[tommytink]

Checked on my ewes and noticed a ewe lamb bleeding from her vulva. She’s had a jippy tummy recently and thought it was coming from her bottom at first but on closer inspection it’s definitely from her vulva. I wiped it clean with a bit of dilute hibi - no little cuts or scrapes evident, so definitely coming from inside. It’s not pouring out, if I wiped it it “refilled” if that makes sense. Not like mucus or gammy, just like a normal blood colour/consistency. Any ideas on what this is or what I should do? I have eight ewe lambs and from the other couple of tails I managed to look under this is an isolated issue.
She’s approx 10 months, seems well in every other way, her poops seen to have dried up, and she hasn’t been put to the ram. I’ve rung the vet for advice but not had a call back yet.

[SallyintNorth]

Most likely explanation is she did get in lamb and is aborting. 

Another possibility, albeit slight, is that she is one of those ewe lambs which has a malformation of the rectum, where a fistula connects it to the vagina.  Most usually this occurs where the anus has no opening, and the fistula allows the faeces to exit via the other passage.  If she's had diarrhoea, and has this fistula, then it could be blood from the digestive system.

In a cow you'd ask did she cycle a couple of days ago and is it the post-bulling string, but I am not aware of this happening in sheep.

[shep53]

I'll go along with Sally as the best reason , but having put "sheep bleeding from vulva " a few sights talking about tumors ??

[Womble]

OK, I'm going to ask an obvious, but perhaps really stupid question.......


If sheep cycle every 18 days or so...... why don't they need tampons? 

[tommytink]

I really can’t recall an opportunity for her to have got in lamb. Although they’re with the ewes they were separated for whilst the tup was in, and weren’t even on the same holding. They haven’t shared fence lines with any tups either. They were weaned in June and their brothers were removed before then.
I obviously can’t comment on her internal set up. She has a bottom but I know you’ve told me about this thing before Sally and that just because it’s there doesn’t mean it’s all linked up correctly. I didn’t know if maybe where she’s had the poops this maybe caused a vaginal infection, and whether it would be worth giving a jab of Alamycin for starters.
Yes Shep I’ve seen a couple of search results on tumours. The rest all seems to relate to pregnant ewes and prolapses etc.
Unfortunately the vet hasn’t called me back despite me ringing and asking for someone to contact me hours ago. The surgery has closed now but I’m hoping they might be doing call backs out of hours, although won’t hold my breath. Will call them in the morning if no word.

[shep53]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?  But sheep as with most animals do not get rid of the egg if not fertilised  ( menstruate ) they re-absorb them

[tommytink]

OK, I'm going to ask an obvious, but perhaps really stupid question.......


If sheep cycle every 18 days or so...... why don't they need tampons? 

Someone else said to me about her becoming sexually mature?? I know sheep come into season once a year for a few cycles (I don’t know how many as my ram was still tupping a ewe in March last year  ) but I didn’t know if they have a bleed? As a bleed usually means not pregnant?

*cross-posted with Shep - thanks for clarifying sheep reabsorb, and therefore don’t have a period. I wish it was something stupid like this though!!

[SallyintNorth]

I really can’t recall an opportunity for her to have got in lamb.

Even experienced third generation farmers occasionally get one sexed wrong, and it's relatively common for a an occasional wether to be only partially wethered...

[Womble]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?

No, it was a totally serious question (though apologies to Tommytink if not particularly helpful). Apparently it's only humans, apes, elephant shrews and bats that menstruate. I honestly didn't know that!

[Rosemary]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?

No, it was a totally serious question (though apologies to Tommytink if not particularly helpful). Apparently it's only humans, apes, elephant shrews and bats that menstruate. I honestly didn't know that!

Everyday's a school day 

[Womble]

Am I the only one who didn't know that?

(A like on this post says no!).

[SallyintNorth]

Am I the only one who didn't know that?

(A like on this post says no!).

I knew lots of animals that don't (ruminants, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, rats and equids for some - basically animals I have kept!), but I didn't know that elephant shrews and bats did.  (And how weird is it that they do?!)  Nor, if I am honest, did I know whether apes did or did not - but it's obvious they must if you think about how close we are to them.

[Anke]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?

No, it was a totally serious question (though apologies to Tommytink if not particularly helpful). Apparently it's only humans, apes, elephant shrews and bats that menstruate. I honestly didn't know that!

Female dogs often bleed a bit, but clean themselves up so well that you often miss it. When I was growing up our bitches did not get neutered, so we did know when not to let them off the lead...

[SallyintNorth]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?

No, it was a totally serious question (though apologies to Tommytink if not particularly helpful). Apparently it's only humans, apes, elephant shrews and bats that menstruate. I honestly didn't know that!

Everyday's a school day 

Apparently, the spiny mouse also menstruates.  (Wiki)

[SallyintNorth]

Not sure wether serious or not Womble ?

No, it was a totally serious question (though apologies to Tommytink if not particularly helpful). Apparently it's only humans, apes, elephant shrews and bats that menstruate. I honestly didn't know that!

Female dogs often bleed a bit, but clean themselves up so well that you often miss it. When I was growing up our bitches did not get neutered, so we did know when not to let them off the lead...

Other species have blood associated, in various different ways, with oestrus, but shedding the lining of the womb is only in the species listed (plus, according to Wikipedia, the spiny mouse).

The blood a bitch emits is early in her cycle, before she is fertile and receptive.  Nowhere that I looked could I find a reason for, or the origin of, this blood, but it presumeably is not the lining of the womb.