Sheep Pox

 Written by: Muzamil Shah Watandost

Sheep pox is a highly contagious disease of sheep caused by a virus (poxvirus)). Sheep pox virus is the most severe of all animal pox diseases. This disease doesn’t have treatment but if we vaccinate before the infection, our sheep and goats will be saved from any kind of disease including sheep pox.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some herdsmen and a veterinarian about this disease. 

Haji Izat Khan Mamozai, a resident of Laghman province says, “Sheep pox kills ewes and they leave alive, Most of them abort. Sheep pox-infected ewes lose weight and their prices are reduced. Our 15 ewes died of sheep pox.”

Haji Khyali Tarakhel says, “When the sheep pox infects a ewe’s aliyah (the fatty tail of a sheep) like smallpox. This disease causes the blindness, lameness, and dying of ewes.”

A herdsman, Ainuddin, a resident of Deh Bala district of Nangarhar province says, “I had received about 260 ewes. The sheep pox killed about 50 of them.”

Dr. Najibullah, a veterinarian, says, “The chief symptoms are those of fever and paralysis and skin lesions are seen on wool-free areas. The skin lesions start as small pimples, which may expand and develop a pus-like discharge. Affected animals may abort their lambs or develop pneumonia and other respiratory problems.”

What do some herdsmen think about the causes of sheep pox disease?

Haji Izat Khan Mamozai says, “If the ewes owner does not vaccinate their sheep and goats against animal diseases, sheep pox will also infect sheep and goats. I had not vaccinated my ewes.”

Haji Khyali Tarakhel says, “I don’t know how sheep pox virus infected my sheep and I had not vaccinated my sheep.”

Dr. Najibullah adds: The loss of sheep is caused by the ignorance of the herdsmen. They do not vaccinate their sheep, goats, and ewes or buy low-quality vaccines from the open market that do not affect their animals.”

How do some sheep owners prevent sheep pox?

Haji Khyali Tarakhel says, “We purchase one dose of vaccines for 2800 Afghanis. We apply ½ cc to each sheep or goat. It will be better to apply the vaccine twice a year. We should keep the vaccine in a cold place and we vaccinate our sheep and goat before the sunrise to affect well.”

Ainuddin says, “We should vaccinate the entire herd at the same time. If we know that sheep pox is seen in our area, we go to the animal clinic and vaccinate our all sheep and goats. We also inform other sheep owners about the spread of the disease.”

Dr. Najibullah says, “It’s important to find a high-quality vaccine. The beginning of the year is the best time to vaccinate sheep and goats. These animals are immune to the disease for up to six months after vaccination, after which the same vaccine must be applied again. Sick and healthy sheep should be segregated and these two animals should not be vaccinated with a single syringe.”