The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: ScotsGirl on March 16, 2010, 09:52:54 pm
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Hi
Has anyone else had many problems with this eye condition? My last set of twins born last night had one tiny lamb with both eyelids severely turned in which meant a trip to the vets and painful experience for both of us! Not sure I can bear the thought of taking her again if this injection didn't work. Just tubed both lambs as I don't think mum has enough milk.
Is it fairly rare? I know it is hereditary but wondered how often it popped up when using that particular ram. Shame because he was nice and I would have liked to use the Southdown again. Maybe it is more common as they seem to have small beady eyes.
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Hi,
We have had the same with southdowns. The "painful" injections did the trick, although it looks very sore and swollen for a few days.
You can try "rolling" the eyelid around a matchstick to help the condition and turn the eyelid to the correct position.
Thanks
Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk
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weve only had a couple with it, if you carefully unroll the eyelid after birth usually does the trick, if it wont go back see kaz comments re clips on a previous post (ryelands) we had to take 1 to the vet and had fluid injected in bottom lid to create a bubble which stops lid turning in, sorted with 1 injection, if you get a lot of entropion its recommended to change the ram, think the clips are called michel clips................
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Does anyone know (Gareth?) if this is more common in Southdowns? I would have liked to use the ram again as it was a much easier lambing than last year and if it produces a good killout weight more favourable than the bigger Suffolk which I used last year.
Her eyes look much better today and at least are open and she can see. I did try to fix myself but they were too bad and I am not experienced enough.
Not bad I suppose just one out of eleven lambs affected. Got 5 more to lamb in April so hopefully they will be ok.
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Hi,
I have no idea if it is more common in southdowns, we have only had it a couple of times, but we only have a few "Pure" southdowns, the rest we put the southdown ram to a Suffolk Ewe - none of the crosses have had any eye problems.
Thanks
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I have seen it quite a bit on various farms this year, I seem to spend most of my time going into pens and sorting them out. The first thing to do is to gently pinch the lower lid so all the hairs are out and then roll it gently to see if it will stay out. Do this for the first 48 hours a couple of times a day. If this is not working inject a antibiotic just under the lower lid. This will produce a lump which prevents the eyelid going inwards. You should only need to do this once.