[andywalt]

I was dreading this day, I went to check my sheep today and one of my older ones was laying in the middle of the field dead, i knew it by the way she was laying and was bloated, they were all perfect yesturday.

she has blood from the eyes it looks like and also blood from her backside when I lifted her tail(she wasnt docked) also white foam around her mouth, can anyone tell me if they know these symptoms please?

I hope its nothing serious, very worrying......



andy

[kanisha]

got cast on her back?

[morri2]

Oh! Andy, I'm really sorry about that. You must have been a bit shocked to say the least.  The blood from her eyes and backside is probably the result of crows pecking at her - they go for the eyeballs first!!  They are a pain with sickly lambs and can take their eyes, whether they are dead or alive!!  They also go for the rear end too - easy access to the flesh.  So I don't think that will have had anything to do with the cause of death.  If the sheep is bloated, could it possibly be the result of some sort of poisoning?  It could just be 'one of those things'.  Most sheepkeepers experience mystery sheep deaths at some stage.  Cheers, Caroline 

[andywalt]

No she didnt get cast on her back,thanks caroline for your reply, does anyone think that foaming of the mouth is relivent or is that something they can do if distressed before they die?

The eye balls are intact so doent look like birds have been pecking but there is a stream of blood running from the corner of the eye, ive called my knacker man he is coming on monday so I will have to get it out of the field

 

[Cobra]

Sorry Andy; what a bugger.

This isn't exactly an answer; but you and some others, may find the link of use if not now, maybe in the future. Always to easy to jump to worst case scenarios when you asking people who arnt there to see the carcase or symptoms, so don't get to het up till you know whats what, probably a simple cause in the end and another learning curve in life's rich tapestry

Hope all is well regards outcome of cause of death.

http://www.sheep101.info/201/diseasesa-z.html

[faith0504]

so sorry to hear about your sheep. hope you find out what caused it

[jack]

I was dreading this day, I went to check my sheep today and one of my older ones was laying in the middle of the field dead, i knew it by the way she was laying and was bloated, they were all perfect yesturday.

she has blood from the eyes it looks like and also blood from her backside when I lifted her tail(she wasnt docked) also white foam around her mouth, can anyone tell me if they know these symptoms please?

I hope its nothing serious, very worrying......

Really very sorry to hear about this it is such a shock when it happens I had 2 die and  they looked bloated and it was just after having them sheared so was it stress I wondered.



andy

[piggy]

Really sorry to hear about your sheep.

[andywalt]

Cheers for all your concerns, I just hope I have not got a field of dead sheep in the morning....

she was an older ewe so hopefully just her time was up


andy

[robate55]

Sorry to hear about your sheep. The signs seem fairly non specific. Itis always hard to lose your first, as we did earlier this year
Rose

[Fleecewife]

Hi Andy.  That was a bad shock.  When you say 'one of my older ewes' - how old was she?  There are so many possible causes of sudden death in sheep that it's too difficult  and pointless to guess.  The foam at the mouth implies she might have had a fit I suppose, or it could just have happened as part of her death throws. It might also be a sign of a lung problem.  My first thought about the blood was the same as Morri2 - crows.  If there is definitely no pecking then again perhaps something to do with the death throws.  I can't think of any haemorrhagic diseases of sheep - but maybe someone with more knowledge will recognise the symptoms. Fluke crosses my mind but I am not familiar with its symptoms.
 I remember once walking into my polytunnel and saying hello to one of my favourite sheep, grazing happily as I went in.  I came back out about 5 mins later and she was stone dead - no idea why.
You would start to worry if a second one dies - then a post mortem or at least input from your vet would be important to find the cause.

[andywalt]

Yes, she was approx 8 years old if I remember what the last owner said, she was due to go for mutton next year!! she beat me too it,

I said to my other half, if I find more dead sheep today its a serious problem !! fortunately all the others are fine today, Ive contacted the knacker man who is coming monday morning, I was so amased this morning as the rear end had gone and half the head stripped to the bone, just in one night, I dragged it to the top of the field with my 4X4 and what a stink !! Ive covered it with a tarp but I bet that wont stop the foxes and birds, wonder whether anything will be left monday morning?

[waterhouse]

Nature is pretty good at recycling

[VSS]

Foam around the nose and mouth is usually indicative on pneumonia.