Author Topic: Joint-ill (Read 6907 times)

Remy · « **on:** April 10, 2012, 12:38:13 pm »

Yet another lamb condition to add to my never-ending list!

The two cade lambs I am trying to foster onto the ewe seemed fine the day they arrived (Saturday) but one of them has been shivering ever since. I didn't know the symptoms of joint-ill so looked it up and shivering wasn't one of them, so I put that down to her being hungry and not getting enough milk. However today she is still shivering but also looking a bit lame, her knees are swollen and she keeps lying down so I am sure she has joint-ill.

I have a long-acting antibiotic (terramycin) which I looked up and it can treat joint-ill so I gave her 1ml of that.

What's the prognosis of this condition, can they recover from it?

Fronhaul · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2012, 12:49:34 pm »

Yes they can recover. We have one here who had joint ill last year and is completely sound and happy today. We use Hexasol if we suspect a lamb is developing joint ill and have had some good results with it. As I understand it this combines a broad spectrum antibiotic with an anti inflammatory.

Pedwardine · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2012, 01:41:46 pm »

Gill, don't know about the shivering aspect but we had a ewe lamb with really swollen knees last year which turned out to be fluid. It wasn't a condition whereby it should have been drained as this can easily lead to more problems ie: infection. It was similar to a human ailment, not so common in this day and age, called 'housemaid's knee'. It didn't hurt her when we had a firm feel of the joints. As soon as Echo stopped feeding regularly from her mum the swelling disappeared completely with no return to date, very healthy knees and no lameness.
I'd give some supplementry milk replacer (or even better milk the foster ewe) just in case she's struggling with getting into position to suckle. The shivering is likely resulting from not enough feed intake.
Might be might not. Just thought it worth a mention.
A x

tizaala · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2012, 02:12:40 pm »

This is why it is so important to get iodine on the umbilicals asap .

Old Shep · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2012, 04:01:54 pm »

We have two with joint ill, although we do iodine the navals thoroughly (and with both these two it was immediately as the births were assisted). Vet has prescribed Noraclav, but you have to give it for 5 days otherwise it may come back. They have had their 2nd jabs and are much improved - so much its a devil to catch them now !!

Remy · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2012, 04:04:26 pm »

The cades weren't mine so have no idea whether they had iodine or not.

Amanda, thanks for that info. I'm staggered by the different things sheep (and lambs) can get! I've decided to take them off the ewe now, she didn't let them feed even tied up today, think she has had enough. So I will be bottle feeding them. I did call the vet and he thought it was probably joint-ill, so I have a 5-day course of ABs and an anti-inflammatory injection. I agree with you about the shivering, she is probably hungry, although she's a good weight and doesn't look thin.

kaz · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2012, 06:01:16 pm »

We iodine their cords at birth and also give them a dose of Scour Halt available from vets, which helps to stop them getting joint ill and watery mouth.

The trouble with sheep is that the more you know, the more can go wrong.

Hope all goes well with the lambs they are probably just hungry.

Remy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2012, 07:38:56 am »

The little lamb I thought had joint-ill was given an anti-inflammatory and course of AB, and she seemed to perk up, the swellings went down and she was moving normally. However recently she seems to have gone lame again, would this indicate she'll most likely not come right? Such a shame as she's a sweet little thing.

feldar · « **Reply #8 on:** April 19, 2012, 08:51:05 am »

We have had one lamb with joint ill this year despite the fact we always spray navels. the lamb is over 3 months old now and we are going to do a home kill on it as one leg is very deformed in the lower joint. This would not be able to go to market so in the freezer he will go.

woollyval · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2012, 12:34:23 pm »

Hello

I actually don't spray navels and lamb outside on very clean ground bringing them in to clean pen for 6-24 hours then out they go...never had joint ill in lambs looked after by ewe - maybe I am lucky.....However seen it a lot in orphan lambs I have had the occaision to aquire and think its sometimes dirty lambing pens indoors that seem to cause it $:-\$ We had it in one GFD ram lamb about 20 years ago that we had to orphan and keep in a pen with some other bought in orphans as his mother died. He was on his knees for about 3-4 weeks but recovered to become a breeding ram and live at my friends farm with her flock until he was 11!!!......he was nicknamed Bentley as it rhymed with bent knees