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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #98: Ovine Dermatophilosis

Sheep veterinary case - Easy - June 9, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. Several ewes develop matted patches of fleece during a prolonged period of wet weather.
  2. The owner notices crusting skin lesions beneath the affected coat.
  3. When the fleece is parted, small paintbrush-like scabs are visible.
  4. Affected areas are painful when the crusts are removed.
  5. The lesions are concentrated over the back and shoulders.
  6. This bacterial skin disease of sheep is strongly associated with prolonged moisture and fleece wetting.

Diagnosis

Ovine Dermatophilosis

This case is most consistent with Ovine Dermatophilosis because the sheep have wet-weather fleece matting with characteristic paintbrush scabs. The most important clues are the crusting pattern and moisture association, which make ectoparasites less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this sheep case supports the provided diagnosis, Ovine Dermatophilosis, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: Several ewes develop matted patches of fleece during a prolonged period of wet weather.
  2. Clue 2: The owner notices crusting skin lesions beneath the affected coat.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: When the fleece is parted, small paintbrush-like scabs are visible.
  2. Clue 4: Affected areas are painful when the crusts are removed.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: The lesions are concentrated over the back and shoulders.
  2. Clue 6: This bacterial skin disease of sheep is strongly associated with prolonged moisture and fleece wetting.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this sheep case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Ovine Dermatophilosis?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Ovine Dermatophilosis?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.