The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: shaz on April 12, 2016, 09:34:06 pm

Title: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: shaz on April 12, 2016, 09:34:06 pm: we bought in 10 lambs most are all doing ok. I have 1 castrated lamb who was feeding from the bucket ok and now cant stand up unless I help him. he fed well if I help hold him to the teat or bottle. Cant seem to stand on one of his back legs and if I take my hand away he fall down. he seems bright and has a strong suck and feeds well. I don't know what else I can do for him. Please has anyone got any idea's.
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: twizzel on April 13, 2016, 09:54:38 am: any heat, swelling etc in joints? signs of trauma? best idea is to ring vet.
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: farmershort on April 13, 2016, 10:19:30 am: vet is the answer of course, but I wonder - could it be Joint-ill... I only mention it in case you've seen joint-ill lambs before and it jogs your memory. I think back 10 years ago is was common to use penstrep (from the vet) injection for this illness. Can't remember what the success rate was though.

we once had a lamb with some sort of nerve complaint that exhibited similar symptoms, she turned into a perfectly healthy sheep, but she had a pronouned "hunch" in the lower spine/pelvis region.
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: Anke on April 13, 2016, 11:01:58 am: Spinal abscess? Or any chance he has a broken leg/pelvis? Temperature?
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: Hellybee on April 13, 2016, 11:34:52 am: Joint ill or is his castration band correct? We don't Castrate them here but couldn't it cause nerve problems if not fitted properly maybe? In need of BoSe? White muscle? Or B vits, I dunno stabs in the dark. Vet will diagnose, good luck x
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: twizzel on April 13, 2016, 12:24:43 pm: Quote from: farmershort on April 13, 2016, 10:19:30 am
vet is the answer of course, but I wonder - could it be Joint-ill... I only mention it in case you've seen joint-ill lambs before and it jogs your memory. I think back 10 years ago is was common to use penstrep (from the vet) injection for this illness. Can't remember what the success rate was though.

pen/strep works but Synulox is even better, if it's pretty bad normally need a fairly prolonged course of it.
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: Remy on April 15, 2016, 05:20:47 pm: Was this just after you castrated him? It's common for the ram lambs to fall over after being ringed, they should recover fairly quickly
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: fsmnutter on April 15, 2016, 05:29:29 pm: What did the vet say [member=159240]shaz[/member] ?
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: Remy on April 15, 2016, 08:00:21 pm: Sorry ignore my post I didn't read your original post properly! ::) Hope lamb is ok
Title: Re: my 10 day old lamb cant stand up
Post by: Jullienne on April 15, 2016, 08:40:26 pm: has he had a fall or other lambs standing on him or his legs or has he been stuck at all? hope you can get this sorted soon!