Hello everyone,
This morning one of my girls (RyelandxTexel, 9 months old) is very limpy on a front leg. She was fine last night. A couple of weeks ago I had an experienced shepherd out to show me how to handle them, check them over, trim their feet etc. so this morning was my first lone effort! I can't see anything at all re: signs of a wound or infection and her joints move in all the right directions without signs of her being in discomfort. What I did find was that kind of wedge of grass/mud that they can get between their hooves but no sign of inflammation there. I have removed it and, as is my way after years of owning horses, purple sprayed it just to be on the safe side. She is still lame but one look at the bucket when I went out to call her into the pen initially produced an impressive gallop so I thought that was a good sign! Can one of these wedge things cause that much discomfort?
As this is my first sheep 'first aid' intervention, I would just like to ask you if that there is anything else that I should check or do at this point? I'd be more than happy with what I am doing if she was a horse but am still learning to be confident with assessing my sheep. While I had all 4 of them in the pen, I took the opportunity to clear any debris out from between all their hooves. Thankyou.