[Blacksheep]

Does anyone have any experience of this, we have a ewe due quads that went of her feed suddenly 3 days ago, and developed sudden and severe scour, the vet gave us dexadreson to induce lambing as we felt this would be the best option should she worsen get weaker, due date this w/e.  She was injected on Wedneday pm and we were told she should lamb in around 24 hours,  now told that it may take up to 48 hours and that it may not necessarily work, but no vet available to speak to, the ewe does not look or behave as if she is about to lamb imminently.    Would appreciate any advice on this if anyone can help.  Keeping our fingers crossed for live lambs, just hope the injection hasn't had any adverse effect on them. We are keeping the ewe drenched with energy drenches, and offering her handfuls of feed if she will take it, she is grazing a little and eating picked leaves, and the scour has improved a bit now.

[Rosemary]

Sorry, no experience of this but  that all is well. I'd be getting hold of the vet pdq.

[Me]

I synchronised and induced my ewes to lamb xmas day once as thats the only time off I had! I find dexadreson less reliable as an inducer than dexafort which I would think would be the DOC. Very large doses of dexafort are required to reliably induce ewes to lamb (6-8ml). Using dexadreson I would repeat at the 24hr mark as it is much shorter acting. As an aside I feel there are more malpresentations when you induce, they very much seem to fire them out at all angles, I suppose they are not quite ready.
Saying all this she may well lamb anyway but thats my experience with my flock.

[Blacksheep]

That's interesting Me thank you, from speaking with the receptionist at the vets they would offer caesarean as an option now, although it sounds like the dexafort would be a better option, I am assuming that they won't have this in though.  However as the ewe is relatively stable, rather than worsening and so close to her due date we will probably leave it unless she deteriorates further.
Also interesting re the additional malpresentations, not that we are necessarily expecting quads to come out all correctly presented.  Having only ever had one set of quads previously several years ago this is the third set this year.

[Blacksheep]

Well having not looked as though lambing was imminent she has lambed this evening and only 3 lambs not 4!  Big lambs and Me you were right re malpresentation, the first one was out when she was checked and then nothing for a while, on checking she was lambing 2 lambs together, so completely stuck. Nice big lambs so a relief after the earlier worry and extra night time checks.

[Rosemary]

That IS good news 

[Blacksheep]

That IS good news 

Yes it is!! Thanks Rosemary   

[chonty]

What lovely news. And big lambs too

[Me]

Alls well that ends well 

[Blacksheep]

thanks all and even better a ewe that was due a single lamb 5 days ago has just lambed this afternoon and willingly fostered one of the triplets, very pleased she lambed after the triplets
Can now relax a bit as just about finished, just have one ewe due late next week and then a couple of stragglers late spring.

[Rosemary]

  Result! Who says sheep are awkward?

[Me]

Me. 

[Blacksheep]

Result! Who says sheep are awkward?

Yes lovely to see the foster mum this morning, her own lamb went to drink and she insisted that her foster lamb got up to have a drink on the other side     They can be very co-operative, we find if we catch the single bearing lambs as they lamb it is very easy to foster another lamb on to them, just a token rub of birth fluids and they will willingly take an extra lamb.