The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: FriesianLambs on February 12, 2016, 10:12:19 pm
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I've been given a four year old sheep in my care. Her left front knee is locked and she can't stretch it. She's also pregnant and due in march.
Now, I thought it was a lack of Vitamin D but her age...
She's been given a Vitamin shot, a form of antibiotics and I've been massaging her knee and just slightly moving it. She responds to pressure between her hooves.
Today we moved her to our house so I can keep an eye on her, help her when lambing comes and I thought about suspending her to get her to use her muscles again. I put a broad band behind the elbows and she did walk a bit as I supported her but it hurt a little bit as she ground her teeth when she lay down.
I really want to try and help this girl. She eats, she drinks and she does move around. Who has any ideas on what might be wrong? How can I treat her? And what way can I support her so she can stand?
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If she's responding to pressure between her toes, sounds like a foot problem.
If unsure, I'd ask the vet to look at her, as any illness is likely to affect her ability to lamb herself, and the health of the lambs, and her health at this time, illness or problems that may put them off eating such as sore feet/legs while pregnant can be fatal.
You haven't said you have given her painkiller, but you have said she's in pain.
I would think you need someone experienced in sheep, preferably your vet, to look at her feet and treat any foot problems, and if the vet sees her, they can examine her all over and treat any other problems detected appropriately, but sounds like she will at least need some pain relief.
If she is choosing to lie down rather than walk around much, you could make things worse by trying to assist her with slings etc. I'd focus on addressing the pain and the reasons for it and she should then choose to walk by herself without assistance.
Let us know how you get on.
Ps I'm not sure if you have company with her, but sheep often can get distressed, making any health problems worse, if removed from the flock, so maybe you could make sure she has a friend to keep her keen while you look after her in the "hospital wing".
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But if it's the foot, why is her knee locked? You can't move it beyond 90 degrees.
The feet seem fine but I'll have a look tomorrow. Maybe I missed something.
She only had a moment of pain when she lay down after we lifted her up. I think the band was hurting her or it was too intense. She's been down for at least 2 weeks and only now am I in the position to get her up daily. So I'm thinking about how can I support her with a form of harness that feels comfortable for her.
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If the knee is that locked, she has likely had an infection or a trauma, which may have been a long time ago. Responding to pressure in the feet may be because she has a foot problem as well (often will get overgrowths, dirt trapping and infection if not using the leg as it is not touching the ground and wearing the foot and dirt away) or because the leg is just painful overall.
If she's been down for 2 weeks, she really needs further investigation by a vet, as it sounds much more serious than a sore leg which will often just cause a limp.
Sheep are prey animals and try to hide pain. If you have detected pain once, but she has been down a long time, she has likely more pain than she shows you.
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Ok. Thank you.
I just didn't realize because she's very lively and happy. I've seen sheep in pain and I thought this was just a response to us forcing her to move a bit more than she's used to lately.
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Basically what you are being told is call the vet or your being cruel! I'm sorry to put it this bluntly but sometimes needs must.
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Oh wauw thanks :o. Yeah that was a bit too blunt.
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If a prey animal grinds its teeth then it's in great pain. The only time we've ever had a ewe suffer from twin lamb disease was one that had a thorn in its foot, hidden by wool. It was only when she started to limp and we found the abscess that we realized there was a problem. She survived and so did her twins but it took a lot of care, including a high energy drench, antibiotics and painkiller, cutting greenery from the verge to tempt her appetite, giving her water in an old frying pan so it was under her nose and mucking out under her and rebedding several times a day.
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Ok. Thank you.
I just didn't realize because she's very lively and happy. I've seen sheep in pain and I thought this was just a response to us forcing her to move a bit more than she's used to lately.
Thought you said she's been down for two weeks?? Not so lively and happy then....
Needs pain relief and vet. Cheaper to pop her in trailer and take her to them.
I'd be very concerned about lambs if she's been down so long...
:fc: she comes good
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Yes scoot her down to vets, She's quite possibly got twin lamb and or calcaemia (sp)and also the extra weight of the babies pulling on her frame. What does her breath smell like? Hope she mends for you .
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I have been lifting her and holding her myself for a few times a day and she managed to stand on her own for a few minutes. She gets fed pellets twice a day with vitamins and has access to hay and fresh water. She managed to get up herself yesterday and even walk(limp) around for a bit. Tomorrow I'm going to get some antibiotics.
Just to be clear, she's not currently my sheep. I'm looking after her because one of her owners got sick and they also manage a horse stable and are very short staffed. The decision for a vet lies with them.
But just so you know I am doing everything in my power to help her and save her. I have a wireless camera on her and I want to create a lift system so I can lift her more easily and also hold her up for longer.
Please no more remarks on me being cruel. That really hurts as I really do try.
The knowledge is just so limited here and I had hoped I would have more luck with shepherds abroad as you seem to know more and have ingenious solutions.
Her breath smells like a sheep should by the way.
And to any other it would look like she's just lying down ruminating but I found that knee. And without me supporting her, the weight for one front leg is just too much
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Hi. Have you asked the owners to call the vet?
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You really need the vet to check this girl over regardless of who's decision it is. Sounds like there may be an underlying problem. If she's in your care then it is your responsibility I'm afraid.
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This!!
