The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: smudger on July 19, 2013, 10:29:19 pm

Title: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: smudger on July 19, 2013, 10:29:19 pm
Just found a lleyn lamb down on my evening checks - on his side legs out, panting, eyes half closed (looked close to death). No flies / maggots, pooed raisins whilst with him and dosed with Rycoben 1st July, so not fly strike or Nematodirus.


Suspected bloat, but not sure. last check was at midday and maybe he was cast and stuck in the heat of the sun?  He seemed stressed so got him vertical but still lying down. he got up and away but kept collapsing as he ran away, alternate back and front legs. I've got him in a pen in the corner of the field (no grass, just water). I checked on him 4/5 times over next 30 mins and he seemed  alert and standing, but he was sometimes on his front fetlocks and the last time was standing with front legs wide apart. No heat in any of the legs or feet.


Any ideas? He's 14-16 weeks and big, so not 100% confident it is bloat (or what signs are, everyone looks fat at mo). I'll check again in 60 mins, any treatment, other things to check?
Title: Re: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: smudger on July 19, 2013, 10:30:49 pm
Forgot to say, grass is very lush but they have been in field over a week and he was not bottle fed.
Title: Re: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: Anke on July 20, 2013, 07:46:18 am
Could be heat stress - is he drinking? Weaned or still with the ewe?
 
Hope he is better this morning?
 
Mine spend the day under the hedge, then come out to eat once it gets a bit cooler. And even though the lambs are on their mums they do go and drink quite regularly.
Title: Re: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: smudger on July 20, 2013, 08:16:15 am
Suspected he was heat stressed from being cast for a period in full sun yesterday. He seems 'normal' so I let him out again into the field but saw him a little later and he was still wobbling on his back legs. He eventually lay/collapsed down but is erect, alert and eating.


Now researching 'staggers' but it is very easy to get paranoid / exacerbate the symptoms when you do google searches.  No other signs in other lambs or ewes.


Why do stock go ill at weekends?


Any ideas as to what can be causing the 'staggering'?


Lambs are still with ewes, but was going to separate the boys tomorrow.
Title: Re: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: smudger on July 20, 2013, 09:07:13 am
Spoke to vet, getting a B1 injection, assuming it could be CCN.
Title: Re: first lamb down - bloat?
Post by: Granny A on July 21, 2013, 11:13:34 am
If bloat then drench with cooking oil, but sounds more like heat stress given the conditions. If an animal has been down for some time then they will have difficulty in walking as the blood supply isn't working properly. A cool place with water available.