[PPF]

Hi Guys
I'm pretty new to sheep and took on two Zwartables just before Christmas.  Both were in tup.

One of them had aborted last year and this year was expecting twins.  Recently she started to look very wide and happy.  Just a few days ago I noticed a change in her shape.  She became like a triangle effect.  Her backbone looked high and the tummy looked dropped, but I also noticed that between her front legs looked like her chest bone was sticking out.  The chap I bought them off said she was fine.

Both her and another Ewe have had access to ad lib hay and they also get fed Ewe nuts each day.

The other Ewe looks fine at the moment, however she's not that friendly so I can't get very close.

This morning I found the Ewe on the floof with what looked like a clearish liquid which had come from her nose or mouth in a puddle.  When I picked her up she also felt like she was full of water or air.

Any ideas please?  I know sheep are prone to just falling down dead, but I feel I need to know that it's not something which I may have caused.

[fsmnutter]

Hi there,
There are a number of causes of sudden death in sheep, and it can be so frustrating to see one you've been nurturing just give up.
The change in shape you describe could well be normal for getting close to lambing, or may have been stretching and tearing of abdominal muscles, but unusual if only her second lambing and carrying twins shouldn't be too much of a stretch.
The clear fluid from her nose/mouth could be suggestive of Jaagsiekte (sheep driving sickness or ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma), which is a tumour of the lungs, and they can seem absolutely fine until they drop dead. To see if this is likely, pick up her back legs, it's called the wheelbarrow test. If copious fluid pours out, that is likely what it is. If the farmer sold them to you as healthy, but knows he has Jaagsiekte in the flock, that might be a bit naughty, but he may not know himself, and they do look absolutely fine until about to die.
If you are able, it might be worth getting the vet to do a quick on farm post mortem, as they'd be able to give you a rough idea of whether it is something like Jaagsiekte, or a pneumonia, or her abdominal muscles tearing etc. and whether it is likely something that could spread to the other ewe.
As regards her feeling full of fluid/air when you picked her up, the bacteria in the rumen that digest sheep's grass etc for them keep going when the sheep is dead, but the gut obviously doesn't churn the same, so they can build up an awful lot of gas in the stomachs after death, and that is likely what you felt.
So sorry for your loss, but hopefully the other one should be fine.
Suzanne

[PPF]

Thank you so much for posting Suzanne.

She did have fluid coming from her nose or mouth when I picked her up as I had to pick her up back end first.

Very frustrating like you say and she was such a friendly little thing.

[PPF]

Sorry, more questions.

If it were Jaagsiekte then I assume my other Ewe will just drop down dead at some stage.  She is also expecting in just over a week. 

Am I right in assuming I would need to get rid of my current sheep to get rid of the virus.  Does it stay in the ground?

[kanisha]

Fluid down the nostrils is a fairly common post mortem  finding isn't it??

[fsmnutter]

Jaagsiekte is a bit of a weird disease, it is started off by a virus, so will often be running around the farm.
Then it causes the lung tissue to turn into tumours, and fluid builds up in the lung tissue.
There can be a little bit of fluid from the nose/mouth after death, just things settling out, but if it was Jaagsiekte, it can be litres to gallons, this should help you distinguish the two.
The other ewe may or may not be infected, and even if it is Jaagsiekte, it may be years before she got ill.
I would look after her as normal, and if it was possible to get the vet to have a look at the one that died, could still be worth it to tell you if it was or not - Jaagsiekte looks very different to other things on post mortem.
  for your other ewe lambing safely

[YorkshireLass]

If you're not squeamish, you could always open the dead one up yourself and prod the lungs, tumours should be pretty obvious?

[shep53]

Many things can cause sudden death in a sheep , but i can tell you that jaagsiekte is a wasting disease and that sudden death would be a KINDNESS which doesn't happen

[ZaktheLad]

Many things can cause sudden death in a sheep , but i can tell you that jaagsiekte is a wasting disease and that sudden death would be a KINDNESS which doesn't happen

And in addition to the visual symptoms of your ewe becoming emaciated as shep53 has mentioned, you would have noticed her short of breath with jaagsiekte, not just sudden death.

[PPF]

Thank you all for your help.

The chap I bought the Ewe's from had a look at the dead Ewe and could not see anything obvious.  He said her weight was good and everything looked normal.

I'm keeping a close eye on my only Ewe left and she's a first timer so I'm really anxious!