Brother-in-law died last Tuesday. Lost my favourite sheep on Wednesday - Basil the GFD wether in my profile pic, always ran up for a cuddle, baa-ing and pleased to see me. I saw he wasn't grazing or peeing, gave him a shot of AB and called vet. Despite more ABs and anti-inflammatories, he went downhill very quickly and I decided the kindest thing was to have him put to sleep. Suspected bladder stone although he'd never had hard feed. FUneral of a dear friend Monday.
Finally had remaining sheep shorn last Thursday and this morning found one of the Shetland ewes with an abscess under her jaw. Vet suspects CLA caught by shearing. However, when vet arrived, sheep leapt out of the pen into the big field and couldn't be caught so I still don't know. I thought CLA had a long incubation period and am hoping against hope it is just a normal abscess from a shearing cut. I understand that if it is CLA and abscess ruptures she can infect the others and I could lose them all. Fingers crossed.