Author Topic: Collapsing lamb. (Read 3855 times)

EP90 · « **on:** May 04, 2013, 02:59:29 pm »

I have two orphan ram lambs, 4 weeks old and bottle feeding; the smaller of the pair collapsed this morning but now seems ok. Up to this point both lambs doing fine except for one night of bloat.

The lamb only took half his normal quantity of milk first thing and seemed a little off. Half hour later went back to see him and he looked rather stiff legged as he ran to me. Before he reached me he started to turn in a circle then slumped against a wall. He was fully stretched out and still, with no sign of wanting to get up. I stood him up, guided him to his pen where he slumped down again, fully sprawled out. Again picked him up and this time he stayed up. 15 minutes later he’s nibbling straw and creep, another 15 minutes he’s as right as reign and not a sign of past events.
Vet suggests I just need to keep an eye on him and bring him in if it repeats or worsens. No idea of what caused it.
I wonder if it was a mini fit. Can anyone suggest a cause, prevention or diagnosis please? It was quite worrying; this sheep business is a roller coaster of highs and lows

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2013, 03:08:22 pm »

Could be a lot of things, of which two are a bang on the head or listeriosis. Could he have been eating soil? Could he have banged his head?

Yes it's a rollercoaster - and very often we never know what ails or ailed 'em, we just have to guess and do our best.

kanisha · « **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2013, 03:28:33 pm »

I have seen animals react like this to gut pain particularly if its spasmodic. Are your lambs covered for clostridial diseases?

EP90 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2013, 05:10:41 pm »

Thanks for the replies, all thoughts welcome.
They have just started ‘ gentle butting’ but not seen anything like a real bang on the head but it is feasible.
They have been out in a grass paddock so will have been in contact with soil. Searched for Listerioisis and thankfully the symptoms don’t really match and a lack of other symptoms. Plus he seems to have made a full recovery within an hour.
Does not seem to be any gut discomfort or pain, I can massage his side without showing a flinch.
Not vaccinated yet, I was hanging on for a few days to recover from the bloat. Thought it may be a little too soon after that scare. It is sat in the fridge though, but now I’m in two minds as to wait a while longer to get over this latest upset.
He’s now taking milk ok and grazing but not quite his perky self, so hoping it was ‘just one of things’.

animalcrackers · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2013, 05:25:59 pm »

hi, how much milk are you feeding them and do they have access to creep feed. Have you given them any vitamin supplements?

EP90 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 04, 2013, 09:38:58 pm »

3 feeds per day for a total of a bit over 1 litre, it’s Lamlac in which the total is a max of 1.5 Ltrs a day. They’re happy with that amount and won’t take any more. Hay, Creep and water available adlib.
Vits and minerals included as it’s a complete food. Do they need additional vitamins?

macvity · « **Reply #6 on:** May 04, 2013, 10:56:26 pm »

i had a lamb last year that did this.it was something to do with him eating new grass.he got the staggers and fell over so i give him a tea spoon of bread soda in water that sorted him.