| Livestock Disease Summaries | नेपाली भाषा |
Sore Mouth in Goats and Sheep
Sore mouth is a virus infection that causes vesicles, crusty sores, and scabs around the mouth of goats and sheep. Sores can also develop in other body parts such as the udder. This disease is also known as contagious ecthyma or “orf”.
Images of sore mouth in goats and an infected human (Courtesy of Dr. Mary Smith, Cornell University).
The virus that causes sore mouth can readily be transmitted between animals by direct contact or through a contaminated environment. This virus can also infect humans, so you should wear gloves when handling infected animals.
There is no specific treatment for sore mouth. The sores will usually heal within 1 to 2 weeks. Applying antiseptic ointments to the sores may be useful in severe cases and in severe cases, it is good to put the animal on antibiotics to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections that may develop. It is important to make certain the animals continue to eat and drink, so give them soft feeds that they enjoy and be sure they have water available.
A live virus vaccine exists to prevent sore mouth but may not be available in your location. This vaccine will also infect humans to be careful when administering it.
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