Author Topic: Poorly Suffolk Lamb - Help (Read 4795 times)

ScotsGirl · « **on:** March 10, 2012, 07:27:45 pm »

I have a 2 month old Suffolk ewe lamb which I found lying in the field looking in pain. Her stomach looks distended and she wasn't interested in coming for food. I have 3 other lambs which are fine and bouncing.

The only thing I can link it to is she was lame a few weeks ago, very short in her stride and it looked like a sore spot on front toe. I sprayed with antibiotic spray and she seemed sound after that. Also birds had been pecking her tail after end fell off although this stopped after I sprayed it.

I have given her Betamox LA. Anyone got any ideas? I don't know if maybe pneumonia or build up of gas.

Any help and advice appreciated.

Old Shep · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2012, 09:27:59 pm »

Hi Scots girl - I am no expert but wanted to reply as no-one more experienced has had chance to yet. I wouldn't have thought that her tail or foot has anything to do with her stomach. Has she had access to any food stores or any unusual plants?? Have you rung your vets for advice? Sorry hope someone more experienced come along soon.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2012, 12:19:57 am »

It sounds as though this has come on suddenly, which would suggest something she's eaten or an infection.

It is still worth checking does she have a full and functioning anus? Some lambs are born without, and it can take some time for it to become a problem. Normally they wouldn't last two months, but in ewe lambs sometimes a false exit gets formed through the vagina - we had this in twins once, and only discovered the problem when the 'alternate route' became blocked. The vet helped us clear it and told us to monitor them - we had to clear it once more but after that they were fine and made it to fat weight without further intervention.

Are the lambs on creep feed? Might she just have started to eat it and have overdone it?

Does she have a temperature? If you palpate the belly can you feel anything hard in there? Or is it more like fluid?

There is a condition called 'water belly' where the belly fills up with fluid over a period of time. I think you would have seen this happening over a period though, not just suddenly noticed.

If she's not pooing (but has an anus) and you can feel hard matter in her belly then you could try giving her paraffin to shift it. I have done this a few times, on veterinary advice, and I have to say it rarely seems to help - but does occasionally.

If she's not eating, and it isn't water belly, it will help to keep her fluids up, and get some mins and vits into her - try giving her some PSF by bottle / drench, or Rehydion. Or glucose and water, or very lightly salted water will all help if you haven't any PSF or Rehydion (and can't get any till Monday.)

Hope she rallies

Sally

landroverroy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2012, 01:33:52 am »

Stomach distended and in pain sounds like bloat. It's a bit early in the year as normal cause is eating very rich, clover pasture.
However, it can be caused by gorging on unsuitable food. Is this possible?
If rumen is just distended, not completely blown up, then if you can get some vegetable oil or liquid paraffin down, it should help.
However, if the rumen is REALLY taut, like it couldn't stretch any more, then it is full of gas,it will press on the heart if untreated and the animal will die.
In this case you have to release the pressure as soon as possible - not a job for the squeamish - BUT IT WORKS and the animal will die if you don't. So you've nothing to lose.

SO - get a sharp (clean!) thin knife and stab the left hand side of the sheep, just backwards of the last rib. You should get a sudden release of gas like a ballon going down and sheep should instantly feel better. The wound will seal itelf.
Do it purposefully - direct the knife straight in, = you won't go too far as you'll only be going deeper into the rumen (that is, the large stomach which takes over most of the left side of the abdominal cavity.)

Anyway, hope you've sorted your lamb out by now. You probably won't have to do this, but it's always useful to know.
Good luck. Let us know how your lamb goes on.

ScotsGirl · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:59:21 pm »

Unfortunately I went to check her an hour later and she was dead. Vet said sometimes an infection gets in and eventually works its way round the body. Just as they are doing well they keel over. Very sad but we still have 3 healthy lambs so fingers crossed it wasn't anything catching.

Old Shep · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2012, 10:13:58 pm »

sorry it ended that way

Tilly · « **Reply #6 on:** March 14, 2012, 10:40:53 am »

hexhammeasure · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2012, 12:00:51 am »

I realise its too late to be of help, Sorry you lost the lamb. we lost one just this week to bloat. found it in the shed first thing in the morning. Bloat can be causd by the lambs experimenting with new foods .. grass/cake anything solid. the change from milk to solids upsets the bacteria in the stomach which causes one of two kinds of bloat.

Gassy Bloat which can be cleared with liquid parafin and in severe cases the trochar method as landroverroy describes... We use a large syringe needle less intrusive and heals quicker, you can also use a stomach tube to let the gas out. this kind of bloat occurs quickly and you have very little warning

foamy bloat is different and cant be cured with the trochar method. a quarter of a rennie will ease the symptoms in severe cases try using a stomach tube and an enema of liquid parafin

forgot to mention that I think suffolk lambs are more prone than others