The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: jonaxe on July 11, 2018, 09:48:25 am

Title: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: jonaxe on July 11, 2018, 09:48:25 am

Hi,

Three of our Balwen sheep (one in particular) have a persistent cough over the last 3 weeks.  It isn't spreading to the other 13.  They usually appear bright and are eating with the others but a few times we've found the worst one on her own in the shelter.

We've done a Lungworm check which was negative.  We are advised it might be a virus but i'd expect that to spread in the flock?  The other thought is the high levels of pollen, grass seed, and dust in the air and these few are simply affected by it.

Does anyone else have coughing sheep currently or can think of a possible cause/remedy?

Regards,

Jon

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: kanisha on July 11, 2018, 12:02:14 pm

Lungworm check?

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: jonaxe on July 11, 2018, 12:51:42 pm

Composite sample tested negative for lung worm. General FEC was 70.

Jon

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: Foobar on July 11, 2018, 03:19:29 pm

Have they been vaccinated for anything?

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: jonaxe on July 11, 2018, 03:42:58 pm

Hi, They were had heptavac-p at end of April.

Jon

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: farmers wife on July 12, 2018, 08:59:27 am

Yes get similar and as the sheep has no other aliments vet said its some kind of irritant.  Only option is to jab with 1ml metacam and single dose of Abs just in to avoid the lungs becoming inflamed bringing on some kind of pasturella infection. Metacam should react to kerb any further inflammation.


Ive vacinated my pet lambs only and seen it in both my non-vac main flock and the pet lambs.  No other signs, no depression, no mucky bums.


Try it and see be interested to hear whether this has worked.

Title: Re: Persistent Cough in a few Balwen sheep?
Post by: jonaxe on July 12, 2018, 11:13:01 am

Hi,

We took the affected ewes (all 15mths) to the vet.

They had temperature of 104.5f and some raspiness to breathing.

I was advised it was probably an earlier summer virus but that these ewes were under some stress (heat, dust?) which had caused the ever present pasteurella bacteria in upper respiratory to develop.  They have been given a more effective pasteurella injection and an anti-inflammatory injection. We will monitor for the next 2 weeks and hopefully they will recover fully.

I had thought they were protected against against pasteurella by heptavac but apparently the cover is not total as there are so many strains.

Thanks for the help.