[OhLaLa]

The ewe in question is heavily in lamb (twins we think).
It's her second day of not eating or drinking, she is laying down (head up ok), and although she has tried to make the effort to get up, all that weight seems just too much for her. She is peeing and pooing where she is. She is too heavy for me to assist getting her up, and she seems to be 'all lamb' so I wouldn't know the best place to get hold of her to help anyway.
She is sometimes grunting a bit as she breathes.
Her rear end doesn't look pink or swollen enough for her to be ready to lamb yet, although has poss shown signs of being a bit damp.
The above is the best description I can give, I know they go off their grub when they are close to lambing.
Advice please.
 

[Hillview Farm]

When is she due? I dagged my ewes today 6 weeks from lambing and they all are a little damp so I dont think thats a sign.

We had a ewe years ago with 6 lambs on board who couldn't carry the weight about 4 weeks before lambing. she lambed but the damage was done and she never got back on her feet no matter what we did.

Move her legs about and keep them working or she'll get muscle wastage if it happens for a long period.

Have you tried getting her back end up first? then getting the front up

Good luck!

[OhLaLa]

Thanks for the reply. Unsure when she is due as the ram caught us out and got busy earlier than we would have liked so no raddle colour.
Her legs are tucked under her, can't get to them but I'll go out and give it another try. Unsure where best to place my hands to help her up as she is heavily in lamb and everywhere on her just seems to be where the lambs are (and I don't want to harm them).
 

[Foobar]

If she's not eating then possibly Twin Lamb disease?  I would check her for symptoms of that.

[ZaktheLad]

Yes, she most definitely needs attention if she has not eaten/drank anything for 2 days and can't get to her feet.  I would suspect twin lamb disease and you need to act fast now to avoid her deteriorating to a worse condition and have the risk of losing both her and her lambs.  Have you tried a twin lamb drench?   Please do not delay any longer in helping her in some way either yourself with a drench/injecting or getting the vet out to her. 

[OhLaLa]

I've looked up the symptoms, could be that, although she can see ok and gave me nudge to move me away when I tried to help her up. She did try again to get up when I first went into the pen.
I offered her some grass, didn't chew it, but poss a flicker of interest.
Editing just to let you know, I've rang the vet, hopefully will be here within a couple of hours. Will keep you posted and thanks for the replies.

[Foobar]

Any big syringe or the like and squirt it into her mouth and make sure she swallows it.
You can make up a high energy drench using milk, egg yolk and molasses.
Like Zak says, you need to get energy and fluids into her asap or else she will go downhill quickly.


You should really have a TL drench handy well ahead of lambing time, just in case.

[sabrina]

I always say rather than take the risk of losing them get the vet, its cheaper in the long run. Do hope ewe and lambs will be OK.

[Anke]

I may be a bit over-reacting to something like that, but ANY ewe that doesn't come to the trough in the last 6 weeks and/or is a bit slow to eat/doesn't show any appetite will get a drench with Twin Lamb, usually a couple of those will sort it out. Once a sheep is down it is usually too late to get them back up.
 
Also if she hasn't chewed her cud for a couple of days you will need her rumen to get re-started I would have thought?

[ZaktheLad]

I always say rather than take the risk of losing them get the vet, its cheaper in the long run. Do hope ewe and lambs will be OK.

I am with you on this.  I know calling the vet out can be expensive and is a loss of profit, but in all fairness to your stock it is far better to call out the vet for immediate diagnosis and treatment, rather than guess at what it might be that is the cause of the problem.   I never hesitate in calling the vet to any of my animals and yes, the cost of call out and treatment for a in-lamb ewe might well be the cost of the price of a prime lamb, but you have saved the life of a ewe, the lamb(s) and have peace of mind that you have done your best for her.  In my experience, and in particular with sheep, the faster you act the better the outcome for all concerned.  Never hold off calling out a vet if you are at all unsure of what you are dealing with as you owe that to your stock at all times.

[Marches Farmer]

I agree 100%.  Over the space of a few years you'll gain lots of experience and advice from vet call outs and you'll need to call out less and less as a consequence.  I never hesitate and budget for the cost over lambing. 

[OhLaLa]

As already posted, am waiting for the vet.

[OhLaLa]

Vet hasn't turned up despite 3 phone calls and a visit to them to pick up some meds to help (they didn't have anything and were useless).
Yes, she's gone downhill. Bless her.

Edited to let you all know that vet turned up (albeit v late) and treated her.

[mark@farmhouse]

I had a ewe last year with twin lamb tried the drench and a molasses gruel mix then gave her lamblac milk from a bottle ( she was a pet ) that kept her going for 2 weeks then assist lambing I think that what saved her

[Marches Farmer]

Hmm.  There are vets and vets, I guess.  Ours is a dedicated large animal practice and they're brilliant.  I once sold some ewe lambs to a smallholder new to sheepkeeping and told him if he had any problems to call me.  He contacted me a couple of months later and said one of them had begun to limp and the vet had come out and given it everything in the book barring a visit to a spa resort and charged him over a £100 for the privilege.  I'd have driven over and given her foot a squirt of Footmaster Violet for £20!