Ringworms

“RINGWORM TREATMENT”

Joel Lanier- Jacoby’s Feed Consultant

Ringworm out breaks can be a frustrating and detrimental occurrence on your sheep/goats. Washing, clipping, shearing and travel all contribute to the likely hood your animals will pick up a skin fungus. Here are a few tips if ringworms are found:

1. Treatment needs to be done quickly to minimize cosmetic damage and speed up healing time.

2. For your typical skin fungus (ringworm) my favorite spot treatment remedy is John Deere fluid film. Spray on spots and then scrape the scabs off 7 days later and spray one more time.

3. Also, over the counter “athlete’s foot” sprays that contain miconazole nitrate. Lamisil and 7 day Monistat ointment are effective to also spot treat scraped ringworm scabs.

4. “Pro Tip”—Once you have the fungus killed and the scab is beginning to heal, you can avoid the black wool that comes first in the healing process (Dalmatian look) in sheep. Close shear the scab area with surgical and treat with corona ointment. Keep the scars covered with a light coating of corona and repeat the process in 7 days while the new wool is coming in. Eventually the wool will be white. (This process also works on wool picked sheep)

UNDERSTAND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR YOUR TYPICAL RINGWORM. There are other skin infections such as dermatophilosis and staph. These infections are serious, and you will need help from your local veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. Thanks, and good luck with your stock show.