The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Goats!!! on July 28, 2019, 07:57:14 pm

Title: Unexplained death
Post by: Goats!!! on July 28, 2019, 07:57:14 pm

We lost one of our ewe hoggets yesterday, we only have six, she was fine Thursday, not right Friday evening, fetched her in, she had very bad diarrhoea, with mucus and blood, we gave her Antibiotics and spoke to the vet Saturday morning who said worm her, which we did, her temperature was normal, over the day she got steadily  worse we made sure she had water and gave her electrolytes and pepto Bismol but we lost her that evening.
We had a fec done of her poo which was very low and have also had counts done on the others, also very low, they were dipped ten days ago and it has been suggested that she may have ingested some dip and this has done the damage, has anyone known of sheep that have died after being dipped? Just concerned for the others in our small flock.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: twizzel on July 28, 2019, 07:59:20 pm

Did the fec give a count for cocci?


Sorry you lost her, if you lose anymore it would be worth a post mortem.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Goats!!! on July 28, 2019, 08:46:19 pm

Yes cocci were looked for, due to her symptoms.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Anke on July 28, 2019, 10:25:56 pm

Enterotoxaemia (pulpey kidney) - when were they last vaccinated/boostered with Heptavac?

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Goats!!! on July 28, 2019, 11:02:24 pm

Boosted with Heptavac in June.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Fleecewife on July 28, 2019, 11:33:37 pm

Coccidiosis?

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Anke on July 29, 2019, 10:29:04 am

Without a pm (and even those are more often than not inconclusive anyway) you won't know, and if you do vaccinate/booster, regularly do FEC's/worm counts and then treat accordingly and look after them well it is just one of those things... but IMO stress from the dipping will have been a factor of whatever it was. Why do you have to dip your sheep and what with?

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: Goats!!! on July 29, 2019, 12:19:14 pm

They were dipped as the local farmer had a couple with scab and they run next to each other, my OH knows what was used. Next time we will inject, if there is a next time.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: harmony on July 29, 2019, 03:06:21 pm

Don't be put off. Livestock means deadstock at some point.


Hindsight is a wonderful thing and maybe if the vet had attended rather than giving a diagnosis over the phone he might have suggested something else.


Were they dipped or showered? No-one can assume that this was the reason for your sheep's demise anymore than anyone on here can tell you what they died of.

Title: Re: Unexplained death
Post by: twizzel on July 29, 2019, 03:20:33 pm

From what I understand if they had scab, dipping is by far the better treatment. Scab is becoming resistant to injectable treatments (Dectomax etc), so I wouldn't let this put you off dipping in the future.