[messyhoose]

hello, so ive hand reared a pair of lambs from birth after their mom died with PT. They been great (i used eureka ewe milk replacer and got no bloat problems though the boy had a few scouring episodes- cured with alternating milk with electrolyte feeds)
I weaned at 12 weeks. They are 4 months old now. The boy was castrated at a month old (vet was out and did it surgically).
A week ago the boy was restless, wouldn't stay lying down, then he kicked out his back legs and my stomach fell out my bottom: oh no not urolitholiasis!! He did pee but i gave him ammonium chloride anyway and within 3 hours had peed more and was lying  comfortably chewing the cud.
Next day, we were up all night with him teeth grinding and generally colicky. Called vet who sent out high spec antibiotic and buscopan and i continued with the AmCl and loxicom by mouth. He was on this for 5 days. He seemed brighter- wanted to eat, and back to cheeky self so i stopped the AMCl too.
4 days (yesterday) later he is restless and teeth grinding again. I might add i have had (self diagnosed) fluke here so i already treated him with Triclobendazole initially (as when my girls get sick with fluke they look like they are trying to lamb/have colic). He is pooing fine btw
Usually i feed him and his sister tup mix (i used to cut it with barley, peas, oats and maize but decided the mix on its own is prob better C:P balanced than me randomly adding the straights) The only other mix i can up get here is lamb mix- which they had at the beginning but i thought was too high protein to continue with (they are pets not being finished for market btw)
I cut the food quantity right down for him after his first "incident" but when he was looking better his pleading got the better of me and i fed them more again. So im thinking now- is this a partial obstruction that is making him feel colicky and will i cut the concentrates out entirely for him- forever? (i feed adult ewes and wethers and so far no problems with them- oldest wether is 4yo)
Am i overlooking something? I jump to the stones conclusion cos i lost a newly acquired 1yo wether last year only months after i introduced him to my feed management, and although my wee guy has continued to wee its hard to know "how much is the right amount to wee" and ive felt round his prepuce and the hair on his belly is clumped into sandy spikes- though we are sandy soil here too, i felt that may be due to particles in the wee. Ive collected wee- it looks clear, is pH8.5- which ive been trying to get more acidic with the AmCl with limited success. Every time i think i can relax and think he's better he goes colicky again.
Am on island so a vet visit not likely soon, but dont know what they would be able to diagnose outside of a surgery anyway.
Thats the v long back story (you know i like to be detailed) so question: anyone else raising wethers/ pet sheep and experienced colicky behaviour in their male lambs? Diagnosis? Recommended feeding protocol to prevent future issues? I should also say i realise feeding is a particularly pet sheep specific human behaviour- he does graze and gets hay and chopped dried grass products ad lib but Im like a paranoid mom atm- cant relax. help? thanks.

[twizzel]

I can’t help about the colicky behaviour  but if the sheep are just pets, then grass will suffice for them, hay or haylage in winter if grass is short, but pet sheep with a full set of teeth should not need regular hard feeding. A few nuts in a bucket will get them in, literally a handful between however many you’ve got, just to keep them tame.


Himalayan rock salt is always good to put out for sheep, esp rams and wethers. It will help them drink more and keep their water works clear. Fwiw I lost a pet lamb to urolithiasis a few years ago which was on salt and amonium chloride lamb creep, so sometimes even with the correct feed it can still cause problems.

[messyhoose]

thanks twizzle voice of reason as always they have himalayan salt licks (i have done soooo much reading on that subject over the years!) I think i had to ask here cos my vet (who is good tbh and gives phone and email consultations for free) said to me when i was explaining his symptoms and how i thought it was stones/ partial obstruction "oh thats really rare i dont think ive ever had a case of that" - i mean i know she prob sees sheep farmers whose stock dont live beyond a year (or are shot if they fall before that time) but i felt like the worst sheep keeper in the world

[shep53]

Seen a few cases of  urolithiasis  over the years   youngest at  9 months on an ad lib fattening ration and  bought in rams that have been pushed too hard when young on the wrong diet  ,  all  on very large quantities of feed   , all ended badly despite various vet attempt to treat  .   Symptoms , off their feed  ,severely  depressed  , straining to pee  , blood in any pee produced  , swollen stomach  and death with in a day or two .  The ones iv'e seen it in have all been  Texel  or tx cross  as they are more susceptible 

[twizzel]

thanks twizzle voice of reason as always they have himalayan salt licks (i have done soooo much reading on that subject over the years!) I think i had to ask here cos my vet (who is good tbh and gives phone and email consultations for free) said to me when i was explaining his symptoms and how i thought it was stones/ partial obstruction "oh thats really rare i dont think ive ever had a case of that" - i mean i know she prob sees sheep farmers whose stock dont live beyond a year (or are shot if they fall before that time) but i felt like the worst sheep keeper in the world

My lamb I lost was 10 weeks old, so it does happen and you’re not a bad sheep keeper 

[Fleecewife]

I think about the first thing we were taught was that bottle fed lambs soon become big, bargy smelly sheep, always under your feet.  To avoid giving in to those puppy eyes, give him, and the rest, treats of cow parsley, broccoli leaves and willow branches for their leaves and bark, including in winter, rather than hard feed.  They won't thank you now, or ever, but you'll know it's better for them.
Good luck with getting your wether back to health 

[sheeponthebrain]

Being an ex orphan lamb.  Have you ruled out cocci? Though your initial diagnosis would have been my first guess too.