The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: shrekfeet on September 16, 2010, 04:15:13 pm
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One of my ram lambs has always been on the small side. Yesterday I notcied him sitting alone! Never a good sign with sheep. On closer inspection he's really bloody skin, all skin and bone in fact. Checked his mouth - all okay. Lifted tail - shitty mess. Not down backs of legs but under tail. I'm suspecting worms!
Question, can worms to permanent damage or now that he has been wormed will he be okay?
What else can I do?
Feeling really guilty that I missed him!
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keep him in feed him up antibiotics wormer but do the feeding up slowly as it could cause him shock and you could kill him its not johns desiese is it? but just get the problem sorted or try to least then if he does die you have done all you can to prevent it now that you have noticed it we had a ewe skin and bones on her own and found out it was an absess by a thorne that got under her chin. we could not for love or money get weight on her for a yr but still with us and is slowly gaining weight this year
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I would take him inside and worm him straight away. When he is in you can tell exactly how he is eating and especially drinking. When you have done that I would ring the vet and see about a vitamin injection and some drenches for rehydration. If just worms he will have a chance I hope.When did you castrate, with some ram lambs they never recover from castration and just go down hill. Good luck.
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Hiya Shrek! Having read both your recent posts, it could well be tapeworms. What wormer did you last use? A lot of them don't treat tapeworm infestation. Last two posts are spot on - get him treated and get the vet to give him some nutrients and perhaps tested for Johnes (brings back bad memories!! Really hope its not). With this one being a small lamb from the start, he may well not have built up a worm immunity so readily as the others. However, tapeworms have to be really, really bad to kill the sheep and by what I can gather, they are not like liver fluke which can do lasting damage (someone correct me here if I'm wrong!) Good luck and let us know how you get on.
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and dont feel guilty, we all learn by experience and you are doing the right thing now, you are brave enough to post and ask the questions which means you care about the animals.
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Try giving him some multivitamin either injectable or oral dose. It will help him to get fighting fit. I had a similar case and he is doing fine now.
The other thing to look out for this year is barber pole worm which is a blood sucking worm. Only specific wormers will deal with it. Attached is an article from Farmers Guardian
http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/livestock/livestock-news/barber%E2%80%99s-pole-worm-risk/33660.article (http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/livestock/livestock-news/barber%E2%80%99s-pole-worm-risk/33660.article)