[Ladygrey]

 Dont know if anyone can answer this for me  but when I get back from work in the evening and in the morning I have noticed that 1 lamb is on his own, he stands in the top corner of the field, staring at the fence with his head and ears down baaing quietly to himself    he is also sleeping away from the others curled up on a patch of mud (reseeded some of the field). so he is alone and very dirty and looks awful. He is also thinner than the others now.
I have started feeding the ewes some sugarbeet before rammy comes and all the others come running, but he doesnt even react, I can walk up to him and pick him up and I have noticed he has a bad foot (shelley hoof I think) but I am worried about him now 

Anyone have any ideas? I really cant afford the vet and unfortunately he isnt really worth it what with the vet charging £42 call out charge now

thanks

jess

Why would a sheep start isolating himself?

[SallyintNorth]

By, "I can't afford the vet", I assume you mean you are hoping that guidance on here can avoid the necessity of a visit to the vet, and not that you genuinely would deprive this animal of veterinary attention were it needed.

Now, to try to be constructive.

You won't have to pay a callout charge if you take the lamb to the vet. 

Clearly this lamb is unwell.  You could take a fresh stool sample into the vet with you for a faecal egg count to see if it's worms.

Have you fluked your lambs?  Might it be lungworm? - does his breathing rattle?

A mineral drench and/or jag will do no harm, especially if he has shelly hoof.

Have you trimmed up the foot?


edited to rephrase opening para in case it put members off posting.

[Sbom]

He doesn't have maggots does he? Sometimes they are not so obvious, you may just see a damper looking bit of wool. They are not always on the back end either, quite often can be around the shoulders. Otherwise not sure, he's obviously unwell, if it were me I'd give hm a jab of LA penicillin and worm him.

[SallyintNorth]

Otherwise not sure, he's obviously unwell, if it were me I'd give hm a jab of LA penicillin and worm him.

Please don't just give antibiotics to any animal that is a little off colour.  I can absolutely guarantee that your vet would not dispense LA Pen & Strep if s/he knew that you did that.

If you want a general 'helps in all circs' med, use a mineral drench / jag.

It's a good point about the maggots, sbom - usually you see twitching, grey damp fleece and there's a characteristic smell, but sometimes none of these signs are spotted.  And if LG hasn't closely inspected the feet, that could be where the maggots are.

[Mallows Flock]

Only once have I had a sheep isolate itself and that was when she had a tiny patch of strike deep into the wool. Luckily I got it straight away before it had damaged her skin but she was the same...ears down, facing away from me, well away from flock.... except she wasn't dirty. But the patch of strike was smelly. Eww!

[SteveHants]

You could always ring the vet - costs nowt and usually they can give you pretty good advice.


I wouldn't cost up call-outs on a per animal basis, its whether your enterprise can justify the number of call-outs as a whole.


I'm wondering if its flystrike too, if it isn't panting/scouring.

[Sbom]

Sorry    don't shoot!   It's not my lamb so won't be jabbing it with anything! Sounds pretty sick though, if there's nothing obvious it really wants taking down to the vets asap as it won't hang on for long if it's thin aswell.

[princesspiggy]

now dont shout at me...but if ur animal is sick and u cant afford / wont afford the vet bills,    the knackerman can cull them for you and remove the body. just an option. 

[SteveHants]

now dont shout at me...but if ur animal is sick and u cant afford / wont afford the vet bills,    the knackerman can cull them for you and remove the body. just an option. 

You can shoot it yourself in my book, just as long as it isn't suffering.

[Mallows Flock]

The whole affording thing.... loads of people tell me I should make my hobby into an 'enterprise' which is kinda a nice idea HOWEVER... then I just feel i would be worrying and number crunching.  By keeping it as my hobby, when I have an expense, I simply say to myself and others "OH well, I don't smoke or drink - this is my lifeline and my hobby so its worth any expense!" I do feel I would not be anywhere near at ease if I made it into a business.
Slightly (!??!) of tangent here, but the comments above were very though provoking for me!

[Mallows Flock]

p.s when you talk of 'knackerman' is that the person who picks up deadstick - do they cull too? Or do you mean abattoir guy?

[Mallows Flock]

LOL....deadstOck even... not deadstick! Hahaahah!

[in the hills]

I took a lamb to the vet. Cost with treatment ..... abscess ..... £13. I know call outs are expensive but it may not be as bad as you think if you take the lamb there.

[YorkshireLass]

Yep, most deadstock men will cull too

[princesspiggy]

 And if LG hasn't closely inspected the feet, that could be where the maggots are.

maggots in the feet?? really? - havent heard that before.