# Dealing with sore mouth....a million and 1 questions!



## mommaB (Mar 12, 2010)

Sooooo....I think that I am dealing with sore mouth? I know it has to run it's course. My main question is how will this affect my kids come Jan? I have had people say that if you dam raise the kids will get natural immunity from their dams? I have also head that NO everyone will get it from now on? Can someone school me on this? Do I need to put it out there that my herd has it, and let people know when purchasing kids?? 

UUUhhhhhgggg I know it could be worse but this SUCKS!!!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Once it goes through the herd, and I wouldn't try to stop it, the kids born will not get immediate immunity to sore mouth from the colostrum, so you can expect some kids to get it, from the scabs that will fall on the ground.

If you can you might want to set up now a place for does to kid, nurse and raise their kids away from the main herd that is going through the sore mouth.

Just know, we all have had it, if someone hasn't it's only because you purchased kids from stock that has had it and someone spent some time making sure your goats got high quality colostrum.

IF you do have does who will be kidding who do not get soremouth, milk out some of their colostrum and give it to all of the kids you are keeping, they have stronger immunity to sore mouth.

Other than keeping a spray bottle of veggy oil, which I sprayed into the corner of mouths so they didn't keep cracking and bleeding....nothing works. At least it is not fly season!

May I ask if you copper bolus? Vicki


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## mommaB (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks Vicki, 
We are moving, so I was hoping it would go through quicker than it is. But it seems to be moving a little slow....There are definitely girls who have it worse than others. Some I couldn't see very well till I looked in mouths. My kids aren't due till Feb. So can you vaccinate your kids young enough they don't get it? I also heard that a good freeze kills the virus? Just trying to strategize my kidding season.....Sigh....this SUCKS!!!

Yes I do copper bolus.


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

Had this go through a couple years ago. It was exactly 30 days from exposure that the first goat came down with it. Another 30 days and the rest of them came down with it. :/ It took about 30 days from onset until all scabs were gone. Exposure was mid-December and it was mid-March before everyone was *well*. I did use kidding pens and caught all kids, raised away from adults on CAE prevention. Have never had any of those kids or later kids come down with it.

Have never heard of a vaccine. ? Don't think I'd bother with it. Soremouth, to me, is just a nuisance--like chicken pox. As long as your goats are healthy, it should just go through the herd and be done with it. Patience.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't live where it freezes, but no I do not think freeze effects the scabs left from soremouth in your soil, in your barn in the bedding etc....Vicki


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## Sunny Daze (Jan 14, 2008)

This is interesting....I have never had it in my herd but I also haven't brought in many new goats lately and have just began to show so limited exposure. The part I am confused about...some people say once you have it any new goats you bring in will get it (even if it has gone through your herd and no active cases). Or if you buy one that has had it in the past but no longer has an active case, is it likely you are bringing it on to your property and now your goats will get it? I have heard so many different things. Some people act like it is no big deal and others FREAK about it!!


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## VictoriaK (Jul 8, 2012)

I never had sore mouth till this year. I have not been as careful as I could of been. My daughter brought home an amazing Nubian this summer, that had lived with several other goats, and a bummer lamb. The doe raising the bummer lamb got sores on her udder from that lamb. LOw and behold, everyone here got it, no matter what I did, though I don't have tons of space..

I am ever so careful now, making sure feet are scrubbed and scrubbed if anyone leaves, and have not had a problem. I did get a doe on lease back after all the break out was settled down, and she didn't get it, so the hard work did pay off in that case, or perhaps she had it previously to me purchasing her??


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## mommaB (Mar 12, 2010)

Another interesting fact that I found out is, wild ruminants such as deer can carry it! I guess given where I live it was just a matter of time. Another thing to consider is people that have cattle or sheep that graze their hay fields in the off season. I also recently purchased hay from a different supplier....all things to think about. I am one of the most cautious people when it comes to my herd and exsposure. Diseases SCARE THE CRAP outta me!!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

It comes in on your shoes, your tires, hay. It doesn't stay in the ground forever, or all of us would have soremouth in every new goat we bring in, and we don't.

It's a nusiance disease that everyone will have, pinkeye also. The more you deal with immunity in your goats, keeping acidosis down in your goat rumen by limiting grain to just what they need...feeding high quality colostrum even if you are choosing to let kids nurse, even a few cc's of your older goats, fed to the infants at birth helps. Vicki


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## poppypatchfarm (Oct 26, 2009)

Tisie,
Are there sores inside the mouth as well? Ulcers on the gums? If so check your hay to see if there is any bristle grass in the hay. Looks like a small fluffy-topped grass with yellowish bristles when dry. Looks harmless but those tiny bristles will break off and cause terrible sores on the inside of the mouth, lips and even inside the nostrils. As some here know I went through this last Winter thinking my goats had soremouth from State fair. After much stress and vet bills a vet at WSU diagnosed the issue from photos of the goat's mouths. After the hay was removed they were fully healed within a couple of weeks. Where you live you very well could have the same thing in your hay as we had. Our hay dealer traded back all the remaining hay and says they will never touch anything from that grower ever again but someone else unknowingly will be buying it...


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## mommaB (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks Shannon!
I actually spoke with the pathologist at WADDL. I ended up sending in some samples to see exactly what we are dealing with? In my research I also found out about something called pear mouth. The pathologist also told me that there are a few things that can mimic it. Which sounds like something you delt with.... So the results will be back by next week I hope. Maybe even tomorrow? Then I will know exactly what I'm dealing with. 
Just praying it's something else, but my gut tells me otherwise :?


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