[jaykay]

One of my Shetlands that I like the best, has lost condition very fast.

A couple of days ago I was thinking 'you're looking a bit thin Dot' to today, being able to pick her up and carry her 

She had twins and has raised them well. She'll be a three shear herself. The rest of the flock are in (very  ) good condition. Their worming and fluking is up to date.

The whole flock has had pink-eye, and have had antibiotics for that. And Dot had a nasty abscess on the side of her face, I suspect from a cleg bite, which wouldn't clear up, so she's had antibiotics for that too. It's now healed to a small hard lump.

Nothing wrong with her teeth and she's not scouring. In fact she's still eating, it just doesn't seem to be doing her any good 

I've put her in the small paddock for now, which has good grass and clover. I've given her a pile of molassed flakey. And I've just drenched her with pro-rumen and co+se because all I can think of is that I have knocked out her rumen bugs with the antibiotics and that my usual 'live yoghurt following antibiotics' hasn't done enough of a job.

Is there anything else I can do for her, anything else it could be? I can see me losing her if things don't turn round tomorrow and that would make me very sad.

[Pedwardine]

Oh Jaykay, I wish I could offer some magic remedy. Just don't know what else you can try, you seem to have covered pretty much everything and hoping is all there is left. I really pray she'll turn around as quickly as she's lost the weight. Have her lambs been weaned, is she perhaps pining for them?

[shygirl]

has she been wormed for fluke or been amongst ragwort?

[jaykay]

Hi Pedwardine, thank you.  The lambs and ewes are all in together still. She has reared two good lambs and I could see her being a bit low in condition as a result (though no-one else is) but not like this.

Hi ShyGirl, yes worming and fluking up to date, no ragwort in fields.

[Mammyshaz]

Sorry to hear your Dot isn't too good. Not any help with sheep but would a multivit and vit B jab give a bit of boost?
(Just ignore me if this is a stupid answer, just a thought )

Hope things improve 

[jaykay]

Hi Shaz, I think I'm going to ask the vet about that tomorrow.

She was still standing and grazing just now - fingers crossed 

[Fleecewife]

Hopefully it is something treatable and the vet will have ideas.  However, just like humans, sheep can get cancer which will obviously have no cure.  What about Johnne's disease, which is a form of ulcerative colitis?   Those are unlikely, and I know you are sensible and will be trying all the obvious things.  Or could it just be that the lambs have 'sucked her thin'?  Does she need Calciject before she collapses as a pre-emptive dose ?

[jaykay]

Thanks FW, I hadn't thought of Calciject - it's in my head around lambing alwqys, but that's a good idea.

Don't think it's Johne's as she isn't scouring. Yes it could be cancer I suppose  that's what you'd think if she were a human.

I don't think it's her lambs, as it seems quite rapid and the others, including those the same age who've also had twins, are in rather too good condition.

Thank you and I'll see if the vets have got any more ideas tomorrow.

[Anke]

If she has got good appetite, is up (and generally happy) and grazing normally I would bet tempted to take the lambs off her and just let her get on.
 
Vit B12 would obviously not do any harm and may stimulate her appetite a bit more, a mineral drench should also help. Other than that I can't think of anything that I would do. Maybe if she continues to eat, but doesn't put on weight give her a year off lambs?
 
I did that with one of my (then very thin) Shetland ewes last year and only now does she look in better condition... after a winter feeding and now loads of grass. 
 
Did you buy her in or is she homebred? Johne's may also be a possibility IMO - do sheep with Johne's scour all the time or just every soften?
 
Let's hope she is just worn out a bit and will right herself in time...

[jaykay]

Thanks Anke, I bought her from reputable folk two years ago, but at an auction mart. How long does Johne's take to appear? I don't know much about it really.

I brought her into the paddock on her own just now, she isn't yelling for her lambs so probably glad of the peace. The rest of the flock is just the other side of the gate, so she's not too isolated,

I gave my skinnier goat a year off kids this year and that's certainly done her good. Will see how Dot does, just need to keep her going at the moment 

[Penninehillbilly]

If she's bought in, not knowing her worming history, could she be resistant to your wormer?
do AB's and wormers have a counter -effect? (can't think of the word, hope you know what I mean).
Taking the lambs off sounds a good idea, hope she doesn't decide she misses them
Good luck with her
 

[lachlanandmarcus]

There's also a lot of resistance issues with flukicides (and poo samples even if tested for fluke which isn't standard in worm counts, have to pay extra, aren't infallible) so it could still be fluke. I would be getting the tests done and if positive using one of the pricier but no resistance types for worms if its that (eg orange for nemotodes) or a different flukicide. Calciject also a good idea and removing the lambs.

[shep53]

An abcess on the face is often a jaw or molar problem causing problems in eating. Much more serious is Caseous Lymphadenitis which can have internal abcesses as well as external

[Rosemary]

Poor Dot - hope she gets better You're doing a fab job - so don't beat yourself up if the worst happens 

[Mammyshaz]

Hows Dot today? Any info from the vet?