Author Topic: Weak and sick ewe (Read 3432 times)

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **on:** June 24, 2014, 09:30:13 pm »

I am hoping you can help or at least point me in the right direction. One of my Wiltshire Horn ewes has lost a lot of weight and is now weak on her feet. She has twin ewe lambs who were born about 2 months and 3 weeks ago. I checked the ewe this afternoon and she has a temperature of just over 41c. She has some mucus around her mouth and nose. Her udder seems fine and there was milk and I don't think it is mastitis, though the lambs are obviously hungry now and she had a couple of pustules on her udder. She was wormed shortly after lambing and none of my other ewes have lost condition like her (it has happened pretty quickly over a week or so). I gave her a shot of Betamox and some Liquid Life Aid and have kept her in the field with her lambs and with my other ewes and shearlings. I don't know what else to do and am at a loss as to what the problem is. If she doesn't make it, what do I need regarding the lambs?
Helen

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2014, 11:26:52 pm »

If it comes to it, at 11 weeks they will do fine. Do you cake them? If so, they will be fine once they get over missing their mammy. I'd leave them with the group they are used to. However if you don't cake them you may think they could use a bit of cake to make up for the milk they won't be getting.

I'd be asking the vet if there are any known fever-type infections about, and how to treat. She may need something to bring her temperature down, she may need anti-inflammatories, etc. How is her breathing, could she have a lung infection?

farmvet · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2014, 11:34:28 pm »

Wean the lambs now. They'll be pulling her down even more & the constant sucking often damages the teats for future years. Speak to your vet, she may just need worming again or it could be something more sinister underlying eg opa.

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2014, 06:57:33 am »

Thanks. She is still alive this morning though weak (she is on her feet). I think I will give her some Metacam and a different wormer and speak to the vet later.

Hellybee · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2014, 10:25:29 am »

How's the ol bird doing Hun x

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2014, 06:34:44 pm »

Better thanks but no idea what it is/was. I weaned her lambs and moved her and a couple of hoggets onto better grazing. I alternated doses of Betamox LA and Metacam as per vet's instructions and she is certainly less lethargic and seems to be feeding fine and gaining weight. Her udders are looking a bit lopsided at the moment and I am going to check again tomorrow but she is eating and there is no sign of discolouration to the udder. I hate not knowing the underlying problem but fingers crossed that she will recover. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly sheep can both go downhill and start to recover!

Rosemary · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2014, 07:30:51 pm »

Glad to hear she's on the mend, even if it's a mystery

Anke · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2014, 07:38:22 pm »

Did you consider milk fever/hypocalcaemia? I know that it is generally aid that sheep only suffer from it soon after (or just before) lambing, but IMO it could affect them at a later stage of lactation too (it certainly does with goats).

But good that she is on the mend.