[morri2]

One of my ewe lambs has hypothermia.  She's 4 days old and was let out with her mum and twin for the first time yesterday.  I left the shed wide open for the ewes and lambs to go in if they wanted to last night - and of course, sheep being sheep, they totally ignored it and spent the night in the paddock it was a much colder night than I'd anticipated.  I should have left them in and I'm mad at myself for not doing so.  I picked this little ewe lamb up a six o'clock this morning.  Very weak an a bit wheezy.  I brought her straight indoors and into a basket by the woodburner.  She has since got up and moved about a bit - settled herself somewhere else but will not feed.  I understand this is not unusual for hypothermic lambs.  I have given her a dose of Sceptam just in case.  Her breathing is better now but her mouth and feet are still cold even though she's warm in her body.  My question is, how long shall I leave it before I try and feed her again?  Will she need to warm up completely before she'll take the bottle?  If not, shall I try to tube feed her?  Never dealt with this before so any advice would be very much appreciated.

[morri2]

Thanks Worzel,  I've managed to get her to have some warm milk - not much, but then she is tiny.  She's picking up a bit, walking around although still looking down.  I've put her back with her mum in the small paddock next to the house.  I'm working in and out of there at the moment, so keeping a very close eye on her.  I've not seen her feed from her mum yet, so I'll make sure I try her with the bottle in an hour or so.  She's also still a bit wheezy but nowhere near as bad as she was. Cheers. 

[MrsJ]

You could try giving her some kick Start http://www.farmrite.co.uk/product/105904/Col-Late-Lamb-Kick-Start-25-Lamb-Size-100ml  We had a lamb last year with hypothermia and this really seemed to help.  He was up and about in no time and went on to be a lovely large lamb.  We did put a jumper on him before we let him back outside.  It's made from the sleeve of a jumper.  We only left it on him for 1/2 a day.

[shep53]

The question is why a 4 day old lamb should succumb on a dry but cold night . you keep saying wheezy maybe fluid in lungs maybe slight pneumonia ?

[morri2]

Thanks for the advice everyone - love the woolly jacket!!

Lamb no longer wheezing - I think it was actually a blocked nose.  Still not brilliant though.  I have found out why she was so weak.  She was having trouble latching on to her mother's teat, so whilst she was getting some milk it was nowhere near enough.  She was the smallest of twins and remained very small whilst her brother got quite a bit bigger.  The ewe has tonnes of milk so as I am now topping her up with a bottle I may milk her and feed her that as it will be better for her.

Cheers.

[doganjo]

Well done for spotting the problem., and putting it on here.  Others will watch out for this now.  Glad she's better and hope she keeps on picking up.  You're right that mother's milk is usually best.

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

Pleased it seems to be getting sorted.

There are a couple of items to help with the cold - cheap and chearful "Lamb Macs" to help keep the worst of the elements off them at night - especially if they for whatever reason sleep away from the warmth of the ewe.

Secondly, a lamb warmer - to quickly warm hypothermic lambs - not really worth the expense unless you are lambing a lot (pays for itself after saving about 3 lambs - less if its an expensive rare breed)

Ideally a hypothermic lamb should be warm BEFORE trying to get any food / glucose etc into it.

I would post a link - but Dan will shout at me again! 

[VSS]

Ideally a hypothermic lamb should be warm BEFORE trying to get any food / glucose etc into it.

That depends on how old the lamb is.

If the lamb is less that 12 hours old, you warm first and then feed. At this age the lamb still has some brown fat reserves which it can metabolise as it warms and you can then feed it.

Older than 12 hours and you must feed before you warm. Otherwise as the lamb begins to warm it will have nothing to metabolise, and will possibly die from low blodd sugar fits. If it can hold it's head up you can tube it, if it is too far gone to hold the head up it needs an intreperitoneal injection of glucose solution.

Getting feeding and warming the wrong way round is one of the commonest causes of loss of hypothermic lambs.

[Fleecewife]

Thank you VSS that is an extremely helpful tip

[supplies for smallholders]

Whoops sorry - read 4 days as 4 hours - must pay more attention!

This is a good read ref hypothermia in lambs - I know its canadian, but still applies:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/98-089.htm

Thanks

[bazzais]

Glad its turned for the better -- -

I hope my misses doesnt see the picture on this thread or I'll have no arms left on my jumpers next year - aww how cute is that and what a great idea!!

Baz