If the knee is that locked, she has likely had an infection or a trauma, which may have been a long time ago. Responding to pressure in the feet may be because she has a foot problem as well (often will get overgrowths, dirt trapping and infection if not using the leg as it is not touching the ground and wearing the foot and dirt away) or because the leg is just painful overall.
If she's been down for 2 weeks, she really needs further investigation by a vet, as it sounds much more serious than a sore leg which will often just cause a limp.
Sheep are prey animals and try to hide pain. If you have detected pain once, but she has been down a long time, she has likely more pain than she shows you.
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I've been known to make a frame from a hurdle placed flat across two straw bales, padded, to support a ewe who was off her legs and needed to be supported upright with her feet on the ground. You need to go in and move her every hour or so - so I used to put her on it for an hour three times a day.
This was a very poorly ewe, though; I'm not sure a ewe who is otherwise fit and healthy wouldn't just struggle and damage herself.
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This ewe is quite clearly " otherwise fit and well "
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How is it getting on?
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She's doing great actually. I supported her front with a blanket and she really wanted to walk and did so. Very tired afterwards.
Yesterday she got up for her pellets and stood for a minute while I supported the leg.
Still gets vitamins daily and 2 more days of antibiotics. I'm thinking of making some sort of wheelchair so she can walk outside.
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She's doing great actually. I supported her front with a blanket and she really wanted to walk and did so. Very tired afterwards.
Yesterday she got up for her pellets and stood for a minute while I supported the leg.
Still gets vitamins daily and 2 more days of antibiotics. I'm thinking of making some sort of wheelchair so she can walk outside.
This is a wind up isn't it?
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She's doing great actually. I supported her front with a blanket and she really wanted to walk and did so. Very tired afterwards. Yesterday she got up for her pellets and stood for a minute while I supported the leg.
Still gets vitamins daily and 2 more days of antibiotics. I'm thinking of making some sort of wheelchair so she can walk outside.
This is a wind up isn't it?
If it's not then I feel profoundly sorry for the ewe!
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What have I done wrong now?
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Has a vet been in attendance yet?
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I always thought false teeth for sheep was a wind up until I saw it !!
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Ewe delivered today, but it looked weird, so I called the vet and turns out placenta was birthed first. First lamb was a big black ram, second a tiny black ewe and third a white ewe. The first took a breath but gave up and died, second was already gone and the third seemed to be the stronger but she also passed despite of colostrum and warmth and a loving mother.
The ewe is missing her babies but otherwise fine.
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Is she back on her feet?
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Nope.
She's having a little trouble with the afterbirth. He gave her a shot of oxytocin yesterday but she might need another shot today. If she was walking I could've tied a knot in what's hanging out but not much point now.
She's also still eating and ruminating
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It's usual to give antibiotics - Pen & Strep, for instance - to a ewe with retained afterbirth.
Poor ol' girl, I hope she pulls through :fc:
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He did give her penicillin as well and calcitat because he thought she had hypocalcemia.
I'm not sure what it is though, because she's still not getting up. She moves around on her front knees and sometimes get up a few seconds on one front leg(for food) but then lies down again.
Afterbirth came off by the way.
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Glad she's passed the afterbirth :relief:
What does the vet say about her legs/feet?
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Yeah me too but I don't think the lambs ever had a chance. Afterbirth looked very pale and messy. Like an infection. Which may have caused the placenta to come loose...
The vet only mentioned the hypocalcemia.
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Out of interest, what area are you living in?
Did you explain how she seems to have a problem with her front legs?
Hopefully she will continue to improve now the lambs are gone but I can't help think that she lost the lambs due to being down so long....
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It has been rather interesting to listen to this thread, I have spent about 20 mins reading it through. Personally I think my vet would tell me to put her down, however that is not necessarily the advice I am giving. You have done the best you can and I really hope that she makes it back to being healthy; One point however if she has been like this a long time why didn't her owners do something? It sounds to me like they shouldn't really be in charge of a sheep, especially a pregnant one, if they cannot look after her properly. You have done a sheer fantastic job with her and I congratulate you to getting this far with her, I know a lot of people would probably have given up by now, so I take my hat off to you and I hope that she gets better soon! All the best and well done! :thumbsup:
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Sbom, I live in the Netherlands, in the north.
Thank you waterbuffalofarmer. It's basically what I do. Give them another chance. Sometimes it works out and sometimes I have to say goodbye but I always give it 200%.
Wietske, the ewe, is still going. She tries to get away when I want examine her feet or manhandle her which she didn't do before. She remains friendly though and loves it when I give her a good scratch. She had another shot of penicillin today and will get another on Tuesday(72 hour interval stuff). After that we'll have to see if she improves and otherwise...
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I thought I would update you on the sheep.
I had her put down last Wednesday a she wasn't improving. Her left leg wouldn't stretch at all and her right was also at an angle. She was eating and bright and with our help she could go out from the shed the grass where she would happily be all day and shuffle around on her front knees but I had to think if this was a life that was right for her. If I had seen some improvement even only weekly I would have carried on, but her legs stayed the same.
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A difficult decision to make but sounds like the right one, well done
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Well done for all the effort you made for Wietske and for having the courage to let her go. It is never an easy decision to balance quality of life in chronic cases.
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Coaster puts it very well. You tried very hard to help her, and in the end made the difficult decision in her best interests. :hug:
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Well done on a difficult decision. It's hard when you've fought for so long, but it sounds like she would never have been right.
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Thank you all :)