[ScotsGirl]

i have a poor lamb who not only has an undershot bottom jaw but both front legs have unstable fetlock joints. Initially I thought it was just the way he was lying inside, now I'm not sure. Anyway, left for a day or two but the poor mite was crawling around on the knuckle instead of his hoof.


I have tried various splinting methods and my last attempt with oversized wooden lollipop sticks and tape worked best. Problem is after two days I took one off to see if any improvement and none. Black Welsh are quite light so not sure body weight will ever help to strengthen it. Is there anything else I can do apart from applying another splint? If I do how long to leave on? If I take both off so he is crippled surely he will never survive? Having said that he goes like the clappers, I had a job to catch him last week!

[SallyintNorth]

We get the front knuckles under on Texel lambs sometimes.  They come right with sunshine. 

[trish.farm]

When i splinted a ewe lamb who had her back leg snapped in 2 at an hour old -  I wrapped the leg in soft bandage, lolly pop stick inside and outside of leg, then vet wrapped over.  Changed the bandage every week to allow for growth!!  She had this on for 8 weeks, then bandaged without the sticks with just soft bandage and vet wrap for another 6 weeks, changing every week, to give a bit of support.  You would never have known she had broken her leg.  If you put the soft bandage under everything it stops any rubbing etc.  How old is the lamb?  I would just carry on splinting and changing every week and see how it goes. 

[ScotsGirl]

He will be 2 weeks Tuesday. I will try putting soft bandage on then sticks and vet wrap and do as you say. He seems to be thriving otherwise but not playing like the others. I will persevere.

[MrsJ]

We had one born with the tendons on the bottom front joints too tight.  We used tubing with cotton wool to stop it rubbing.  Only took 24 hours to right it and he is now bouncing around the field with the others.  The vet did offer us an injection that would relax the tendons so you might want to consider that but the earlier it's dealt with the better.

[ScotsGirl]

I will speak to vet Monday as I did point it out when she was there as ewe had to be cut to get lamb out.