Tuesday 20 December 2011

Sheepskin - solved

Geisha, one of our ewes, is being hit by a mysterious skin condition. It's a kind of eczema that affects her forehead and eyelids.


Geisha, looking a wee bit glum


 She is losing condition, getting a bit rough-looking, but nothing I am treating her with seems to help.


Pep the Vet, and Ramon Bach the veterinarian at ANCRI, the association for Ripollesa sheep, suggest that this is Sheep Scab, caused by a mite called Psoroptes ovis (on which there is a great deal written - I found this article useful.) Treatment, started by Pep, is with ivermectin injected under the skin. I will do the second dose of the treatment in a few days. When the sheep are clipped in the Spring we will wash them with a chemical that should help kill the mites, but they are persistent and I expect that we will have to work hard to eliminate them.


Psoroptes is an insect from the Astigmata order.  "Sheep Scab" is, indeed, a stigma for sheep and shepherd.


Poor Geisha. I'll try to help her get over it.

1 comment:

Fot-li foc!!! said...

M'ho estic mirant i no descarto la possibilitat d'un problema de fotosensibilitzacio per alguna planta (hipericum, medicago, trifolium...) o el que fa temps penso de l'al.lergia a les pessigades de la mosca negra. Divendres tarda ho mirem