Author Topic: lamb going in circles (Read 5905 times)

erck · « **on:** April 26, 2014, 04:31:48 pm »

Hi all.
I have a lamb born one of twins who keeps swinging head from side to side and then eventually the momentum makes it end up foing round in circles.It then gets dizzy and has poor balance. ANY IDEAS?? I didn't see it born so don't know if any problems. But it is suckling when can find mother. Will it survive?? Whats wrong? ?

Possum · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2014, 07:52:47 pm »

I'm really sorry to hear about this. I'm afraid that I don't know the answer, but I know how worrying it is when they don't look right.
Are the lambs inside or outside? Have you made sure that it has had plenty of colostrum? If there is an infection antibodies from the colostrum will help fight it.

I do hope that the lamb improves.

pgkevet · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2014, 09:04:21 pm »

It'd be interesting to note and report the following:
Was it doing this from birth and how old now?
Does it always circle to the same side or can it walk straight if you start it off before the head swings?
Look at the eyes.. do you have a windscreen wiper sideways movement with a slow and fast phase and which way is that. Do you have any up/down wiper movement?
Have a look in the ears.. there may/may not be some obvious muck or dried blood crusts.
Note how well its suckling movements are comared to other lambs and are they the same both sides?

You have some balance or coordination problem here..either as a birth defect or a birthing injury or less likely an infection. Is is stable or progressing better or worse?

erck · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2014, 01:25:49 pm »

Thanks for your responses. It did it from birth. Will walk straight of own accord but if the head starts it gets fast and faster. Eyes look normal one is a little pink. It seems worse after resting. Better after feeding.
Is same size as other twin. Feeding well now it knows where to go. Mum is looking after it well. Im not convinced its not blind in one eye
. But not sure. Seems to be thriving so far

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2014, 02:42:01 pm »

Unusual combination of symptoms. I suggest a consultation with your vet may be in order. Is your area deficient in selenium?

pgkevet · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2014, 04:39:48 pm »

You can test for one-eyed blindness by making up some sort of maze, seeing how it negotiates and covering the eye you think is good. Or you may get enough info just by making threatening gestures each side and noting the responses (less accurate).

If the ?blind eye is same side as direction of circling then I'd wonder about birthing injury - speculation.

As suggested it really needs a proper exam and test reflexes/co-ordination etc