[Orinoco]

The vet did take the temperature and i know im new but something has been niggling me and you have helped me put my finger on it, too much concentrate could cause tummy cramps, blockages, digestive problems but antibiotics is not what i would have thought to give. 

She is about 6 weeks old and due the clostridium vaccination.

She looked alot brighter this eve when it was cooler.

Is there a good book on sheep health that i can get to use as reference as the 'you dont know what you dont know til you do' situation is not a happy place to be, with my children i had a fair idea what was wrong before i went to the GP and with dogs and cats you at least have a fair idea roughly what area of the body has a problem but sheep, they seem like masters of disguise, i dont understand how their bodies work.

I could do with a buddy, one person to run me through the basics, maybe this would be good for all newbies to different animals.

Thanks for all your comments, fingers crossed for tomorrow.

K

[Fleecewife]

'The Sheep Keeper's Veterinary Handbook'   Agnes Winter and Judith Charnley   £18.99  The Crowood Press

[bizzielizzie66]

Let us know how the lamb is won't you. 

Everybody follows a slightly different path with their flock health plan. With clostridial vaccines, I do the ewes 6 weeks before lambing and then the lambs when the youngest is 3 weeks old and a booster in 4-6 weeks from that. Trust the "mum" instincts you have with your children, they won't steer your far wrong with your sheep but I agree it is incredibly stressful. I have been beside myself with worry at times. I think you have to accept that when you are new to sheep keeping you have to be prepared to call the vet if and whenever you are worried.  Find yourself one who has a real interest in sheep and when they are there, pump them for every bit of information you can - have a list of questions ready.  Apart from worming - and I am sure you have been following the threads on the forum and I am keeping out of it! - the other thing is to treat for is coccidiosis. The FEC will show up the count - or you can dose routinely at about 6 weeks.

I am sure all the really experienced sheep keepers will always help you on this forum and the book that Fleecewife recommended is excellent- but a relationship with a really good sheep vet is well worth cultivating.

Fingers crossed   

[Anke]

'The Sheep Keeper's Veterinary Handbook'   Agnes Winter and Judith Charnley   £18.99  The Crowood Press

Surely cheaper (secondhand) copy available from www.abebooks.co.uk, or even amazon used book section. But good book, I also have the feet one from the same authors. Really good too.
 
BTW I wouldn't vaccinate the lamb  until it has sorted itself and is completely well again, otherwise the vaccination may cause its system to crash and/or vaccination itself could be worthless as lamb's system won't react to it and not produce antibodies.

[Orinoco]

Hi

The lamb does seem much better this morning, I have restricted the concentrates for all of them and will do for a few days and there is more of a cool breeze around today, the little ones do seem to suffer a bit in the heat, there are a few shady places in the paddock as well as constant access to the brick build stable but they insist in sitting in the sun (near the gate waiting for their concentrate - hmm).

I really do appreciate the advice and aim to vaccinated in about 7 days, giving her system time to settle.

Also book ordered (I love books).

Thanks again

K