[nelsonlifestyler]

Hi everyone
Im in need of some fairly urgent help here in New Zealand.. the land of Shrek   
This morning i noticed one of my young gotland wethers had been sleeping in the same spot all morning, not eating, & the other lambs looked concerned.  He is 6 months old.
When I went to investigate he tried to get away from me but couldnt get up on his legs.  His eyes look bright but were kinda rolling (maybe was just scared of me). Couldnt tell if his gums were pale because he is a very dark sheep...dont think they are.  There was a bit of foam in his mouth & his stomach was gurgly & sloshed when I moved him.  His back legs kicked well when I tried to pick him up & his head flopped/swung uncontrolably to one side.. quite a way over his back.  He is now stuck on his side.
Poohs looks normal.. lamb size pellets & bottom is clean.  
I will go & drench him now & give Ketol.
Please can anyone help me with advice?  I have had sheep for 9 years & never seen anything like this.

UPDATE:  hubby came home & helped me move lamb into the shed.  He tried to walk but could not hold his head up &, even with my supporting his head, could not walk alone.  Head turns severely to the left all the time.  I have tried to curl him up into sleep position but he is just sitting there with his head turned weirdly to the left, feet out in front.  Gave him drench, selenium & mineral product & ketol from the drench gun which he really liked & was eagerly licking but I noticed some drippled out the left side of his mouth. We are wondering if he has had a stroke???

[jaykay]

What's he been eating. Listeriosis can sound a bit like this.
Hope he's beginning to improve 

[nelsonlifestyler]

Yes JayKay.. sadly I think you are right.  I have googled Listeriosis & he does look like the pictures of other sheep with this.  I cant imagine where he got it from... we dont feed out silage or hay. I have moved my other sheep to a different paddock & really hope its not in our ground.
He is not looking any worse tonight.. or any better. Apparently listeriosis takes them quite quickly. Maybe thats a blessing.
Have given him Vigest.. a liquid food suppliment which he ate eagerly but will see what the morning brings.  As he is a 'freezer' lamb, I cant justify the cost of calling a vet.. which last time was the price of about 4 sheep!

[doganjo]

As he is a 'freezer' lamb, I cant justify the cost of calling a vet.. which last time was the price of about 4 sheep!

Sorry, but I don't see the point.  An animal is dependant on you regardless of it's eventual destination.  I cannot believe any UK  farmer that I know being so mercenary. JMHO

[Fleecewife]

If it is listeriosis - which was my first thought too - then he requires a dose of an antibiotic which can cross the blood/brain barrier.  Whilst you might not want to call out the vet, can you take him there in a pick-up, or at least ask the vet for a dose of the appropriate antiB?  The alternative I'm afraid is to humanely destroy him now - sorry. Even with antiBs, his recovery, if it happens, would be long with a lot of nursing care involved and he would probably never be right.
Please let us know what happens 

[jaykay]

Good advice Fleecewife.

It's always a difficult call with farm animals as opposed to pets - when all's said and done people have to make a living but we want to care for our animals too, or we'd earn our living in a different (easier!) way 

[SallyintNorth]

I think in some ways this can be harder for the small holder than the farmer.  We have literally hundreds of sheep across which to amortise the costs of a large vet bill for one of their number.  If you only have 5, it's a bigger hit.