Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Lamb with mystery illness.  (Read 3098 times)

messyhoose

  • Joined Nov 2017
Re: Lamb with mystery illness.
« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2019, 11:25:57 pm »
hi gemma my 7 week old ram lamb went off milk and concentrate and was doing the back stretching thing you mentioned. Back stretching is usually a sign of abdominal pain, poss kidneys. So i was concerned wit my lad and diagnosed abomasal bloat (as oppsed to rumenal bloat found in adults, and sadly harder to deal with) If any lamb is off food and or stretching and or tooth grinding i would assume abomasal bloat ie gas in the lower belly. it can not be cured by  tube via the mouth, or bicarb by mouth- the only method i have had success with - on advice from vet (recently in a 7 week lamb and previously in a 2 year pygmy goat) is injectable antibiotics to kill the gut flora and stop fermentation and gas production, then re establish gut flora once animal is starting to eat again. Pain relief is good and i also tried an ant acid prep i use for my own gut pains (zantac- known as ranatidine which vet says is oft prescribed to dogs with stomach ulcers. i think pain relief is more helpful than historical animal meds give credit to.

Gemma417

  • Joined Feb 2017
Re: Lamb with mystery illness.
« Reply #16 on: June 10, 2019, 08:59:34 am »
Thank you for the reply,
Which anti biotics did you use? He had a 7day course of pen and strep at the very start of the problem.
He now drinks about 300ml of milk per feed but gets full very quick. Ive caught him nuzzling in the creep but he just doesnt want it. He really needs to start eating more for his age but he's in good body codition saying hes not eating the amount he should.
I would say his belly feels soft and bloated but the vet didnt pickup on that when we took him in. I guess if he's got gas in his tummy thats why he doesnt run around like he used to because it causes him discomfort. He's had a few bloat problems since he was born but weve always managed to correct it with alittle bit of oil in the milk.

We will try another course of anti biotics and see if that helps.

 

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