The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Oopsiboughtasheep on December 17, 2014, 12:09:52 pm
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Hello everyone,
This morning one of my girls (RyelandxTexel, 9 months old) is very limpy on a front leg. She was fine last night. A couple of weeks ago I had an experienced shepherd out to show me how to handle them, check them over, trim their feet etc. so this morning was my first lone effort! I can't see anything at all re: signs of a wound or infection and her joints move in all the right directions without signs of her being in discomfort. What I did find was that kind of wedge of grass/mud that they can get between their hooves but no sign of inflammation there. I have removed it and, as is my way after years of owning horses, purple sprayed it just to be on the safe side. She is still lame but one look at the bucket when I went out to call her into the pen initially produced an impressive gallop so I thought that was a good sign! Can one of these wedge things cause that much discomfort?
As this is my first sheep 'first aid' intervention, I would just like to ask you if that there is anything else that I should check or do at this point? I'd be more than happy with what I am doing if she was a horse but am still learning to be confident with assessing my sheep. While I had all 4 of them in the pen, I took the opportunity to clear any debris out from between all their hooves. Thankyou.
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You've done exactly the right thing :) Yes, those lumps of mud, especially once they dry out hard, or if they have stones in, can cause them to limp. Often you see them getting them out themselves - tricky without fingers ;D. They tend to carry on limping a bit afterwards, but give it a couple of days. The danger time is when it's been very muddy then the weather changes to very dry. They can get ice balls too. :sheep:
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Thankyou Fleecewife, I'll just keep an eye on her then and hopefully she will be sprightly in a few days. Good to know about the ice balls as well as I can imagine they would hurt.
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They can get ice balls too. :sheep:
:roflanim: :innocent:
Hehehe! Am I the only one chuckling about this?
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Well spotted Bex!...they are ewes so hopefully I will only need to be checking their feet!
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They can get ice balls too. :sheep:
:roflanim: :innocent:
Hehehe! Am I the only one chuckling about this?
Oh dear oh dear ::) :hohoho:
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you did the exact right thing , i have been keeping sheep for 5-6 years now and the only bother i have ever had is a clump or a stone stuck between the hoof , the best thing to do is just keep a eye on it but with the weather like this and the ground muddy theres not a great deal you can do
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Thankyou, she is very much better now. Full of beans & walking fine.