[Hann218]

Hi all!

It's our first time lambing and we are looking for a bit of advice, please! Our first valais lamb was born just over a week ago, he was quite small and mum wasn't producing milk so we have been bottle feeding him. He was born with a slightly bowing front leg which we were advised would sort itself out. After a couple of days, it was clear it was getting worse and overnight the leg became extremely bowed and his shoulder had dropped. We quickly splinted the leg and he was soon jumping around again (he doesn't seem in any pain) The vet said just put him down but being our first lamb and a valais we would like to try first!

He had the splint on for 4 days and we removed it last night for a break but he's now not using the leg at all. Is this normal after having a splint on? The splint seems to have helped a lot and his shoulder is now back in place. we plan to do another after the weekend but I'm worried about him not using that leg, he can stand on it fine but just doesn't seem to actually use it.

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you

[twizzel]

Follow what your vet has said, as they’ve seen him and we haven’t. If they say put him down, it’s probably the right thing to do. If he’s not using the leg, he’s probably in pain. Has he had any anti inflammatory?

[Hann218]

I would normally agree but the vet did not see him in person it was just a photo, he's had some anti-inflammatory too. He seems happy and still jumps around as normal and plays it just doesn't seem to be working as it should

[Anke]

The vet said just put him down but being our first lamb and a valais we would like to try first!

Why would the lamb being a "Valais" change the vet's advice? Surely you will not use him as a stock tup, or even sell him after this? Has he been ringed?

[Backinwellies]

splint for much longer is my advice ....  I splinted a similar lamb for 3 weeks (changing bandage every few days) before significant improvement .... now running round firld with others

[shep53]

Take lamb to vet

[Fleecewife]

Yes I think the vet has to actually see the lamb to assess whether the leg is broken or it has some other problem.  If it's broken then of course the splint needs to stay on until it has healed.  If it's a greenstick fracture then it will heal more quickly than a more adult type of break but I would think it needs to be splinted for at least a month. If you keep taking it off then any fracture cannot heal. If it is fractured then the leg will not be used normally without a splint, or it just might heal in a deformed position


Possibly the vet was using the usual criteria that a sheep is worthless so put it down if it's too much trouble and expensive to treat, not necessarily because it is not treatable, so explain that you can afford to treat and care for the lamb as it heals, but you need pain relief for it, usually something like Loxicom, expensive but effective


Let us know what the vet says 

[macgro7]

"Breed the best, eat the rest"