Sore mouth/orf/ecthyma

Me again in Nigeria with another weird and wonderful! Just back from 3 weeks away to find my male kid, 7 months old, with bad sores around the mouth, and his mother starting.  Most sores at the back of the mouth, they are both still eating, although look a bit thinner.  I think the kids eyes look a bit droopy and "sad" too.  Also his stool is different, soft and yellow and sticky.  Looking at Deborahs book it looks like the description for sore mouth matches best, does it look like it from the photos?  Any tips on how to treat the sores?  How to help the goats, to stop it from spreading, etc?

He is up and moving and active, although his bleating sounds so sad.  I haven't heard the full story yet from the boy  who was looking after him, but the neighbour told me that a local vet was called who said the sores were due to them eating hairy caterpillars and some antibiotics were given, but I don't know yet what or how............I suspect its not hairy caterpillars though!

Thanks so much for any advice

Katharine

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Replies

  • Thanks Deborah, I've been keeping an eye on them and its only the mouth, so I guess we're ok.  Thanks for your wisdom!  Katharine

  • That is what sore mouth looks like, but if it is ONLY on his mouth, it is probably just from something that he ate. It's called "pear mouth" because it can be caused by eating prickly pears (cactus). Sore mouth is highly contagious, and all of the goats will get it, if that's it. There is nothing you can do to stop it. But they will also have sores around their eyes, ears, udder, teats, vulva, scrotum, anywhere where there isn't much hair.

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