Author Topic: Hypostop / Glucogel (Read 2520 times)

Beeducked · « **on:** March 13, 2015, 11:29:51 pm »

In the interminable wait for my sheep to get on with lambing I have been reading up (and scaring myself) about problems etc to try and be as prepared as possible.

One of the things that seems to be discussed not infrequently and casually is intraperitoneal injection of glucose for hypothermic, hypoglycaemic lambs. it just seems a bit scary to me and easy to cause damage and I was wondering about the glucose gel that people with diabetes use for low blood sugars. It is absorbed through the lining of the mouth so no need for them to be able to swallow it. Just rub it into the side of their cheek.

What do people think? Has anyone used anything like this?

toaster · « **Reply #1 on:** March 14, 2015, 10:56:30 pm »

I haven't I'm afraid but when we had twin lambs rejected that went downhill rapidly the vet advised stomach tubing a glucose solution before doing the same with colostrum and that was very easy and successful

That was our first lambing so we were complete novices yet found it very simple

Not an answer to your question but is an easier option than the injection

shep53 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 15, 2015, 01:00:42 pm »

I really wouldn't be worried about an intraperitoneal injection as its not something you do very often , I think I do maybe 1 a year and I have a lot of lambs

Beeducked · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2015, 04:47:06 pm »

Thanks.

I think I'm just worrying myself as I have too much time thinking and reading books that scare me while waiting for these lambs who really don't seem at all interested in joining the party.

nutterly_uts · « **Reply #4 on:** March 15, 2015, 04:50:33 pm »

Rightly or wrongly I tend to approach things like this thinking it'll definitely die if you do nothing, but may not die if you do something, and therefore you have nothing to lose which may help you if you need it

I think the problem with hypostop is a low glucose lamb is a cold lamb and therefore its not going to absorb it by mouth as quickly - its better than nothing but it's not the best way either

Beeducked · « **Reply #5 on:** March 15, 2015, 05:21:39 pm »

Oh something that is definitely going to die is easy! Nothing to lose. It's the ones that aren't even born who will probably be fine but could have any of those terrible things in the books that I seem to be having a problem with at the moment!

Foobar · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2015, 12:21:06 pm »

The chances are that you will find any problem lambs way before they have lost all their body heat, and thus can give colostrum via stomach tube, or if they really have no get up and go then glucose via stomach tube.

Its always handy to have the table of what to do given the temperature of the lamb. I tried and failed miserably to create a table in this post (doh) ... so instead I refer you to page 9 of this doc: http://www.hccmpw.org.uk/medialibrary/pdf/EN_541_Keeping%20lambs%20alive.pdf