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Rhododendron poisoningRSS feed

Posted: Saturday 17 December, 2011

by Rosemary at 7:08pm in Sheep 2 comments Comments closed

Our pet wether, Dickie, has eaten rhododendron leaves. These are very poisonous and he's a very sick sheep. The next 24 hours will be crucial. It's very serious and the prognosis isn't good.

I'm so cross with myself. There was a pot grown rhododendron in a sink at the back of the caravan; Dickie and Leo have been in there for a week and haven't looked at it and then today...

To be honest, I hadn't even registered that it was there, although I do know that rhododendron is poisonous. Ironically, when we were walking the fences this morning and looking at the place where the pigs are going, I noted that we had to remove the rhododendrons there, for that very reason. Anyway, it's moved now. Horses and stable doors come to mind frown

Anyway, Dickie (and Leo) are in the byre. Vet's been (it's his work's night out tonight too blush). Dickie's had pen & strep, a vitamin injection, a steroid injection and an energy drench - plus two doses of activated charcoal. We've got stuff called "Birp" (truly) in case he bloats and he's to have more charcoal tonight and in the morning. If he's not eating tomorrow, he's to have more of the energy drench, which is the same stuff that's used for twin lamb disease.

On the positive side, he's a big sheep and we think he has only eaten six small leaves. He's also not slavering as much, he did seem to be burping and he was fighting the vet - these are all positive. It really comes down to how much he ate, relative to his weight. Is it enough to kill him or just enough to make him sick? We should know more tomorrow.

Poor boy - I'll be picking ivy leaves and breaking out the oatcakes tomorrow to try and tempt his appetite.

Comments

Risa Bear

Saturday 17 December, 2011 at 10:06pm

Oh, my! Lovelorn Cherokees, back in the day, used to eat that stuff in order to commit suicide. Here's hoping he gets over it ...

Dan

Saturday 17 December, 2011 at 11:42pm

Thanks Risa, he's not looking too bad tonight so fingers crossed he didn't have a big enough dose to finish him off.

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