The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: qpd4ever on January 31, 2010, 05:25:16 pm

Title: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: qpd4ever on January 31, 2010, 05:25:16 pm

hi i have a heavily pregnant jacob ewe.she has twin lamb disease . i gave her calcium injections and am drenching her.i have also syringe fed her two lots of porriage but she doesnt seem to be improving.what can i do for her any advice much apreciated

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: Fergie on January 31, 2010, 05:48:38 pm

Calcium injections & dextrose drench to give her a sugar boost, even try tempting with a piece of fresh grass or hay - you need to stimulate her appetite or she will just give up & die.  She must eat!

Good luck,

John

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: qpd4ever on January 31, 2010, 06:42:04 pm

thanku i wish she would atempt to eat but she is not even getting up now . i think i have caught her to late because two days ago she was acting very strange twitching and grinding her teeth. i can still see the lambs moving inside her but she has lost weight and her horns are now cold where they were warm yesterday.

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: Calvadnack on January 31, 2010, 06:55:13 pm

This happened to one of our ewes last year.  I drenched with propylene glycol and also gave a 4ml multivitamin injection.  If you have any lamb creep around, my ewes can't resist it.  We were lucky, she had triplets, but this is a really tricky one - TLC also helps.  Good luck.
Sue

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: qpd4ever on January 31, 2010, 08:35:16 pm

just been to see her . still in same position .made up a warm bed of straw and maneuvered her onto it .gave her last drench tonight and left . how long do i let her continue i dont want her to be in pain.is she suffering  she looks like shes given up.

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: woollyval on January 31, 2010, 11:14:32 pm

This is not good....you are almost certain to lose her :-\ You need to see if vet can induce her if strong enough in morning, you need to give her lots and lots and lots of glucose or twin lamb drench. The only thing that will save a ewe like this is to lamb......I think it could be too late. If you have other sheep in lamb please get them penned and condition scored, and then fed on 18% protein ewe nut at rate of 1 mug per day plus ad lib good hay with more for anyone who is a bit thin!

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: qpd4ever on February 01, 2010, 12:09:09 pm

my sheep is still alive. she has had two lots of drench and porriage. the vet is coming out later . she is not as ready to lamb as i first thought she is just starting to bag up, so maybe she has around 3 weeks to go. all my sheep are on good course mix and have as much meadow hay as they want.thanku all for your advice

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: Rosemary on February 01, 2010, 08:26:42 pm

Fingers crossed for her.

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: qpd4ever on February 02, 2010, 12:49:28 pm

thanku.she is still alive .all i can say is that i know not to leave a sheep that is not quite right hoping she will get better on her own, but to take some action. i have learnt a good lesson, and even though im still trying to nurse her i dont think she will make it. thanku all

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: dixie on February 02, 2010, 01:16:16 pm

Good luck with her, sounds like you are doing all you can.

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: shrekfeet on February 23, 2010, 07:53:32 pm

Hey qpd any update on this situation?

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: Farmer on February 23, 2010, 08:37:27 pm

Had a similar problem with one of my ewes a few years back...called the vet out in the middle of the night and she extracted two dead lambs...diagnosed Twin Lamb disease and warned me not to expect the ewe to live...did all/most of the things that have been previously advised and thankfully she pulled through...she has produced twin lambs for the last two years...good luck, I hope she makes it.

regards
Farmer,  :farmer:

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: tirdu on February 24, 2010, 08:49:22 pm

Ewe here with tiwn lamb they have only one treatment - lucozade  :)

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: shrekfeet on February 25, 2010, 02:03:43 pm

@ tirdu ???

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: doganjo on February 25, 2010, 02:10:15 pm

It's high energy, instant and cheaper than dedicated drenches, I reckon ;D

Title: Re: poorly sheep heavily in lamb but has twin lamb disease
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on April 16, 2014, 09:57:12 am

When our sheep have twin lamb disease we give them injections of calcium and magnesium. It could be that she hasn't enough energy. You could try her with sugarbeet and mollases mixed in.
Hope this helps
Thanks