A member of the society recently circulated an enquiry about what are the "non Foot and Mouth" causes of mouth ulceration in sheep. The enquiry was as follows:

"A number of my compatriots woking around Dumfies report that adult sheep have been found on patrol visits with oval and round ulcers up to 1cm in size below the incisor teeth.The ulcers eventually produce yellow lesions. These sheep show no other clinical signs - no lameness or feet lesions, appetite normal and produce healthy lambs.Temperature can be up to 105 degrees but seems to depend on stress at catching rather than severity of condition.

They wonder if this is a milder strain of FMD or a different condition entirely. It is difficult to justify culling a flock on these signs but what is the risk of leaving these sheep?

I have suggested orf, actino and dosing gun injuries as differentials but he says they don't appear to fit this condition."

The enquiry was followed by a number of photographs identifying the distribution and salient points of the lesions.

Early, irregular lesion in a 1 year old ewe

Another acute lesion showing yellow edges to the ulcer situated in the mid line.