How To Treat Sheep Diseases

Introduction

There is a large variety of noninfectious and infectious diseases that can affect sheep. Some of these are contagious to people and known under the name of zoonosis or zoonotic diseases. Other sheep diseases need to be reported to the authorities, while others can prevent the import and the export of live animals. The most common diseases or problems encountered at sheep are the abortion caused by campylobacter, the chlamidia or the toxoplasmosis, but the list with other possible disorders is long. Here are some steps to be followed in order to treat various sheep diseases.

Step 1

Step #1: Consult the veterinarian

Establishing a correct diagnosis is the key of a successful treatment of sheep diseases. Consult with your veterinarian for establishing a correct diagnosis. In general you should be informed about what diseases are prevalent in specific periods, as during the production stages or in a specific season. Even if you suspect already what disease is could be, a confirmation from a specialized veterinarian it is recommended.

Step 2

Step #2: Establish a diagnosis

All the tools and knowledge should be used for making a correct diagnosis. Making the correct diagnose is the most difficult, as it requires a lot of experience. The first sign that you should consider is when the sheep is not eating as before. Most of sick animals are usually not eating. The next thing that you can do is to take the sheep’s temperature. A normal temperature should range between 101 - 103° F. When the temperature is high, it might be the case of an infection, and in these situations sheep diseases are treated with antibiotic.

Step 3

Step #3: Prevent spreading the disease

There are some sheep diseases that can spread easily, not only among themselves, but sometimes with an impact on human’s health as well. For this reason, it is very important to take the necessary prevention measures. Isolate firstly the sheep showing disease symptoms. After these are isolated, continue to monitor any possible symptoms, as in many cases fever might precede other signs as well. After the correct diagnosis is made, the treatment scheme can be established.

Step 4

Step #4: Administer the treatment

Start to treat early. Most of the sheep diseases can be treated with success and with no further complications if the treatment is administrated early. Take into consideration the limitations of the treatment, but respect the dosage required and the minimum treatment period as well. Sheep diseases are various, and therefore it is important to administer the right treatment.

Step 5

Step #5: Monitor the evolution

Administrating the treatment it a very important step for treating sheep diseases, but monitoring the evolution of the disease is another important aspect. In some situations the sheep might not respond to the treatment, and in this situation a change of the treatment scheme might be required. A careful monitoring can help you obtain the maximum results from the treatment, and to prevent further complications.

Conclusion

As some of these sheep diseases can be transmitted to humans, making a correct diagnosis and applying a good treatment are very important.

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