The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: JMB on August 14, 2014, 07:53:43 pm

Title: Pneumonia
Post by: JMB on August 14, 2014, 07:53:43 pm
Hi.
I've had 2 sheep off their food this week and thought it might be worms.
But no, the vet reckons it's the very start of pneumonia. ( they weren't lying down or showing distress or anything obvious either)
And they've all been heptavac'd.
Apparently the fluctuating weather is causing havoc at the moment with lots of cases in sheep and even more in cattle.
Luckily we caught it early  but I thought it might be helpful to let other people know.
J xxxxx

Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: in the hills on August 14, 2014, 08:03:16 pm
Thank you.

Apart from being off their food, are there any other things to look out for?  :-\
Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: JMB on August 14, 2014, 08:09:55 pm
All the information I read says nasal discharge and watery eyes, but ours hadn't got that.
They just went off their food a bit and looked depressed.
Although by the time we got Flossie rounded up to vaccinate her , I did notice she'd starting breathing a bit more heavily.
I see my sheep at least 3 times a day and hand feed them so it's easy to notice them being off colour, but in a flock it would be easy to miss.
J xxxx
Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: shep53 on August 14, 2014, 08:42:04 pm
Treated a lamb for pneumonia today ,no  classic   symptoms  it just didn't jump up and run away it got up slowly and walked away plus its stomach was empty
Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: in the hills on August 14, 2014, 10:11:00 pm
Thanks both. Something else to think about .... sort of assumed it wouldn't be a problem once vaccinated. Wrong again.  ::)
Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: Hellybee on August 16, 2014, 03:23:57 pm
Hope she's fixing now.  What kind of pneumonia was it out of interest? 
Title: Re: Pneumonia
Post by: Marches Farmer on August 16, 2014, 07:57:18 pm
Thanks both. Something else to think about .... sort of assumed it wouldn't be a problem once vaccinated. Wrong again.  ::)

Vaccine only covers a limited number of diseases or most common strains of a disease, alas.  There are some that cause overwhelming septicaemia - first symptom = sudden death.  Remain vigilant!