Author Topic: retained afterbirth (Read 14333 times)

colliewoman · « **on:** April 16, 2012, 07:03:20 pm »

how long can you safely leave a ewe with a retained afterbirth?
corncockle lambed yesterday at 6:00 and is still trailing membranes. I have not found the big livery looking bit so assume it is still there.
According to my dates She was a few days premature, even by Shetland standards. Corncockle is bright as a button, stuffing her face with grass and ivy, eating her cake and is being an excellent mum.
I have engemycin 10% injection, should I give her some of this? If so how much (it was got for a goat and I don't know if the dose would be the same). Should I use a different abx or leave well alone for now?
Thankies

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:30:12 pm »

The usual is to give long acting penicillin injections and continue until the afterbirth is passed, which for me (my ewes that is) has only been about 3 days. If she develops a smell then consult the vet - there are pessaries you can use and probably drugs to cause her to contract and expel it.

colliewoman · « **Reply #2 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:44:23 pm »

I shall get some from the vet in the morning, thanks.
First time this has happened for me, every day a school day!

Thank you

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** April 16, 2012, 07:59:03 pm »

I should have said give the LA Pen every three days.... Good luck.

VSS · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:40:48 pm »

Quote from: colliewoman on April 16, 2012, 07:03:20 pm

how long can you safely leave a ewe with a retained afterbirth?
corncockle lambed yesterday at 6:00 and is still trailing membranes. I have not found the big livery looking bit so assume it is still there.

Sheep's afterbirth is not a big livery looking thing - that is a human placenta you are thinking of. A ewe's afterbirth is a fairly large but thin membrane with red button-ey knobbly bits on it.

And as per fleecwife's suggestion, give antibiotic until it all comes away.

colliewoman · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2012, 11:03:10 pm »

sorry poor description there, what is trailing is like a ribbon made of membrane, no sign of the larger bit that I normally end up incinerating.

human afterbirth..... shudder

never ever ever

Remy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2012, 09:04:47 am »

Sometimes sheep do eat their own afterbirth, I guess to get rid of any smell in case of predators. Some of mine did this last year even indoors. So that could be the case, also sometimes I find a whole one and sometimes just a few stringy bits. It can get trampled into the ground and end up unrecognisable!

colliewoman · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2012, 10:09:07 am »

Just looks like a long bit of loose fleece this morning so I reckon she dropped it, she will NOT be caught, the little madam she is so defensive over her lamb it is unreal. I think I am going to chance leaving well alone and keep an eye from a distance.
Come on the rest of you girls, pop some lambs before you explode

suziequeue · « **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2012, 12:51:08 pm »

Welll - not being caught is a good sign..........

Sylvia · « **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2012, 01:02:22 pm »

My Shetland ewes eat theirs. Usually the lamb suckling will stimulate the uterus and the placenta will be expelled. Takes hours sometimes but if the ewe is bright and well, leave well alone, I'd say.

pikilily · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2012, 09:00:59 am »

Best thing to do so you know what you should look for is to google 'afterbirth' and 'sheep'.

Beleive me, i deal with them several times a day....Neither sheep nor human afterbirth looks like liver - that would be just clotted blood!!

Both are large stretchy discs of tissue and membrane, which would have been very vascular when in position inside the ewe. They have slightly spongy textured surface and noticible nodules (which look like largish tinned strawberrys) attached to the membrane and surfaces. (Liver is smooth surfaced and solid/chunky)

As i say best to 'google images'.
Hope this helps
Emma T