I have a baby doe that is 3 weeks old. She is the only 1 of 7 kids to have this. I first noticed that her ears were crusty, like some kind of mite. Then I noticed that her nostrils and lips had tiny dry sores on them. She's an oberhasli, so her lips are black it it was hard to see them, I felt them first. This has not stopped her from eating, playing, acting normally.

Last spring I had an 2 adult does with this and it cleared up within a couple of weeks. In the fall when I got some new adults, I did quarentine them, but they still went through this after mixing in with the herd. Now, I'm wondering if this baby doe received colostrum from a doe that did not have this condition, so she didn't receive the immunity. I heat treat all colostrum and freeze it, so when there's a kid born, I just grab a bottle, thaw and feed it.

Am I on the right track here or can someone suggest something that I'm overlooking? Thanks

-- Charleen with Obies in WNY (harperhillfarm@yahoo.com), April 22, 2002

Answers

Just a thought, but could the kid have gotten into something? Even a toxic (not necessarily poisonous enough to really do damage, but irritate) plant might do it, especially since it's around it's mouth. That would be my first idea, because it happened in the spring the last time too, it might be something that just started growing. Hope you find something for it! Cara

-- Cara Dailey (daileyd@agalis.net), April 22, 2002.

Charlene, we call this orf, and I do think that the doeling likely didn't get immunity for it from the colostrum. Also some kids in the group will just have sandpapery feeling ears and that is it. I am going through this right now on a milker I have, it is all over her tail and to the side of it. The other milker I just brought in this last weekend, came with this all over her mussel which of course is worse looking since it is wet on her face. It will run its course, and then they will be fine. Email me if you find anything to help with this at all, the doe with it on her face looks awful :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 22, 2002.

Hi Charlene! My first reaction to your post was also Orf and has vicki mentioned, It will run its course. Iodine will kill the virus, so you can try applying that, but for the most part it will be cured on its own in 14 to 30 days.

Good Luck! Lorna

-- Lorna (clstuckless@thezone.net), April 27, 2002.

Hi Lorna! I was thinking about you the other day when answering the "Crusty" post. Have you had a reoccurance in it? Weird that we no longer have a problem on the udder but the same doe last year now has it under her tail. The doe who was really bad with the phemphugus still has dewclaws involved, I am actually going to sand them down for the show in may. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 28, 2002.

Hi Vicki, great to hear from you! We had a reoccurance of the phemigus again this fall when the cycling began...hormones, hormones, hormones! However it wasn't too bad this time round. I put some NFZ on the sores around her chin a few times, but for the most part after 4 days of cycling it would clean itself up until the next month. Last year she used to get it between the toes, chin, corners of her mouth and really bad around her nose, but this time, just under her chin a little.

BTW, the shed is open again, I just noticed. A girl named Nikki (new name to me), as I was staying off the site and not in much of a mood to communicate with anyone. I guess you heard of the tragic accidental death in our family, I think I posted briefly on the shed about it (unsure). Anyway, I just finished posting over there and hopefully we can all keep in touch through one of the sites.

Hope all is well...Hope you get your girl cleaned up well for the show. Oh, what was the count of does this year?

All the best! Lorna

-- Lorna (clstuckless@thezone.net), May 04, 2002.

Hi Lorna, how weird! My new doe has this on her chin! The whole chin is involved though it doesn't bother her in the least. Touching her to give her wormer when I got her grossed me out big time :)

I am not up for another forum, this one is going to merge into one big site with the other forum countrysidemag.com that I frequent, between it and my yahoo sites that's enough.

I hadn't heard about your problem! I hope all is well now, email me if I can help at all. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002.