Sheep abscess culture came back as strep

Schatzl

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Hi all. So last weekend I found two abscesses on one of my ewes. I isolated her
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and took her to the vets Monday morning. Of course my first thought (and the vet’s best guess) was CL. They FINALLY got the culture back as strep (if you need more info than that, I don’t have it- yet). I’m going to stop by there today to talk to them. I was just hoping to get some insights from y’all so I could ask better questions when I do. I’ve tried to do some searches but came up with nothing. Can I bring her back into the flock? Should she be culled?
 

Latestarter

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I don't own sheep.... IMHO, If it didn't come back positive for CL, then I would think it's just an infection/abcess. She may have gotten poked by hay or a bur or foxtail or a splinter... something that got under the skin and caused it. Looks like the back one is about to pop and is already breaking through the skin. You can lance it and drain it, or the vet can, and then treat as you would with any other abscess. (I would flush the cavity out with a 50/50 water/hydrogen peroxide mix. Others might suggest chlorhexidine). Should be no issue with her rejoining the flock if it's not CL.
 

Southern by choice

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Should be no issue with her rejoining the flock if it's not CL.

Ummmmmmmmm just because it isn't CL doesn't mean she should go back with the flock! :duc

Staph can be very serious! You DO NOT want your other sheep exposed to this. Follow your vets advice on cleaning and care... usually a flush with peroxide (at first- not prolonged as it kills healthy tissue) followed by betadine or whatever your vet recommends. I would quarantine until completely healed over. Burn and dispose of anything that gets contaminated by the pus. In a way you want to treat it like it is CL... and PLEASE WEAR GLOVES! and change shoes and clothes.

@Latestarter ever seen what staph can do to an udder? Sheep have udders...
 

kuwaiti-90

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I have had these cases in some ewes, and treated them and their condition is right now.
The treatment was to put the black iodine ointment in the beginning until the top of the tumor was opened, and then the rest of the dirt was extracted by pressing it, cleaned inside by liquid iodine or penicillin with the cotton sticks. Then put an anti-inflammatory powder inside the wound with a cotton wick with wound coverage, giving penicillin dose as recommended by the veterinarian.

Preferably by a specialist veterinarian .
I hope that it will be like a speedy recovery.:(
 

Sheepshape

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Sounds like good news to me. She has probably caught her neck on some sort of spikes/barbed wire etc. Very satisfying to treat.

One area has a head, the other needs a hole making in it....then sqeeeeeeeze.......tons of gunk will emerge. Use a syringe to irrigate the hole when all the gunk is out.....dilute iodine, hydrogen peroxide solution etc are great for this.

Strep.is usually very sensitive to penicillins, so a couple of shots of penicillin will help to localise the infection.

Should clear up without sequelae in a week or two.
 
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