Author Topic: Young lamb limping (Read 9880 times)

Yeoman · « **on:** May 07, 2013, 09:54:26 am »

One of my three day old lambs received a right humdinger or a butt from another (horned) ewe over the weekend. The lambs are now safe in a separate paddock (with their mum) until they are big enough to stand up for themselves but the clout has left one of the lambs with a limp.

The lamb can walk and put weight on the injured front leg but it will lift it if it when it stands still. I've examined the leg looking for thorns or wounds but can't see anything. So I think its either soft tissue damage or a break.

The lamb was a bit subdued on Sunday but generally a bit more perky today. He's not running around doing the ususal lamb antics like his twin sister but he can feed and is mobile when he needs to be.

My inclination is to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get worse and keeps feeding - hopefully the soft tissue damage will recover quickly as they seem to grow so fast at this age.

Do you agree or would you suggest a different approach for him?

Thank you.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2013, 07:42:39 pm »

They're pretty resilient, if it's soft tissue it'll most likely come right. You should be able to feel a break - feel the hurt leg and the unhurt one on the other side, looking and feeling for differences. If there is a break, a splint would help.

twizzel · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2013, 08:01:18 pm »

I've got a lamb exactly the same, although not sure how he became lame as he was out with 11 other lambs, no ewes. No heat or swelling or cuts, but like yours he was limping and hopping along in walk. We left him for a week and whilst the vet was here tb testing the cows spoke to him about it. He had 4 days of pen&strep which has cleared up the lameness, whether that's a coincidence and it would have got better without the drugs I'm not sure. He had 10 days of lameness before we gave him the pen&strep but is walking so much better now

I would keep an eye on him and give your vet a ring, or if you have any pen&strep around give him a course of that.

Alicenz · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2013, 10:44:37 am »

I agree with twizzel, the antibiotics would fix it if it is from navel infection, anti inflammatories may help if it was knocked, and time , sunshine rest. But generally they do seem to come right from knocks as long as there is no break, good luck.

Yeoman · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2013, 10:08:21 am »

Thank you all.
Just a quick update for anyone with a similar situation in the future...
I was pretty sure we were looking at an impact injury as I'd seen the lamb being hit hard so didn't treat for joint ill. I could feel the the leg wasn't broken and that the knee joint was very swollen due to the impact.
For the first 5 days the lamb didn't seem to get any better or worse then, just in the last couple of days, he seems to be making much more progress and now looks more comfortable. The limp is still noticeable but getting better every day.
I think the main thing is that it didn't stop him feeding and getting weak. So fingers crossed for a full recovery.