The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Declan on March 06, 2011, 11:14:53 pm
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What a nightmare I'm having - I am turning to you for any advice you can give.
Went out at lunchtime today to find my ram lying in the field. Went up to him- blood coming down his nose and very laboured breathing. The neighbours two other ram (lambs!!) were also in the field annoying the ewes. I've put 2 and 2 together and have assumed that they've had a fight and my ram came off worst. Looked him over and there is not other visible signs if injury.
Anyway- I got him gathered up into an 8x4 high sided trailer with plenty of straw. Took him back to the yard. Watched him all evening- he tries to get up from time to time but just falls over- forward first and then to the side. There seems to be gases building up in him because when I straighten him up he either burps or blows!! He has brain function as he blinks when i run my hand past his eyes. Bleeding has stopped but breathign extremely laboured.
Asked a sheep farmer neighbour about him- says that anti-biotic isn't much use just at the minute as it will only fend off infection if he had one. He was of the opinion that i keep him comfotable for a day or two to see if he improves any. If he does then give him the anti-biotic as he might be susceptable to infection then. He wasn't very hopeful in any case.
Can anybody suggest anything.
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stick him in a well bedded box keep eye on him what breed is he? what breed attacked him ? what age is he? how long they been in with him? blood from nose is usally brain trauma isnt it? or it could be side impact ie. hit in ribs damaged lungs case of laboured breathing and bloody nose?
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With mine they can usually withstand quite a bit of hits to the head. If he is laying on his side he cannot belch and release gas from the rumen.I would try to prop him between 2 bales or something to keep him upright on his front or he will bloat.That can do him a lot of harm.I would keep him sheltered and see if he will just take some time to get his bearings. If he has been run too hard and stressed he could be in shock.Check his ears to see if they are ice cold-thats a sign of shock. Here I would with him give a Cal-dextros shot under the skin -it has calcium and a sugar to replace the body store in a high stress.It is 30-50 cc per 100lbs given in several sitesunder the skin.I would also give a vitamin b if you have it at 5cc per 100lbs.If you don't have this I would try to make sure his belching is good first of all .Sometimes they can mend themselves quite well.Hope this helps..........................................best of luck with him
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what is wrong with getting a vet??, anti inflammatories for a brain injury may be indicated.
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i agree get the vet. and send the bill to the neighbour. it takes quite a lot to put a ram down so you do have a duty of care to get him checked. for him to show how ill he is. is probably not a good thing.
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I agree with getting the vet - or take him there as he's already in the trailer. I would also have given him a long acting antibiotic straight away. If he had lain for a while he could already be getting pneumonia (laboured breathing) and the antiBs would help that.
He could well have a brain injury, in which case he will, as kanisha says, need a specific anti-inflammatory, but may die anyway. Until you can get him to the vet, either prop him up with bales, or if that doesn't work stand him every hour until he has burped and hopefully pee'd too. Has he had a drink of water? - he will need that especially as he has obviously been run down by the other males. Sounds like you need a fencing check too.
Good luck with him - a nasty shock to you both
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Sounds like a vet job to me too. I always have metacam which is an anti-inflammmatory but vets may also suggest something to keep him hydrated etc
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whats happened to the ram, hate to think of him suffering too long :(
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Thankfully he seems to be coming round- albeit slowly. Gave him the meds and a bit of TLC. Propped him up so as to avoid bloat. He is standing up now but very unsteady at the rear end.
Problem is- the neighbour is my first port of call when it comes to advice so I don't want to rock the boat. He has offered to put it through the insurance but to be honest I need this guy on my side.
also- the sheep had broken out of a field a few hundred meters away and were put into this field t oget them off the road. Its only when the rams saw each other that his broke into my field.
My sheep and goats have been in this field for the last 18months or so with cattle usually in the next field and I've neverr had any problems.
I think its just one of those things that happens. I've only had the ram 5 months- hes a pure bred Belcare (easy Care breed my ar*e)- he's only about 12 months old but the problem is that the ram that he was fighting with had horns and was a little bigger.
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vet.
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it is your duty to get the animal seen by a vet - you are responsible for its wellbeing and to prevent suffering. But the bullett and spend the money - or at least phone the vet and ask advice
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what meds? metacam is a non steroidal anti inflammatory and not necessarily indicated for brain trauma where as a cortico steroid based anti inflammatory might be. .............................. agree with fleece wife he should be on antibiotic asap but which ones? broad spectrum or possible targeted depending on the suspected injury. self medication is one thing but really you have no idea whether this ram has a concussive in jury or worse possible a vertebral fracture or else causing his problems. agree with shetland paul get the vet
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VETVETVETVETVETvetvetvetvetvetvet..... :sheep:
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think of yourself imagine it was you who was worked over by a couple of heavies. would you hang around for a few days to see if your breathing and loss of use of your legs would cure themselves or would you get yourself to A&E.
your sheep has no horns his did there is going to be some quite bad trauma the longer you wait the worse the sheep will get. please for your sheeps sake and yours get him sorted. waiting over minor injuries is understandable but this really does not sound like one. you will hate yourself if it was sortable and you waited to long.
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Glad to see an update on him. I sometimes don't have the option of a vet available so we have to handle alot of situations without them. I muddle through with using any resources I've got such as books,neighbors and good old common sense. If I can call a vet for advice great but if not I do my best-sounds like you are too. Routing for you and the ram :wave:
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Thankas for the confidence vote Lost Lambs- I did call the local (farming) vet but he said there wasn't much point in him coming out!! It was a case of sit and see and that he wouldn't do anything over and above me. I gave him a painkiller injections twice and then a long lasting anti-biotic. Vet advised it mightn't be any harm in giving him another 9 in1 injection to ward off anything that might creep in when he's under the weather.
Thankfully he is well improved- out in the field with the ewes- eating drinking and mixing in. Much steadier on his feet. We're out of the woods thankfully
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thats really good news!! with all the news from japan we need some cheering up! :)
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sooo glad to hear he is much improved, shock does untold damage, perhaps he just needed time to sort himself out and there wont be any physical damage :)
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glad for the ram. have you improved the fencing since it happened.
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---Brilliant news Decan,thanks for the update ---I hope your Ram continues with a full recovery .
Tilly :wave:
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So glad he's better.
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Three cheers for you and him :) :) :)I just about lost my ram last spring=a case of him breaking into the feed room,Fought for a week to keep him going but he recovered and they come to be pretty special to you after such a scare Congratulations!!! :wave:
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The other sheep were moved and I've moved mine into the wee field at the back of the house as I am getting ready to lamb- hopefully. Thanks for the support guys.
Declan