[Remy]

When I went to feed the ewes this morning one of my faves (an orphan I call Susie Sheep) was lying down.  She got up when I dished out the haylage but then collapsed onto my feet.  She couldn't stand easily and was salivating, so she was brought up to the house and stabled.  I immediately gave her Alamycin LA in case of pneumonia but was also wondering if it could be a calcium problem as she is supposed to be pregnant due early March, this has not been confirmed.  So I have given her a dose of calciject and also twin lamb drench just in case!  I've propped her up by a bale with water, hay and mix in front of her and praying she doesn't succumb ... 

[colliewoman]

Oh no hun 
Is she eating and drinking?
Scouring or constipated (in my experience ewes with TL are constipated)
Does her breath smell?
Is she vaccinated?
Temperature?
Anything in the paddock that shouldn't be? Hedge trimmings etc

[smee2012]

  Hope she picks up 

[Remy]

She's still with us but no improvement, not eating just drooling with laboured breathing, I'm sure it must be pneumonia as she hasn't responded to the TL drench or calciject.  She has laboured breathing and was attempting to drink when I put the water under her chin but not sure she was swallowing ..


She is not scouring and I did also notice a little discharge from her vulva, although lambs are not due till 5 March.


All sheep were vaccinated on 1st Jan.



Is there anything else I can do? 

[Foobar]

I would say dribbling is Hypocalcaemia.  How much caliject did you give?
What's her temperature, and are her ears cold?

[Remy]

The bottle said between 50 and 80ml, I gave 50ml as she's not a very big sheep


Her ears are cold yes, haven't taken her temp as I can't find the thermometer!  I'm going out shortly and will get one.

[Foobar]

I would inject again, another 50ml split over a few sites.

[Marches Farmer]

Her breath will smell like peardrops if it's TLD.  She may lose the lambs but that will take the burden off her system and she'll likely survive.

[SallyintNorth]

Calcijet, or the wrong Calcijet, when the sheep is not low on calcium can be fatal, so take care with that.

Our vets wrote up the correct treatment regime for pre-lambing and post-lambing metabolic disorders, which I copied here.  I'm afraid I haven't been able to confirm that the Dunlops numbers and top colours are the same as the Calcijet ones - anyone else know for sure?

I don't think you can do any harm with a twin lamb drench, so I'd give her a dose of that.

 

[Foobar]

Sally, I didnt understand your bottle numbers on that post - I've never seen a green top.  We use the Norbrook ones, so they are:


No 3 Red Top
Calciject
Calcium 5.92g
(provided by Calcium Gluconate and Calcium Borogluconate)
[size=78%]Magnesium 1.85g[/size]
(provided by Magnesium Hypophosphite)


No 6 Blue Top
Calciject
Calcium Borogluconate 20% w/v
Magnesium Hypophosphite Hexahydrate 5% w/v
Glucose Monohydrate 22% w/v.


No 9 Black Top
Magniject
Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate 25% w/v
Equivalent to Magnesium Sulphate anhydrous 12.21% w/v


I use No6.

[SallyintNorth]

I suspect the numbers and colours are the same in all the different products. 

First dose is always No6 Blue Top; according to my vet, there's no point in a second No6 Blue Top in a pre-lamber.

In a pre-lambing scenario, you would switch to the No2 Green Top after the initial No6 Blue Top; post-lambing you just use No6 Blue Top.

If you don't have a Green Top, and your pre-lamber doesn't rally after the initial No6 Blue Top, perhaps it's best to ask your own vet for advice on further treatment.

[Foobar]

What's in your No2 green top?  Could that be the No3 Red top equivalent?

[Foobar]

Ahhh, green top No2 is a Norbrook one (calcium only)  ... but it's listed for Cattle only, not sheep.  The ones I listed are the only ones for sheep (according to Norbrook)

[kumquat]

Wow....learning lots...thanks 

[Foobar]

Yeah, I will have to get myself some green top in stock.  Incidentally, the Nadis docs confirm the use of No2 green 40% for sheep too.  How odd that the bottle itself doesn't say sheep on it.