In a nutshell; my 9 yr old dry ewe has had 2 antibiotic injections over the past week to treat a crackly chest. She is still breathing at the same rate. the injections do not seem to have made a difference. Is there something underlying this?
Long version; A couple of weeks ago I noticed my 9 year old ewe was in thinner condition than what i would expect. She is a primitive type with icelandic blood. Diet; hay and strip grazing. I gave her 2 or 3 handfuls of lamb pellets to give her a boost twice a day. She seemed to have a little trouble swallowing the food. Making a few faces, curling her lip, and then not wanting to take any more. She was also a little foamy around the mouth. She seemed quieter than normal. A week ago i notice she had started to respire more quickly and suspected lung infection. No coughing. I pened her up and could feel a bump on both sides of her jaw at the same position each side.
The farm vet was called and said her chest sounded crackly, she had a slight fever and he would give her a long term anitbiotic and a second injection for a few days later. He said the bumps were teeth (rather than lumpy jaw) and he could not see/feel any obstruction that would make it hard for her to swallow. He thought that she was not really that thin and in reasonable condition.
It's 7 days since the first shot and her breathing rate has not changed (100 to 120 breaths per min). She will take some rest lying down. She walks very carefully (tripped over onto her knees the other day) she grazes carefully , not interested in hay. She will take a small quantity of pellets (less than a handful) enjoys an apple but may not finish it (she sniffs at it very fussily). Her droppings are firm. She is no longer foamy at the mouth. She is cudding.
I'm worried that because i have not yet seen an improvement that the shortness of breath may be due to something else. On the other hand she does not seem any worse.
Any comments?
Topic: Puffing sheep (Read 5649 times)
