The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Archie.boy on April 03, 2016, 09:42:40 pm
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Hi all.
I have twin tup lambs from a Jacob with mastitis. She came down with mastitis last year on one side and was due to be culled but never ended up happening... Anyway she had twins this year, they're on a bucket to keep them topped up.
One of her lambs has gone very sore on one of his fronts. Don't know where the pain is or what's caused it but he still gets up and wonders around, he's still suckling. Legs feel the same down both sides, haven't checked feet yet. Having only had sheep for 3 years I haven't had millions of issues with lambs and wouldn't know if you can give them medication of any sort? They're a week old today.
They've been in their own pen since they were born due to the bucket so is effectively on Box rest :)
:unwell:
Any advice on pain killers for lambs welcome.
Thanks
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One of my lambs got an abscessed foot last year, probably due to a thorn or something, their feet seem quite soft. It took a while from going lame to actually realising it was full of pus as it looked normal but eventually started to swell. Vet lanced it and gave AB and it was right as rain. Could be that, if it doesn't improve maybe you could take mum and lamb to the vet?
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Unlikely to have foot problems such as thorn or abscess at a week old in a pen.
Most likely, especially if the ewe has been short of colostrum due to only having one side of udder working, is that the lamb has joint ill, an infection of the joints that usually enters through the navel and can't be fought off effectively because the lamb didn't get enough good quality colostrum.
If you want to treat it, ask your vet, as it often takes a hefty course of antibiotics for quite a while to get on top of it.
Good luck.
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Thanks peeps :) We had a look at him today, legs felt the same down both sides with no difference in bending resistance or distance and no warmth difference in either leg. However his foot was a bit warm on his lame side. I can well believe that he has stood on something as I'm getting towards the end of my hay supplies and have been putting some thistle rich hay down in their pens.
So based on replies on here saying they have given lambs AB injections we gave him 1/3ml of AB (1ml per 10 kg) after giving him a salty foot bath and a bit of purple spray just cause...
What intervals should we repeat the AB at? Mum is very good at home medicating animals but has never been around sheep before so certain aspects of this are new.
We are hesitant to call the vet as the call out charge will far exceed the value of the lamb... As the sheep have to pay their keep we can't call the vet for every runny nose and sore foot. I know this view won't be popular with most small holders and isn't one I enjoy having to hold but is the way it has to be these days here.
Thanks for replies
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You don't have to call the vet out, just ring them and chat it through on the phone. You will probably only be charged for the medication. Get the right ab's - it's horses for courses. If not treated joint ill may never clear up.
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It's often not cost effective to get the vet to an individual animal, but you have to look at it as an overal cost to the operation. If, over a year or two, the vet bills are too high, then you need to address the issues that are necessitating vet visits. And if you can't afford a level of vet visits, then you can't afford to be keeping sheep. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
There are lots of ways to minimise vet charges, however. Telepohone advice, as has already been mentioned; taking the sheep, or especially lamb, to the vet rather than getting the vet to the holding; asking the vet if they might be able to call in while passing - sometimes you can get a reduced or waived callout fee; taking courses on various aspects of husbandry and welfare, so that you increase your ability to diagnose and treat problems yourself, and, as importantly, you are better able to communicate to the vet over the phone, reducing the number of callouts that are needed.