# Help, trouble with disbudding healing - update



## norseofcourse (Jun 11, 2013)

I had my ram (now wether) lamb disbudded at about ten days old, because in case I kept him I don't want horns (too worried about catching on the electric fence, and chance of injury to me or the other sheep).  It healed fairly well, but they started growing again.  The vet re-disbudded him on Saturday, and the cauterized area was slightly larger but he said it should heal fine.

Well, later that day the wether rubbed his head against some things and got the area bleeding.  I also saw him scratching his horn area with a back hoof.  It didn't look as bad on Sunday, but that evening there was a white thing on one side, so I penned him and scraped off a mass of fly eggs, and put Furacin on both horn areas.

Monday, morning and evening, I penned him to clean and check.  Monday evening I got two more fly egg masses off.  This evening (Tuesday), I didn't see any egg masses, but I got two little fly larvae out.  I thought I saw something else move but I couldn't find anything with the probing I was able to do.  I put a thick layer of Furacin on, hoping it would stay on long enough to smother any other maggots that might be in there.

I've been reading more on wound care, and may switch to Betadine, it appears it might kill fly larvae and also help dry up the areas.  I can also call the vet in the morning and see what he suggests.  I'm cautious about what to use, since the areas are right above his eyes... and I don't want to use something too painful or toxic on an open wound.  I don't think they are infected - yet - but I want to avoid that, and keep fly larvae out.  I also considered bandaging at least the one side, but wrapping that area would be difficult, would probably mean covering one eye, and he'd probably get it off within minutes...

He is acting fairly well, eating and drinking and only slightly less active than normal.  But I am never having this done to an animal again  

Any suggestions welcome


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## SheepGirl (Jun 11, 2013)

Fly strike!

I had a case of fly strike last year with a ewe lamb. You can read here about that little ordeal: http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=241114#p241114

Anyway, you need to act NOW. Spray the area with iodine (will dry up the wound and also brings maggots to the surface of the wound) and spray it with a permethrin (I hope I spelled that right ). I used Prozap screw worm spray. Really douse the lamb's head with both iodine and the screw worm spray. Spraying with an antibiotic ointment (what I believe Furacin is) WILL NOT kill the flies/maggots. You need to spray the wound with an insecticide.

Act fast and good luck.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks SheepGirl - I have fly sprays for horses, but am not sure about using them on an open wound, and so close to his eyes.  I found somewhere local that has screw worm spray I can get tomorrow.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 16, 2013)

I put betadine on his horn areas that next morning, and got a couple maggots out.  I got screw worm spray on my lunch hour, and used it when I got home from work.  I didn't want to spray it right by his eyes, so I sprayed some in a cup and used an eyedropper to apply it to the areas.  A couple more maggots appeared and were quickly removed.  I used the screw worm spray twice a day for a few more days, and saw no more maggots.  It appears to be dry and healing now.  Thanks SheepGirl!

And I had used the furacin ointment a few times on his horn areas.  I see now it says 'do not use on food animals'.  Does that mean he can't ever go for meat now?


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