Author Topic: A cough...and a drench query (Read 3194 times)

Fishyhaddock · « **on:** March 20, 2011, 12:09:01 pm »

One of the wethers has started to cough / choke a little bit when he has a small handful of coarse mix.Should I be worried?

Otherwise he seems fine apart from the beginnings of a dirty bum so it's soon to be drench time. The last time he was drenched was 6 months ago by the previous owner - is it possible to buy drenches in small quantities and I am told it is good practice to vary the drench so that the sheep don't build up resistance. Would you agree?

Fishy

Freddiesfarm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2011, 05:35:05 pm »

Could be just that he eats too quickly. Keep an eye on him and if he has other breathing issues may be worth giving him some antibiotics.

Combinex and others come in small doses. Worth using something that does worms and fluke and if really worried lung worm.

shep53 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2011, 07:51:58 pm »

Is the coarse mix dusty maybe end of a bag ,does he only do it when eating ? For small amounts of wormer try your vet they may have lots of people requireing smallamounts and have open containers or try SFS its what they do, i only know of panacur in 250 mls most wormers smallest is 1lt some of the injectables are in 100 or 250 mls but its a tiny amount per sheep 1or 2 ml. YES if you worm on a regular basis you need to change types eg i do 1year white wormer 2nd year yellow wormer 3rd year clear wormer 4th year clear wormer then start again , but change type not just name of wormer. There are 3 main flukicides and they must also be changed fasinex/flukiver/trodax. TO stop resistance it is more important to dose at the correct weight.

Fishyhaddock · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2011, 08:44:31 pm »

Thanks Shep - is a specific type of wormer a specific colour? Also will the frequency of drenching vary - looked online earlier today at a combined fluke and wormer drench and the instructions said to administer every 6 weeks which is a lot more than I was expecting? Are you suggesting/recommending that we look at two types of drenches - 1 for worms and 1 for fluke?
As for the wether it appears to be just eating - but will watch carefully - he apppears to be on fine form otherwise.

shep53 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2011, 12:55:23 pm »

OK DEEP BREATH

Firstly i would advise you buy a faecal egg count pack from SFS so that you know what paracites your sheep have so you dont waste money and give your sheep un needed chemicals . Each of the 3 main wormers has adifferant chemical base and about 100 different product names. WHITE wormers are the oldest chemical- ...bendazole looks like runny yoghurt. YELLOW cemical- levamisole looks like pee CLEAR chemical- ...mectin or ...dectin looks like thick grey water .Each has adifferant method of killing paracites .Personaly i dont use combined products the timing is never right eg dose for fluke and no worms,WASTE. The 6wks recomendation is for very severe fluke problems which if you had your sheep would already be dead