
mandy 

[clydesdaleclopper]

You can buy Manuka honey wound ointment which I had great results with on one of my goats.I just put it on and left everything uncovered.

[Fronhaul]

That is where we are now - some pus coming out of a very small area so I am cleaning it daily and applying a dab of manuka honey ointment.  Fingers crossed.  She is still looking very alert and getting quite cheeky.