[Penninehillbilly]

Hep please I don't know whether to find a vet, I think ours is just an 'outpost'.
My 2yr old, kidded just over 2 weeks ago-
this afternoon, she seemed a bit quiet, went to give them their last feed tonight and she wouldn't get up, or eat.
I went for a bucket of warm water and when I returned she had stood up, she had a drink of water. Then laid down again while I went for some hay, which she wouldn't eat, she half heartedly took a bit of carrot from my hand chewed a little then spit it out.
they were out most of yesterday, she seemed fine,
Any ideas ??
wrong time of night to be asking for help hope someone is out there -

[tizaala]

0510 AM, only just seen this,


1 )   Have you taken her temperature ?
2 )   did all the afterbirth come away when she kidded ?
3 )  did you boost her food a bit after she kidded , the kids take a lot out of her, especially calcium.
  Our landlord has just started finding some of his sheep going down with staggers , she might need a calcium booster they can go downhill fast so get her to the vet first thing.

[wytsend]

MILK FEVER...................... urgent need for calcium borogluconate injections under the skin.   Your Vet may possibly put in straight in to a vein but only a Vet can do this.
Call the Vet now............she may not survive much longer without calcium.

[jaykay]

Second what Wystend is saying - get some Calciject into her fast. Your local sheep farmer will have it - and so will the vet, sheep commonly need it around lambing.

[tizaala]

Any news on this one today ?

[Penninehillbilly]

Hi thanks fo the replies, only just put the computer on, been quite a day.
My first thought was milk fever, but she is only feeding her 2 kids, and she didn't seem 'out of it'.
seperated her from the kids overnight, they were bouncing on her so though it best.
Took her to the vet first thing this morning.
she had an abcess in her udder/ teat, which must have burst on the way to the vets, blood was dripping from the teat, she's had AB + painkiller (common one, can't remember name off hand, used it on a dog for arthritis).
She's obviously gone downhill fast, very thin, but still not eating, so no milk, I tried to get some ready grass or similar to tempt her, but none around, got a bale of good hay but she won't touch anything, not even concentrates, carrot or apple.
I have to keep squeezing the blood/gunk out of her.
I have a few pints of milk in the freezer from last year, so I can give the kids something, I just hope she picks up fairly quick, I also have a bit of dried milk from last year, but don't really like using it.
 
I have a goat who kidded on Monday, could I give the kids some of that or will it still be too rich?
 
 
 

[wytsend]

Would still give her calcium.............her lethargy could well be atributed to this.    It cannot do any harm.

[colliewoman]

Also try willow twigs, nice and sweet for tempting and a natural analgesic. Never hesitate to ask the vet for ongoing pain relief. They wouldn't think twice about it for a dog, but often large animals get the bare minimum
I always ask for it for any bad birthings or problems causing pain

[cuckoo]

I can only go on my experience of feeding powdered milk this year to several kids.  We used Lamlac and I have been very pleased with the results - it has been fed to one kid completely as his mum rejected him and also to supplement two others who mum's had difficult starts - these have also been getting mum's milk and we have had no scouring or anything.  For kids weigh out 150g and make upto 1 litre not 250g as for lambs.
 
Could try feeding brambles to mum - mine go mad for them.  May need to drench her if she wont eat - twin lamb drech will give her energy.  Also rehydration fluid / water if not drinking.
 
I woudl have thought that the goats milk from Monda y would be ok - colostrum should have run through by now.
 
Hope she feels better soon

[Penninehillbilly]

I have another injection of metacam to give her on Sunday for pain relief,
there is NOTHING growing round here yet, I was hoping to find some willow shooting, I'll try down the valley tomorrow, ran out of time today.
Milk - they are getting a mix of freezer milk, Nutty's (mondays kidder) and topped up with some Shepherdess mix, been told today they should be on 4 x 500ml a day, they havn't had that, in fact one seemed to have had enough after 350ml. They seem to be nibbling hay, I left water and lamb mix for them tonight. Interesting about the 150g instead of 250g, I think I was giving it on the weak side last year, seemed too thick & rich full strength, but I try and mix it with goats milk anyway.
Abi still seems down, I'll see if I can get some Calciject (?) tomorrow, she hasn't eaten today, she wanted to go out with the others but laid down, almost collapsed, had quite a job getting her back inside. She has drunk some water tonight, won't touch any water I try sweetening for her. I didn't leave the bucket (small 3 litre) in because she was pulling it over, drinking while laid down, I didn't want her laid in wet bedding all night.
Saw some twin lamb drench at the merchants today, never thought of giving her that.

[jaykay]

Bless her, what a thing to happen.

A few ivy strands sometimes tempts them too. Yeh, twin lamb drench will keep her going for a bit, obviously then she needs to eat to keep her rumen operating. The Calciject won't do any harm and may well help, she could have that going on too.

Crossing my fingers for her 

[wytsend]

This IS mik fever.................... leave it too long before giving calciject with magnesium..... you will lose her...................her heart will give out.
I still think you should have the Vet out........ she is low enough now to need Calciject intravenously .   The subcutaneous route is too slow to act   and should be used as a top up method.
Goat milk fever doesn't always follow the same pattern as a cow !!

[Penninehillbilly]

She died during the night vet didn't consider Milk fever. cant deal with this

[mojocafa]

I am so sorry for your loss

[Bionic]

Awww, sorry to hear that you lost her