SORE MOUTH IN GOATS

Health Conditions of Goats with Sore Mouth

Sore mouth, also known Contagious Ecthyma, Orf, and “scabby mouth,” is a contagious disease found in goats and causes scabs or pus-filled sores to form around the goat's mouth, lips, face, ears, feet, scrotum, teats, or vulva. Sore mouth is a virus that is part of the chicken pox family.  Caused by the herpes-like parapox virus, it enters the goat’s body via cuts and abrasions. Sore mouth occurs worldwide, is highly contagious, and there is no known cure and usually lasts one to four weeks.

What Causes Sore Mouth in Goats?

Sore mouth, or contagious ecthyma, can be caused by direct or indirect contact between suckling kids and adult goats, or among sibling kids suckling from the udder of dams. The virus that causes contagious ecthyma is contagious to humans, so use extreme caution when handling livestock known to be infected with sore mouth. Wear rubber gloves and sanitize clothing, shoes and skin immediately after handling infected animals.
A goat infected with Sore mouth appears to have fever blisters on the hairless or lightly haired parts of its body (lips, vulva, teats, and scrotum). Sore mouth can also occur on the face, ears, and coronary band above the hoof of the goat. Sore mouth must run its course and this can be as long as one to four weeks per goat. Goats that are immune to the virus and therefore don't contract it are still carriers, so they can infect other goats. Most goats that survive Sore mouth become immune to it and usually don't contract it again, similar to humans who have had chickenpox.

How to Treat Sore Mouth in Goats

There is no known treatment for sore mouth or contagious ecthyma in goats; however there are ways that you can help ease your goats' discomfort while the condition runs its course. If lesions develop on both the upper and lower part of the goat's mouth, it can sometimes be difficult for the goat to feed, which could cause weight loss and intense pain. Feed goats softer concentrates to prevent weight loss.
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You can do several things to ease discomfort to Sore mouth-infected goats. Use Gentian Violet on the blisters and scabs. Sore mouth is highly contagious to both
humans and goats, so use disposable gloves. Gentian Violet is an old-time inexpensive purple-colored liquid medication used to treat fever blisters and impetigo. It is available without prescription from a pharmacy, but it may have to be
ordered and will probably be kept behind the counter. Gentian Violet dries the blisters and hastens healing. Drying scabs sometimes contain staph bacteria or screwworm maggots. Gentian Violet kills bacteria that may cause a secondary infection. The purple color of Gentian Violet gives you the added benefit of being able to see which goats have already been treated.
To help with systems antibiotics are recommended if a secondary bacterial infection
exists. Campho-Phenique is another good product to apply topically to blisters and
scabs. Campho-Phenique Maximum Strength also has antibacterial properties.
When virus-containing scabs from infected animals fall off, the virus can remain
viable in the environment and serve as a source of infection to susceptible animals. A
flock can become infected through contaminated bedding, feed or tucks, or by direct
contact with infected animals.
Once Sore mouth is on the property, it is there to stay. Clean up of pens, pastures, and paddocks is sometimes possible by bleaching, burning, removing topsoil, and keeping animals off that particular ground for an extended period of time. The size of the area, available manpower, and cost will determine if this approach is practical.
The smart goat raiser learns to cope with Sore mouth. A good bio-hazard management practice is to require that all visitors to your property place the soles of
their shoes in a shallow pan filled with a small amount of bleach.

A live vaccine is available for herds where sore mouth is a problem 

Producers considering using an orf virus vaccine product in their herd SHOULD CONSULT A VETERINARIAN. Use of vaccine is only suggested for previously infected herds, as vaccination will cause an orf virus infection in the animals and lead to contamination of the operation with virus-containing scabs. All orf virus vaccines contain live virus which can cause infection in humans.

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Blessings,
​Margarita & Stace