The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Helen Wiltshire Horn on April 20, 2016, 04:09:50 pm
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I have a 2 and a half week old ewe lamb (one of twins). It has been running around perfectly normally until today when I noticed that it folds forwards at the ankle and it seems that it can's support its weight on its front feet. So effectively it is walking on the front of its ankles if this makes sense. It is still feeding, bright and alert and I am sure that I would have noticed had this been an issue before as I seem to spend a great deal of my life observing them at the moment. Any ideas?
Helen
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we had this once with a ram.... sorry it's been nearly 10 years so I might not remember it correctly.... in our case the vet advised that we use vet-wrap (and a splint may have been involved) to straighten out the whole joint. I think it was caused by some sort of pain / swelling in the feet or the joint. There was a fairly expensive injection to go with it as a final option... with 'X' in the name.... sorry, that's all I can remember.
I'm certain about the vet wrap bit though, if only to prevent further damage to the rest of the leg... I have a feeling it didn't end well.... of course yours could be totally different, and the old "call the vet" line will come up here I suspect.
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Stab in da dark but could it be synolux that is used for joint ill? When we ve had them usually at birth, and we dress them in little booties, touch wood no knuckled over ones this year, see what vet says, sounds like the tendons have lengthened? Good luck x
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Hope you can get it fixed. Wouldn't breed from it, though.
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Our very first lamb born here about 6 years ago was born walking on his knuckles which put us totally in a dither. We were told it was contracted tendons and after several weeks of fussing, vet visits and splinting with no change we were considering euthanasia when it just went right on its own. Since then we've been less frantic about such things. Occasionally an older one twists an ankle and can walk on its knuckles till it feels better. Got a couple of 10 day olds hobbling a bit tonight be inclined to watch for a day or two just in case, before considering more drastic action. We've got WH too.
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We get this in the commercials from time to time. It always rights itself once the sun comes out.
This year I had it in two of my fleece flock lambs. One was a triplet, to a very experienced mother. Rosie Mule kept it moving, didn't let it curl up and stay put, and it came right within a few days. The other mother was a first-timer, let the lamb stay put, and the lamb wasn't improving. The mother was short of milk for two anyway, and I had a lone pet lamb, so I brought that one in. 36 hours in the warm, lots of exercise as its pen-mate is a bully!, and it was much improved. I'd been prepared to do tendon-stretching physio with it, but it wasn't required.
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I had one like that last year. I did the tendon stretching physio for a few days and it was fine. It was like that from birth though - it wasn't something that developed later.
:fc: yours is OK
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Thanks for your replies. I would describe myself as a "sheep worrier" at the moment and spent a sleepless night worrying about things that may or may not be a problem! On checking this morning, the lamb is still bright and weak on one leg only. It is feeding and seems to have no other issues so will review in a day or so if no change. I am not sure how to catch it and certainly can't do so without reinforcements.
Helen
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We all worry
I hate to sound sexist but I think it is a girl thing aswell. Men seem to be much more relaxed about stuff and take things as they come.
In our household, I worry and make plans to offset my anxieties. Paul doesn't worry but does help me to actualise whatever plans I think will assuage my worries and then I can go on to worry about the next thing.
This week it's been the seedlings which have just gone into the polytunnel but it has been so warm in there. Paul is in charge of ventilation........ But I have to remind him twice a day to open and close the doors...... because I worry....... (I am not at home during the week)
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Yes, perhaps part of the worrying is a result of being female. I am also a mother to two small boys which makes me prone to worrying! My husband works very long hours as a barrister so most of the day to day smallholding falls me to me with some "executive" input from him. I also find it hard as I have such a small flock. I only have 9 ewes lambing this year which means that I think too much about every individual animal. We had to have the vet out a couple of weeks ago and he just looked at me as if to say that he thought I was worrying too much (it was one of those calls where his visit could have saved the ewe/lamb's life or else they could have come right of their own accord) I suppose with a larger flock you are looking more at the health of the flock, rather than individuals (I appreciate that this is a huge generalisation!) I keep on reminding myself that the lamb doesn't seem in any pain and is feeding and behaving normally.
Helen
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Ha ha - I identified so much with this... especially the "executive input" ????????????
We are the same with only seven breeding ewes this year and we are part of a collaborative breeding programme so double worry to make our flock seem like a "good" flock (whatever that means!) that does justice to the other breeder's ram.
Ditto vet call (already discussed on here).
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Like this
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I've only had this problem in new borns before and splint and or sun sorted it out.
This year though I have just spotted one in the field ... lamb is about 3 weeks old and was fine 2 days ago. So will try to catch it later and investigate further.
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We've got a beautiful ewe lamb who started with this 2 days ago, as we've got cold weather & snow forecast I think tomorrow morning will consist of lamb catching & splinting! First time it's ever happened in our flock
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Well I went out to catch lamb this eve .... no sign of lame lamb!
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I have had 3 or 4 now suffering from the same thing. No swelling or anything obvious on examination and it often improves of its own accord. Only affects the front legs. Still no idea what it could be and all very frustating.
Helen
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Maybe you should do blood tests on the affected lambs see if any deficiency , speak to vet