![]() The effect of the vaccine is to introduce the disease into the sheep in a controlled on-farm environment so that the sheep are then immune for the export market. Apart from this, vaccination for Scabby Mouth is not usually part of normal sheep management. In most cases, vaccination is only a viable option if the sheep are intended for the live sheep trade. Note, however, that this immunity is NOT passed from the immune ewe to her lamb via the colostrum. A sheep that has recovered from Scabby Mouth is immune from the disease for several years.Antibiotics are not necessary, unless there is some secondary infection.You should not attempt to remove the scabs, as this will delay the sheep's recovery.Depending on the time of year and seasonal conditions, you may need to keep a close watch for flystrike on the lesions. ![]() You should ensure affected sheep have soft, palatable feed, water and plenty of shade during this natural recovery phase. As yarding the sheep in order to treat them may actually make the disease worse, no treatment is usually the best option. If left untreated, the lesions generally heal in around three weeks.Sheep grazing a stubble can get minor abrasions around the mouth that would expose them to the virus as well. Puncture wounds from grass seeds, thistles, blackberry etc can be sufficient to allow entry of the Scabby Mouth virus, as can shearing cuts or any wounds from lamb marking, ear tagging etc. However, it cannot enter the sheep unless the sheep has some kind of wound or abrasion. The Scabby Mouth virus can survive in the soil for years.In some circumstances, Scabby Mouth and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) can present very similar signs, so check your sheep against the signs of FMD and if you have any doubt that it is Scabby Mouth, contact your local vet or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline (1800 675 888 all hours) immediately.This would be a major setback for the lamb. As a result, the ewe may prevent the lamb from feeding until the pain goes away. The disease can affect the udder and teats of a lactating ewe.Scabby Mouth is not a fatal disease and will rarely cause major secondary problems.If the infection spreads down to between the claws of the hoof, the animal will be severely lame. Where Scabby Mouth affects the legs, it is usually on the lower part.These then dry and create a scab which may be yellowish brown at first and then become dark. The first signs of Scabby Mouth are small blisters discharging pus.Young sheep are more susceptible (mainly because, once animals have recovered from the disease, they are immune to it thereafter).The infection is more common around the mouth than on the legs or feet.The signs of Scabby Mouth can appear around the mouth and/or on the legs and feet.
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