The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: waterbuffalofarmer on April 11, 2016, 03:31:46 pm
-
I brought a lamb in not long ago, born yesterday one of twins, it was sat hunched in the field, I saw them this morn and she was fine (it had suckled a lot yesterday and was very lively) it is still quite lively but I had to bring it in due to it not being mothered properly and it was cold; When I brought it in I discovered that it had bloat, I myself have always had someone else treat this for me, however they're not here atm, and never a lamb of a day and a half having bloat. Could anyone tell me why this is the case and how to sort this out? I have sent off a question to these people, but I don't know yet when they will reply http://www.srvs.co.nz/ask-a-vet-g-103.html (http://www.srvs.co.nz/ask-a-vet-g-103.html)
Please help guys I need to know now what can I do? I have frantically searched everywhere and its just hopeless. I don't know how to stomach tube lambs, which was one suggestion and i haven't got a tube, can i give her oil at all or is she too young. I know people use antibiotics, which I want to do to kill the bacteria, but what antibiotic do you use and how do i get the air out!!!!!!???????
-
Is there anyone who can help you tube her?
I don't know how to link, but there are some good advice posts below this post
-
As a vet, I would say at a day and a half, having been on mum not a bottle, it's probably not bloat, but more likely watery mouth/water belly. This is an e coli infection and needs aggressive treatment with antibiotics, enemas, warming, electrolyte solution for feeding little and often and still often won't make it. I'd take it straight to the vet for help if you don't know what you're doing if you want it to survive.
-
My instincts would be to check if lamb is pooing / peeing ok in case it's a blockage or things not joined up properly internally or if has no anus. Is the lamb wet under the chin sign of watery mouth requires vet treatment (orajet) It could also have other possibility's eg. pneumonia which require vet treatment. It would be best to phone your vet. Your doing the right thing by warming it up, once warm it should start to take milk unless it's got infection which needs vet treatment and you may have to get someone to tube small amounts of milk.
-
A professional has just come in and has given her some antibiotics, For now I am going to watch her and keep her hydrated. She didn't have watery mouth at all, possibly watery belly. She wasn't bunged up at all, but her poos where a bit runny and sticky. She has had yoghurt and water too and is hydrated. I'm just hoping that she makes it :gloomy: :gloomy:
-
A professional? Professional motor racing driver? Diver? Pilot? Vet? Shepherd?
-
Vet and shepherd friend. He diagnosed her with watery belly and is giving her the correct treatment, I only hope she gets better.
-
Please keep us posted. A good learning thread for me this.
-
Good luck with the lamb...
And boy some people can be rude!
-
Won't the jogurt have an adverse affect?
-
no the guy said the yoghurt would help and it has helped in times past with cases of watery belly. No change this morning so I am going to have her put to sleep. Its just so annoying she had colostrum when born and her twin is fine. I guess these things just happen. All the other sheep and lambs are healthy including mom and sibling. What a depressing thing to happen :gloomy: :'(
-
I offered advice, as a vet I have cured lambs with this regime, but if you won't listen, it's a shame the lamb has had to suffer and die.
-
So with an absolute maximum of 24hrs treatment you give up? :yuck:
-
I offered advice, as a vet I have cured lambs with this regime, but if you won't listen, it's a shame the lamb has had to suffer and die.
I may be missing something here but WBF's post saying the vet had been in attendance was just over an hour after your first post. So in what way weren't you listened to?
-
The disease needs aggressive treatment, rather than "some antibiotics and water"
-
The disease needs aggressive treatment, rather than "some antibiotics and water"
Then it's WBF's vet that you take issue with?
It's very easy to post advice on the forum, but are you really expecting the OP and other members to take advice from a relative stranger on a forum rather than that of the vet who is in attendance?
You might well be right in your diagnosis and the treatment required, but we do not recommend that anyone takes the advice of a member on here over that of their own vet.
-
Fair point, well made.
However, I find it frustrating when someone seeks advice on a forum then does their own thing.
I'd say seeking your vets advice is ideal best practice. If unhappy with the outcome following the vets advice, seek a second opinion as not all vets are as experienced with certain species or conditions.
If not improving after a night of treatment, it may be worth seeing the vet again, or getting advice from someone with more experience of curing the problem in question.
I have made suggestions for further treatment than offered by the vet, which have not been investigated before euthanasia has been mentioned.
-
Fair point, well made.
However, I find it frustrating when someone seeks advice on a forum then does their own thing.
I'd say seeking your vets advice is ideal best practice. If unhappy with the outcome following the vets advice, seek a second opinion as not all vets are as experienced with certain species or conditions.
If not improving after a night of treatment, it may be worth seeing the vet again, or getting advice from someone with more experience of curing the problem in question.
I have made suggestions for further treatment than offered by the vet, which have not been investigated before euthanasia has been mentioned.
Thank you. We fully understand and share the frustration, we just needed to be clear about the role TAS has.
In situations like this if you're willing to offer individual advice you could maybe also contact the OP in private via PM where help may be more easily given and received?
-
when he gave her the AB he said because she was so young that there was a considerably high chance that she would die. I had to keep her hydrated after that, as hydration helps to expel the disease aswell as the ABs. I came here to ask other peoples opinions though I didnt expect it to end up in an arguement. I did what I could for her to the best of my ability so I have to cut my losses and get on with the rest of lambing. On the positive side her sibling is doing very well and I have had loads more healthy lambs. She did have more ABs but no response
-
I offered advice, as a vet I have cured lambs with this regime, but if you won't listen, it's a shame the lamb has had to suffer and die.
she was given more ABs. The lamb was in some discomfort but it has not suffered and died. The vet tried his best but she wouldnt respond to the ABs, so she had to be put to sleep
-
In situations like this if you're willing to offer individual advice you could maybe also contact the OP in private via PM where help may be more easily given and received?
Nooooooooooo this sort of advise is great for us sheep plebs to learn from and look back on. Noone likes fall-outs but advice from a knowledgeable vet could save a future TASers lamb :fc:
-
Nooooooooooo this sort of advise is great for us sheep plebs to learn from and look back on. Noone likes fall-outs but advice from a knowledgeable vet could save a future TASers lamb :fc:
That's why I said 'also'. The general advice in a thread like this is great for all to learn from, but in specific, individual circumstances a more detailed to-and-fro may be needed, and that *may* be best done by PM or phone especially when time is of the essence.
-
:relief:
-
I'd say seeking your vets advice is ideal best practice.
Absolutely! However, more often than not, I spot problems with my animals in the evening, and if it's not an emergency, I can often find the answers to my questions via a quick forum search or post. This means I can either save a call to the vet entirely, or can be far more clued up in what I'm saying to them the next morning.
I find it frustrating when someone seeks advice on a forum then does their own thing.
Hmmm, if I always followed all the advice I read on the internet, I'd be dead by now, and so would my animals!
I get your point though, and it IS frustrating when people are told they need to see a vet, but then don't do it or delay the call due to cost or whatever.
However, vets aren't infallible, particularly when it comes to less familiar animals such as poultry. Our vet prescribed us some goose wormer last week with the message "this is all we've got I'm afraid. Let us know if you need more and we'll order it in for you". However, when I got home and read the label I realised that the bottle contained enough to treat eighty geese, rather than the eight I'd asked for. The reason? Decimal point in the wrong place! ;)