The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Hevxxx99 on May 12, 2016, 07:44:59 am

Title: Breathless lamb
Post by: Hevxxx99 on May 12, 2016, 07:44:59 am
Found an 8 week old wether panting so hard he was breathing through his mouth on exertion yesterday. It was sunny but not that hot!

Any ideas? He seems otherwise healthy: not bloated or scouring.
Title: Re: Breathless lamb
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 12, 2016, 10:18:06 am
We had a couple the other night, after a warm day, too.  It's surely too early for lungworm??? 

BH thinks they must just have been playing before I landed on the scene.  I'm not so sure.  But that batch of lambs will get their first dose soon, and that'll give them a breather (1) from any lungworm for a few weeks. 

(1)  See what I did there?  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Breathless lamb
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 12, 2016, 10:52:34 am
Watch for a runny nose (pneumonia).  Did the ewes get a vaccination booster a month prior to lambing?  Are you planning to Ovivac P Plus the lambs soon?
Title: Re: Breathless lamb
Post by: fsmnutter on May 12, 2016, 11:10:35 am
I put a lamb on a chilled drip two days ago for hyperthermia.
When they run around in this heat, any problems with breathing can really be exacerbated.
Cooling with wet towels or getting out the sun can help if not so bad.
Title: Re: Breathless lamb
Post by: Hevxxx99 on May 12, 2016, 01:01:01 pm
We had a couple the other night, after a warm day, too.  It's surely too early for lungworm??? 

BH thinks they must just have been playing before I landed on the scene.  I'm not so sure.  But that batch of lambs will get their first dose soon, and that'll give them a breather (1) from any lungworm for a few weeks. 

(1)  See what I did there?  :roflanim:

 :roflanim:

Today (mild and misty) he seems completely fine, so maybe it was the "heat" and playing too hard. He was a weedy lamb at birth, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was compromised by anything going.

I'll be vaccinating shortly - is ovivac better for lambs than heptavac+?
Title: Re: Breathless lamb
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 12, 2016, 02:12:19 pm
OP+ used in this area.  Worked so far (fingers firmly crossed!)