The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: GlebeFieldFarm on November 09, 2015, 08:08:50 pm
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Hi everyone,
I suffered what everyone dreads on Sunday morning and one of ram lambs has been attacked/mauled by a dog.
The vet has seen him and said I should give me a fighting chance as the lamb was bright and alert. He is on antibiotics and pain medication.
His injuries are vey horrific, his ear is no longer attached by much and through the numerous bite wounds around his neck and head you could see his spine and the bite had punctured the skull. His lips is ripped open the list goes on and on.
He will eat course mix and is drinking but I wondered if any of you had any tips to keep him fighting. He won't touch hay at the moment.
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Steroids, may not interact well with nsaids if already given and theoretically slow healing but IME nothing picks a ruminant up like a jab of 'roids
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What's the pain medication? Flunixin does wonders for both appetite and as a pick-me up for a poorly animal.
He may like some willow leave/branches, or if you have other nice greenery (I know it's a bit late in the year). Willow contains a natural form of aspirin so a good painkiller for them.
Oat cakes? Toast? Readigrass or Alpha A?
Has he got a companion in with him?
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I would also put a little acv in his water, it will have cleansing effect on his mouth. I. Do go on about it but it will help, good luck x
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N spray him blue!
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Poor boy, can't give advice but good luck with him :fc:
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How is he today? Will he be tempted by some ivy?
Did you manage to catch the dog that attacked him?
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Fresh bits and pieces from the verge might tempt his appetite - dandelions and so on. A compantion is always a help, even in an adjacent pen. If you can keep the pain down and the wounds clean he may well pull through.
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Poor little soul, I hope he gets over it. Try to keep him interested in life.
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I suffered the same as you have a few years ago.
They had metacam for the first few days then into Long acting antibiotics.
As for the wounds. I got a spray bottle and mixed up hibi scrub and water and sprayed/ washed them daily. The more the better. You need to be quite rough to take away the dead tissues. Be warned the wounds do smell!
As for the ear. Is it hanging on by a thread? I had two with ear injuries. One managed to heal back on and is perfectly functional now the other ewes ear dried up and went hard. I found it 6 weeks later once it fell off.
I didn't use blue spray as I was washing daily so would be pointless.
Someone advised me to find catkins to feed and they did the trick for me. And also ginger nut biscuits!
I'm so sorry you have had to go through this awful experience!
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Hope he recovers, poor boy.
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Thanks everyone,
He has a companion and is still quite alert he does get up and walk around a little bit.
I have been to see the dogs owners and will be taking them my vets Bill etc when it comes although they weren't that apologetic if I'm honest.
:fc: :fc:
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Typically he also also in my show team for next year >:(
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Thanks everyone,
He has a companion and is still quite alert he does get up and walk around a little bit.
I have been to see the dogs owners and will be taking them my vets Bill etc when it comes although they weren't that apologetic if I'm honest.
:fc: :fc:
Can you bring them round to see the wee chap's injuries, which would be a bit more graphic than just telling them what's happened? Did you take any pics at the time? They need to be made to see the horrendous damage their dogs have caused because they are unable to keep them under control.
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I had a goat with an ear almost ripped off. The vet fixed it back on with millions of staples and it healed really well much to the vets amazement!
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Thanks everyone,
He has a companion and is still quite alert he does get up and walk around a little bit.
I have been to see the dogs owners and will be taking them my vets Bill etc when it comes although they weren't that apologetic if I'm honest.
:fc: :fc:
Can you bring them round to see the wee chap's injuries, which would be a bit more graphic than just telling them what's happened? Did you take any pics at the time? They need to be made to see the horrendous damage their dogs have caused because they are unable to keep them under control.
agreed photos would be good, i try to take pics of lots of things for reference, though in this instance it would be too easy to be too stressed out to think of such things, but something would be good in case of any quibbles by the dogs owner,
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Yes I have some photos and I will show them, sadly I am going to make the decision to pts as it looks like he has either nerve damage or tendon damage to a hind leg and he now walks on his fetlock joint and the leg buckles ????. I'll chat to vets first before I make the call.
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If you can cope emotionally maybe you could consider telling the dog owners that you expect them to stump up for the vet's bill for this and invite them to attend while it happens. Or offer to take the corpse round to show them, whichever they prefer. Our sheep have been worried in the past and I have absolutely zero tolerance of dog owners who permit this to happen.
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I feel your pain, GFF.It has only happened to me once, many years ago, they weren't even my sheep but on tack but it is horrible. Why are you being so nice, though? If those dogs have worked out what is inside the woolly wrapper, in my experience they'll be back. It might not be your sheep but it will be some one else's.
The owners sound irresponsible and none-empathetic to either you, your sheep or, more importantly, their dogs. Call the local authority dog warden - get them put down.
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I suppose only GFF can guage the dog owners reactions, but if they are not forward in apologising and paying not only bills but replacement stock, then I would be reporting them to someone.
Surely just paying vets bill is only half the story? Time an money has gone into raising animals, as well as rhe emotional aspect.
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any more news on how he is doing? we had a really ill ram lamb earlier in the year, we made him an ICU and put him in with a friend, lots of TLC, digestive biscuits. He's now the special one of the herd and leads the rest of the flock in for me. Have you reported the owners to the police ? that should scare them enough to make sure it doesn't happen again to any other sheep!