Author Topic: constipated bottle fed lamb? (Read 23902 times)

lizzypeg · « **on:** April 16, 2013, 06:23:43 pm »

iv got a 4 1/2 week old lamb i got at 2 weeks old to bottle feed.was one of triplets.had colostrum, vits,antibiotic jab and heptavac before i got her.
shes on a bucket feeder and started picking at hayge and creep at weekend..monday had big belly when i went to do am check and was quiet all day.didnt poo but weeing ok..i made her run around a lot that evening and took creep/hayge out of pen and left just water and milk in bucket feeder.
had got less bloated looking over the day.and bright , lively and wanting to drink milk still.
today as less bloated this am..just gave milk again and diluted it more than normal..still no poo all day but did do a few timy dry pellets in pen overnight...
again bright, lively and wanting to drink..so gave only diluted milk tonight and put 8ml castor oil down her throat too...
was this right..
should i do anything else..dont think shes bloating..just a bit constipated..weeing lots.
new to this bottle lamb stuff...

colliewoman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2013, 06:33:06 pm »

My Twiglet did this at 8 days old, I offered a bottle of warm water in between bottles of milk and as he glugged that back my suspicion is that he was thirsty not hungry. He soon 'went' afterwards

lizzypeg · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2013, 08:12:50 am »

anyone? im a novice lamb keeper so really need advice

Old Shep · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2013, 11:23:32 am »

Sounds like you are doing all the right things.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2013, 01:28:36 pm »

Certainly make sure there is plenty of fresh drinking water available at all times. Offering a bottle of slightly warmed water between milk feeds may help, as you say she is peeing no problem.

Castor oil is fine, any kind of vegetabe oil, or paraffin, to help unbung a constipation. You may need to give quite a bit...

Do you see the lamb cudding ok? If its rumen has stopped working you could give natural (live) yoghurt to help restart it; some people mix a little of this in with the bottle milk as a routine thing.

A little sodium bicarb can help restart the rumen too - be aware that it can cause some spectacular belching and farting!