The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: thesuffolksmallholding on December 22, 2017, 05:46:25 pm
-
Hi,
I have a in lamb ewe around a month of lambing now, with lots of mucus around the bottom of the eye (where humans generally get mucus don't know what to call it?!).
She is a southdown but clear of wool around the eyes.
What should I do, I was going to give her a shot of almaycin just in case, but she's fine in every other way.
-
Google pink eye ?
-
A pus-y discharge from the eye needs to be treated with a local application of something such as Orbenin, not a systemic antibiotic. 'Just in case' doses of AntiBs can contribute to the development of resistance. Don't be scared to use AntiBs where they are genuinely needed, but it's not best practice to give a shot of this or that just in case it works.
I suggest you mention it to your vet, maybe take the animal to the surgery (cheaper than a home visit), and the vet can prescribe the correct product, having seen the eyes, which we have not.
-
Its difficult to say without a picture. Are you able to catch her easily? If you are I'd wash the area with a baby shampoo, check that there isn't anything there that shouldn't be and see how fast the gunk comes back. If you (like me) aren't able to catch then I'd wait and see if it cleared up on its own or gets worse. Then the whole flock would have to come in to split off the ewe, if you do that and its something contagious like Pink Eye, you risk infecting the whole flock by penning them in together.
-
I've occasionally taken a clear photograph of problem areas in an animal and taken it in to my vet. Might work better than moving a pregnant ewe if you don't want the expense of a home visit. Have you pulled down the bottom lid and pulled up the upper lid to see of the white of the eye is inflamed?
-
Agree with [member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] on this, it is not one for systemic antibiotics, at least not without a Vet saying so. Antibiotic resistance is a serious global threat and while it shouldn't stop us using it wisely for an eye a topical is better used than systemic. Anyway, no doubt you have spoken to a Vet by now so I would be interested to hear the outcome.
-
[member=4333]Fleecewife[/member] my vet recommended using alamycin if a ewe isn't looking 100%. I wouldn't give it if I didn't think a ewe needed it. With regards to resistance, alamycin has been around for 40+ years, and there are few operations with resistance.
I will bring the ewe in tomorrow and wash her eye out to see if she has something stuck in there etc...