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Author Topic: sheep broken leg  (Read 15644 times)

trawscoed

  • Joined Nov 2014
sheep broken leg
« on: December 12, 2014, 09:08:04 pm »
Hi whilst moving the sheep today one had a mishap getting out of the trailer and has broken her front leg below the knee. Since by then it was pretty late I took her back to the barn and put a splint on it.

Now having looked around the internet and spoken to an old farmer it seems that a splint is a good idea and that this might not be an utter disaster. I would gladly take any advice about how to proceed, so far I know that I can get a more suitable bandage at the vets in the morning.

The ewe in question is about 4 years old, and a Llanwenog.

nutterly_uts

  • Joined Jul 2014
  • Jersey - for now :)
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2014, 09:21:09 pm »
My friend had a southdown break her leg (I dont know which one) but it was casted for a month (might have been longer) and the ewe is fine now :) She wasn't as old as 4 though

Tim W

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2014, 10:19:07 pm »
My experience is that you are better off putting her in the freezer now---prob. not what you want to hear but in an older animal these things take a bit of healing

Good luck though!

trawscoed

  • Joined Nov 2014
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2014, 10:41:43 pm »
Thanks for the replies. Do you think it is cruel to try to splint the leg or should I cull her instead? I'm in two minds so wouldn't mind hearing what others think. Bear in mind, she'll be on her own in a pen while she;s laid up.

farmvet

  • Joined Feb 2014
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2014, 10:52:55 pm »
They really need splinted/cast properly by a vet as soon as the break happens.  Fractures are incredibly painful until immobilised and the on going movement further damages the tissue & blood vessels. I would shoot her now not leave her till the morning.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2014, 01:26:21 am »
We had one broke her leg in a similar situation and location, jumping out of the pens.  We splinted it and got the vet to have a look at her.  He said we could give her a try if we wanted, the splint was keeping it immobile and she wasn't in pain.  We named her Peg and kept her in a strawed yard for a wee while then into a level field with just a couple other quiet sheep for company and no competition for food or sleeping space.  We checked the splint wasn't slipping or causing friction problems regularly.  After 6 weeks we took the splint off and a month or so later she rejoined the flock.  For a few months we could pick her out by her slight limp, by the following year she was indistinguishable from the others.

I'm not sure how old Peg would have been, probably 2 or 3 years old.  Certainly not younger, could have been a little older.

So if you decide to give it a go, good luck, and if you decide otherwise, sorry for your loss  :hug:

Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

trawscoed

  • Joined Nov 2014
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2014, 01:53:40 am »
Just back from checking her out, she seems well considering.

Thanks for the input everyone. I splinted it very shortly after the break (clean seeming, no cut) so the leg is immobilised. We don't have the means to just kill her there and then so have decided to call the vet tomorrow and take it from there. I wouldn't say she was in mega pain, it;s hard to tell, but for example when I;ve trimmed footrot over zealously they can growl and buck, but she has been very placid throughout bandaging and splinting.

I know my job isn't going to be textbook but it does the right thing in keeping it from moving so I'm hoping for the best. At the very least hoping that she's not too uncomfortable poor thing. I just suddenly feel very underprepared- which is a bit scary.

devonlady

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2014, 09:05:16 am »
The dear of her :( I know what you mean about feeling unprepared, after a lifetime of keeping animals I still feel a great sense of responsibility (which gets worse as I get older!) when one my creatures is sick or injured and feel inadequate to the situation. Do your best and what feels right, that's all you can do.
            Sylvia

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2014, 09:35:47 am »
I do feel for you, but as you are not certain she is not in pain then I can't see why you would be waiting to call the vet.  If the vet needs to re-set and re-splint, then it needs to be soonest.  If she needs pain relief, then it needs to be soonest.  If she needs shot, then it needs to be soonest.

Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2014, 10:46:04 am »
Sheep, being a prey species, are hard-wired not to show pain.  If they did it would immediately flag them up to any passing wolf as being a prime candidate for dinner.  You cannot use "not showing signs of pain" as the basis of an assumption that all's well.

trawscoed

  • Joined Nov 2014
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2014, 12:11:09 pm »
here's  an update to this story. The vet has re splinted it, though he said it was a tidy job to start with and might have made the difference, so that is a relief. Vet advice was no pain relief as pain is a sign not to use the limb. I concur with this as it is my personal approach if I am injured not to take pain relief, but it's not exactly fair to assume this is OK for anyone else. I will go with the professional opinion. Fingers crossed for a happy outcome in 3 weeks!

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2014, 02:57:03 pm »
Pain on using is one thing - she can avoid that by resting the limb.  Pain all the time is another, so well done for getting the vet to check the splint as you weren't sure.  Fingers crossed it knits and heals.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2014, 06:10:28 pm »
Hopefully it heals, all the best. :thumbsup:
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2014, 09:13:47 am »
My experience is that you are better off putting her in the freezer now

how would you do this in reality if they cant travel to abattoir if lame? is home kill the only option?

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: sheep broken leg
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2014, 10:07:53 am »
Yes, home kill she cannot travel. But surely you are going to give her a chance now she is cast?

 

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