Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Coughing sheep?  (Read 24270 times)

Blackbird

  • Joined Jul 2012
Coughing sheep?
« on: July 09, 2013, 10:37:28 am »
Two of my sheep (both 15 months old, 1 Shetland and 1 GFD) have always had the occasional coughing fit, as if something's "gone down the wrong way". The Shetland is doing this more frequently lately - pretty much every time I see her, which is twice a day. She is otherwise in good health, breathes normally (no rattling), does the four-legged pogo whenever I give a tiny handful of oats and check them over, so in good spirits.

I've sent dung samples to the vet for FEC but they've come back negative, despite the fact that I haven't wormed since October (there are 7 sheep in total ranging over 4 acres with 2 ponies and we rotate the grazing so I'm assuming the worm burden is low enough for there not to be a problem).

Any views out there as to what else could be causing the cough? Or do you sometimes just get a cough-y sheep? Thanks all.
Where are we going - and why am I in this handcart?

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Coughing sheep?
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2013, 11:03:31 am »
First thoughts are atypical pneumonia - get antibiotic in her fast - or lungworm.  Are the vaccinations and wormers up-to-date?  The second thought, and I hope I'm wrong on this one, is if she's always had a cough it might just be Jaagsiekte (or ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma).  This can come with the sheep if bought in - the easiest way to test for it is to lift up the back legs of the sheep and tip her up and forwards like a wheelbarrow - in its' advanced stage fluid will issue from the mouth.  In this case the sheep should be put down immediately.  Surprised your vet didn't want to investigate further.

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Coughing sheep?
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2013, 11:20:50 am »
Or, as it might be, and is occasionally with mine, the 'oh no I thought I wanted to eat that thistle but now I'm regretting it'  :-)) but that resolves itself pretty quickly  :excited:

Calvadnack

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: Coughing sheep?
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2013, 11:59:14 am »
A couple of my young shetlands tend to have a coughing fit, usually when they're all getting a few nuts and they've just gobbled down a couple of mouthfuls and then got over excited!
Before having a major panic (just hearing one cough brings this on in me) why not spend some quiet time with them when you're not feeding and they're just mooching around.  If they're still coughing then, it's worth discussing further with your vet[size=78%] [/size]

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Coughing sheep?
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2013, 06:01:06 pm »
The most common cause of a persistent cough in a bright fit sheep is lungworm, easily treated with wormer

Blackbird

  • Joined Jul 2012
Re: Coughing sheep?
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2013, 11:28:51 am »
Thanks all. Sheep were vaccinated (Heptavac P) in May. I wouldn't describe this as a persistent cough - it's just a coughing fit for a few seconds, then fine again - she likes to come up for a chin scratch and will sit quietly by me for quite a while - and no coughing. It's just that it seems to happen whenever I see them. Will ask vet, but seems lungworm might be a likely cause.
Where are we going - and why am I in this handcart?

 
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