# I'm not 100% positive, but I think my sheep have CL



## russellsmom (Nov 13, 2002)

I have been all over the internet trying to find a possible answer to why the one lamb has swelling in her lymph nodes. At the time the vet came to see her she also had one small dime sized lump on her chest which the vet thought was caused by some type of injury. I thought it felt like an abcess to me.
In the meantime I found she was wormy so I gave her and her companion Safeguard. The swelling of the lymph nodes went down some, but has not completely disappeared since then.
This morning I gave her a general feel over and discovered yet another smaller lump in the area where the other lump is. The penecillin he gave her did not cause any decrease in swelling of the other lump.
Now for more bad news. I discovered the other lamb who had no lumps now has one on her belly right behind her front leg. 
From what I've read what I am seeing really looks like it could be CL. I'm also wondering what else it might possibly be. I really don't think it's cancer like the vet thought it might be. I'll have to call the vet again on Monday to get him to come out again. If it is CL, I guess I have to cull them? Sigh, this sheep raising business isn't panning out so well.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

CL Lumps and lambs would be uncommon. It is a slow progressing disease so that your lamb has lumps its probably a bit young to be showing signs of CL. Swelling from an infection that the lymph system is trying to void can take quite a while to clear up. How long were they on PenG? Not all lumps are cancer or CL, heck I have lumps that don't warrent any alarm. I would imagine some breeds are more suseptable to fatty deposits than others, although I wouldn't know which were. If they graze in some rough fence rows they could be picking up minor puncture wounds or slivers that are simply blowing into ***** lumps. If you lance a lump what comes out?


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## russellsmom (Nov 13, 2002)

Ross said:


> How long were they on PenG? Not all lumps are cancer or CL, heck I have lumps that don't warrent any alarm. I would imagine some breeds are more suseptable to fatty deposits than others, although I wouldn't know which were. If they graze in some rough fence rows they could be picking up minor puncture wounds or slivers that are simply blowing into ***** lumps. If you lance a lump what comes out?


Tinkerbelle was on Penecillin for 7 days. The lumps feel hard and they are right at the skins surface, they aren't real squishy. It's possible the lumps are from "wounds", this farm was an amish farm a year or so ago and they left it in a horrible state, we are still cleaning up junk they left lying around.
I'm not brave enough to lance one of the lumps. I'm afraid I would make things worse.


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## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

In Sheep! magazine, July/August 2004 p. 54 Laurie Ball-Gisch describes another type of abscess called Cruels. (Also known as wooden tongue or lumpy jaw in cattle.) 

From the article: According to Dr. David Henderson's _The Veterinarian Book for Sheep Farmers_, Cruels is caused by _Actinobacillus lignieresii_, a normal flora found on sheep. It can become a problem when a sheep is poked in the skin, usually the tender skin of the mouth or face, and enters the blood stream and infects the lumph system. The abscesses usually form on the head and face, including the lips and cheeks. They may 'track' through the soft tissues . . . Occasionally abscesses may also form in the lungs and the lymphatic glands, which drain lymph from infected areas. Animals eventually die if they are not treated satisfactorily. Treatment consists of antibiotic injections . . . " Henderson, p. 577.

She goes on to describe further symptoms, what she did about it in her flock including lancing the abacess and prevention.

Do you have access to this magazine so you can read the complete article?


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## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

I found online information about Cruels here:

www.lavenderfleece.com/abscess.html


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2004)

I also read that article in the magazine that was mentioned and it does a really good job explaining it. I notice that my sheep get them depending on what they are being fed. Once we had some barley that my husband cut for green feed (barbs and all against my wishes!) and we definately had lumps from that. Stopped feeding it and they NO more lumps!!!!! (He listens to me a little better since then....) So, chances are they are picking it up from the conditions they are in.

But, don't be afraid to lance them. When we had them this is what I did: First, I remove animal from the flock so as not to risk spreading it (just in case). I were gloves to do it and get a good sharp scalple (sp?) from my vet. From there I just make a small incission - I squish out the the stuff inside. I make sure I catch it all in paper towels and burn them - just to be sure. From there I flush with iodine and then I give some long acting penicilian to make sure there is no secondary infection. Once the spot has healed up - I put them back into the flock. It really isn't that tough. Also, if you aren't sure if it is drainable, you can insert a syringe into it and try to withdraw some fluid to see what it is. 

If you are still unsure - get your vet to do it the first time and watch them close!


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