The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: ChalkyBee on March 27, 2019, 07:30:11 am
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Hi, we got our first flock of 4 shetlands just 3 weeks ago. So far, one ewe has twin lamb disease, one nearly killed herself choking on a plant root and now another seems sick. She’s pregnant if that makes a difference, and is foaming at the mouth. She seems to be regurgitating food & chewing, burping, drooling and even vomited. I’ve googled but got mixed answers so wondered if anyone had any experience with this? The other sheep now seem fine, just this ewe. They have ewe pencils available, grass, hay and fresh water, and she has been in good health up until I noticed this.
Any advice appreciated!
These sheep have certainly thrown me in the deep end!!
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without seeing her, it sounds like she's choked on something
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without seeing her, it sounds like she's choked on something
Quite possible as i’ve just checked her again and she’s grazing as usual with no evidence of foaming at all.
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Greedily eating the ewe pencils can cause this. Damp them a little before feeding if she does it again.
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Just been out to see her and she’s vomiting again. :(
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Get the vet. One twin lamb disease, a choke and now possible choke or poisoning. Get them to check whether you are feeding correctly or are the sheep looking for nutrients elsewhere and eating something they shouldn't.
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Yes, call the vet.
Can they reach any plants that could be poisonous?
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First thought about vomiting was poisonous plant (rhodo, laurel etc.
But if she is now eating perhaps it was choke.
Hope she's OK
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Wonder if you are talking about a cud spiller , you say she regurgitated chewed burped and the vomited or spit out a lump of grass ?? and since at 7.30 she was grazing normally then at 10.20 vomited again . Rhododendron or Azalea can make sheep vomit but they would look uncomfortable and very ill with green drool . Choking on nuts they normally have great amounts of foamy saliva with part digested nuts in it and often leap in the air and head shake but it is normally short lived until they get rid of the obstruction .
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Have called to vet, waiting for them to get back to me.
The one with twin lamb came to me that way unfortunately. I don’t think it was picked up by the previous owners, at least I hope it wasn’t and they didn’t intentionally sell me the sick ewe.
The choking one had a nibble on a bamboo root and got that stuck - root has since been removed!
So no idea about this one. She has hay available and have seen her eat, ewe pencils, and lots of grass.
Hopefully the vet can shed some light.
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Wonder if you are talking about a cud spiller , you say she regurgitated chewed burped and the vomited or spit out a lump of grass ?? and since at 7.30 she was grazing normally then at 10.20 vomited again . Rhododendron or Azalea can make sheep vomit but they would look uncomfortable and very ill with green drool . Choking on nuts they normally have great amounts of foamy saliva with part digested nuts in it and often leap in the air and head shake but it is normally short lived until they get rid of the obstruction .
This is just what the other one who choked did, but this time it’s just grassy and no leaping or attempts to dislodge. No rapid breathing either.
Last time I checked she was laying down just away from the others who were also resting. She didn’t seem distressed.
Whatever it is seems to come and go.
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A cud spiller has problems with its back molar teeth eg slack missing or infected , oh and don't put your fingers in to check or they will be shredded !!
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Frothy bloat?
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As quickly as she seemed sick, she was back to normal and hasn’t had any problems since.
Sadly we lost two lambs from the other ewe with twin lamb disease.
It’s been a rough ride so far, does it ever get easier?! ???
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Are you sure the other ewe had twin lamb? It will tend to kill the ewe due to lack of energy before it kills the lambs (unless she dies before lambing and then you lose the lambs too unless you can cut them out quick). Were they still born? Or did they die after birth? How long before lambing was she sick?
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It’s been a rough ride so far, does it ever get easier?! ???
Yes :bouquet: .