[Templelands]

Ok Guys - need some help.

Got my starter flock of sheep yesterday and popped them in my garden which is a has a large grass area (same as paddock grass) overnight before opening the gate and letting them into their new 10 acre paddock.

Before we got the sheep we checked for Rhododendron, the gardener who did all the nice bits checked as well - and nothing was found.

Sheep were great last night lots of happy pictures. This morning got up and one of the Ewes was lying down foaming at the mouth looking awful. We phoned the VET who was there in minutes - we also phoned a farmer who said to get some strong sweet coffee down her neck which we did. The VET said that it was poisoning and we searched the garden - behind a fence we found the culprit, which has now died a painful death - however, didn't look as though much had been taken off though.

VET gave a couple of injections and said we had to go and buy some BBQ charcoal - grind it - make it into a paste and get it down her neck.

While he was there a second Ewe went down in the same way and the VET administered the same treatment.

We got the charcoal and made it into a paste and tried to get it down their necks - it was hard - any tips on how to do this?

We were also told very sweet very strong tea would also help.

This was 8am this morning and we are now in a different position - Ewe one who was first down is grazing drinking and eating as though there was nothing wrong, even running around - I am hoping that she will be ok now?

The second Ewe however looks awful - she is still foaming at the mouth and we are struggling to get anything down her neck. We managed to get her on her feet, and she is allowing her lambs to feed (she has 2 week old twins). As I type this and look out the windows she is just standing up and not moving - the other ewes and lambs are lying down chewing.

Can anyone think of anything else to do?

I've beaten myself up badly this morning for missing this one plant - and am horrified to think that these sheep should have been coming to a nice new home with loads of space to start off my new flock - and I've made the simplest of mistakes.

Any advice would be appreciated....

[deepinthewoods]

dan and rosemary had a similar issue earlier.

 
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/diary/rhodedendron-poisoning/

[woollyval]

There are several other plants that are also poisonous such as laurel, yew and azaleas etc. Never a good idea to turn sheep out into a garden.....amazing what they will eat! Have you divided your 10 acres up so you can rotate it and have you a means of catching all these sheep for routine jobs such as wormin, vaccinating, foot trimming etc? 10 acres is a massive area to chase sheep in 

[plumseverywhere]

Will it/could it pass through the milk to her lambs?

[Templelands]

Yup the acres are divided into smaller paddock and there are no more plants in the garden area - its all lawn apart from this one plant that was over the fence.

The vet has said that there is no worry about passing this through her milk.

She is lying down now - head up but looks like she is struggling for breath. We have done all we can now so we are just watching and waiting, with everything crossed.

[Dan]

As deepinthewoods said we had the same late last year with our wether Dickie.

We use a big dosing syringe to give ours any liquid they won't take voluntarily - just poke it between their teeth and as far back as possible and squirt.

Dickie survived thankfully, but he was ropey for about 12 hours - foaming at the mouth and coughing. We just kept giving him the charcoal and the tea.

Hope it all ends well for you. 

[Moleskins]

Vet suggested charcoal and liquid paraffin for mine when they got hold of some yew.
The charcoal absorbs the toxins and the paraffin helps it all pass through quicker.
Charcoal is mixed with water and given as a drench, note, wear old clothes when you give
it as you'll get covered. That was the vets advice too. Not much water to charcoal !!
Mine were in lamb at  the time but lambs weren't affected.

[Simon O]

I am surprised at this as we have many rhodies -  hundreds - and the sheep free range through them and i presume do not eat any of them - I have certainly never seen any sheep eating them nor suffering any ill effects. i should add that these are not my sheep or I would perhaps be a little more nervous

[Templelands]

I was surprised too - although I was warned about Rhododendrons - but missed one plant. There was a frost this morning and I have been told for some reason sheep are more attracted to the frosted leaves. I was told that if there is good grazing they would normally leave this plant alone. They have lots of good quality grazing and haylage.

I've just been out to do my 30 minute check on the Ewe and over the last few hours she has looked a bit better - she stood up herself to feed her lambs and then I noticed some haulage round her mouth - but haven't seen her eat anything yet. On the last check a few mins ago - she proper legged it away from me - so I am hopeful she is on the mend....

Probably won't sleep tonight but lets see what the morning brings.

[Moleskins]

Oh go on I'm sure she'll get some sleep. Don't worry so much. 

[Brijjy]

I hate rhodo with a passion and took great pleasure in getting rid of all of it from my field. In Wales the stuff grows like mad. There is also a tree called Golden Chain or Laburnum which is poisonous. This was overgrowing into a paddock where my ponies were last summer. Luckily the landowner let my OH cut it all down. However it did make him feel rough as he chainsawed it down. I think he ingested some of the dust and he felt quite sick.

[Dan]

I am surprised at this as we have many rhodies -  hundreds - and the sheep free range through them and i presume do not eat any of them - I have certainly never seen any sheep eating them nor suffering any ill effects. i should add that these are not my sheep or I would perhaps be a little more nervous

Ours had access to rhodo for a long time too before Dickie actually ate any. It was a frosty day and I don't know if that improved the palatability. It takes such a small amount to kill them that we've decided to keep all of our livestock away from them now.

[Templelands]

Well my two are still here - and they are both running about eating drinking and look amazing. We have an injection to give them this morning, but the vets 50/50 for each of them seems to have turned into a 100/100.

Lot to be said for pumping strong sweet tea into them every hour and keeping them moving!

I know this is the first of many "experiences" but thanks of the advice ;-)

[Rosemary]

  Result!