The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: velcro on March 19, 2013, 01:48:27 pm
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I have a ewe, about 7 years old and she is due to lamb in about 3 weeks, always has twins.
The vet has diagnosed pneumonia.We called the vet in as soon as we noticed she was going off her food.
She is on antibiotics Linco Spectin and Lysabion to prevent twin lamb disease. (I don't know if it makes any difference to the products that we are in France)
At the moment she is holding her own.
She is isolated warm and dry, has access to hay and sheep nuts but has no appetite and is not really eating.
She is drinking ok.
Has anyone any advice please on anything I could tempt her with to get her to eat. She is a very friendly ewe and will eat from the hand.
I have tried apple, carrot, bread and digestive biscuit. She has a very small amount but won't have a lot of anything.
Would welcome any ideas or help. thank you.
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If you want, above all to save your ewe but are willing to risk her aborting her lambs early, then try her with injectable steroids. They, along with antibiotics saved one of ours who was definately on the way out. She's gone on to lamb incredibly well but lost that initial lot of triplets. They were over a month early, however so didn't stand much of a chance. Yours may fare better. It's a last ditch thing but well worth it if she's in trouble.
Ref: tempting tidbits, ours loved ivy leaves & dandelions. Oatcakes may work also. We put some electrolytes in her water as well. Have you given her an oral drench to boost her?She only ate at first with us literally pushing a leaf at a time into the side of her mouth and we kept vigil for a number of days.
Fingers crossed for you that she pulls through and the the lambs too. :fc:
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If she isn't interested in food at all, then you can feed her via a big syringe (the type used with a lamb feeding tube, but without the tube and without a needle). I have tried various brews, such as digestives or oatcakes soaked in water, and porage made from sheep coarse mix, with added glucose powder. Gently squeeze a small amount at a time towards the back of her mouth, on top of her tongue, and wait until she swallows before repeating. You can usually get about 50mls down in a session - repeat as often as you have time for. Even lukewarm water with glucose and a pinch of salt will help keep her hydrated until she feels more like eating.
If she isn't standing, then make sure you stand her every couple of hours so she can burp, pee and poop, and her legs don't go numb (lift the back end, then the front, being careful obviously not to pull on the lamb bump) and hold her up or prop her with bales.
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If you don't have one a turkey syringe used carefully will work too.
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Try coating things in molasses or treacle?
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so sorry, meant turkey baster (type you use for cooking)
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She has been getting drench and glucose liquid.
This afternoon over a couple of hours I got her to take a couple of digestives, a little soft bread and a couple of small handfuls of nuts.
I thought earlier today she was ruminating and I have seen her today take a small amount of hay.
Fingers crossed.
Thanks for all the replies, very helpful.
She is standing as well most of the time now.
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dried apricots........... dont laugh my sheep love em ;D
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Long grass and wild flower leaves - this time of year mine love Queen Anne's Lace. Mountain breeds adore hawthorn or ash leaf buds.
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Cow parsley is a favourite here, grated carrots also and blackberry leaves :thumbsup:
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Mine love hazel catkins, willow buds and young ivy :yum:
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Just an update, 1st ewe is on the mend - now addicted to digestives and dried apricots, although I am keeping her in and serving her fresh grass as well. She is taking a few nuts and bread as well and is ruminating.
We now have another one down, shes getting the same drugs so fingers crossed.
The remaining 4 ewes are all getting drench to try and prevent any problems.
We've only had sheep for 5 years but never had a problem like this.
The vet thinks its the wet weather and no early spring grass thats causing it.
Reading through other threads its seems like lots of other are having similar problems.
We purposely lamb in April in the hope of better weather but the weather is terrible.