Successful treatment of contagious ecthyma (ORF) in Assam hill goats by using turmeric powder and aloe vera gel preparation

Abstract

Orf is an acute contagious and economically important zoonotic viral skin disease of sheep, goat, and wild ruminants caused by orf viruses. Infected animal is sick, fail to thrive and susceptible to bacterial infections. Characteristic of the disease are proliferative and often self-limiting lesions on the skin of the lips, on the oral mucosa and around the nostrils. The mortality rate related to orf is usually low, but it may be very high when bacterial or fungal secondary infections occur. Three kids with comparable age group of six months were affected with orf in Sheep and Goat Farm, Livestock Research Station, Assam Agricultural University, Mandira. The affected kids developed fever, dull, depressed and lesions on nostrils, lips and inside the mouth. Affected goats was isolated from other healthy goats. Lesions were wiped with potassium permanganate solution. Affected goats was treated intramuscularly with Inj. Enrofloxacin @ 5mg/kg body weight, Inj. Meloxicam @ 0.5 mg/kg body weight and Inj. Chlorpheniramine maleate @ 0.5 mg/kg body weight. An ethno veterinary medicine, comprised of aloe vera gel and turmeric powder in the ratio of 1:1 was mixed and applied over the lesions twice daily. There was complete recovery within one week of treatment.