Author Topic: Sick ewe- help needed (Read 4854 times)

Fieldfare · « **on:** May 30, 2014, 09:07:44 pm »

Hi all- I have a sick ewe. Gave birth 2 weeks ago. Found in the field today generally slow and depressed (tending to sit but has been on her feet for last hour-ish). Head toward the floor. Very thin (seemed OK after lambing). Clean rear end. Bright eyed. Has some milk. What could be the problem? How best to treat? Experienced sheep farmers have had a look, dosed with pen and strep. I have put lamb in with her (seems quite content and well fed- but cannot be sure he wasn't stealing milk from other ewes). Everyone else looks in A1 condition.

How best to tackle treatment? (she is penned up with various foods, shreds, ivy and water).

Of course kicking myself for not field gazing as much as I should have done over the last few days. I'm sure I should have spotted this earlier.

Thanks in advance for an pointers.

kanisha · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2014, 09:28:46 pm »

Lack of calcium?

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:15:54 pm »

50ml of Calciject under the skin immediately (she has milk fever/hypocalcaemia) plus a glucose drench, like you would use for pregnancy toxaemia.

Fieldfare · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:42:54 pm »

Hi both- thanks for that. I think that does make sense. Little chance of getting calciject tonight I think. Or do you think it is so serious that I need to get a vet out ASAP? Can I get it from an agri merchant? (one is open at 9am tomorrow). I do have some colostrum and dry ewes milk...any good as a temporary drench. Do I need to drench with glucose also?

Thanks...

Pedwardine · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:50:14 pm »

Have you any Multilamb Rapid, Liquid Life Aid for right now? You need to do something now. Waiting just might prove fatal. Good luck with her

Fieldfare · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:53:53 pm »

...I have 'Farmers Choice' lamb colostrum http://www.coxagri.com/animal-nutrition/farmers-choice/farmers-choice-colostrum-lamb-25g-sachet

Any good?

Fieldfare · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:55:03 pm »

...or anything I could get from a 24hr chemist?

twizzel · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2014, 11:02:56 pm »

If she's got milk fever you need to get calcijet into her asap, we had a cow go down with it one Friday night and had the vet out at 11.30pm, she was up fairly quickly after the calcijet but had we left it till the morning she would have been dead.

Fieldfare · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2014, 11:05:38 pm »

...OK- I think vet it is.

Thanks

Fleecewife · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2014, 11:40:48 pm »

I hope the vet visit is successful

. Calciject is magical, but she will need nutritional support afterwards to build her condition back up.

We keep Calciject in our medicines cabinet. We hardly ever need it, but if we didn't have it then any problem would arise at 11pm on a Sunday, inevitably.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2014, 02:31:02 am »

Quote from: Fleecewife on May 30, 2014, 11:40:48 pm

We keep Calciject in our medicines cabinet. We hardly ever need it, but if we didn't have it then any problem would arise at 11pm on a Sunday, inevitably.

Agree agree agree. It lasts for years and saves lives

Fieldfare · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2014, 01:48:48 pm »

...Hi all- first of all thanks a lot to all of you for helping me out on this one! All your advice has made sense and I think we have some good news!!! I finally managed to get some Calciject last night and injected 10ml subcutaneously (only a small Castlemilk and painfully thin...and 50-80ml I guessed was for a large commercial sheep). She picked up considerably after about 1 hour- however a minute after dosing she wobbled a bit...I suspect caused by 'cardiac arrhythmias'. Very glad I dosed on the side of caution.

The question is if the immediate problem is solved how do I proceed to build her up and prevent it happening again? I am feeding her shreds, hay, grass, bramble leaves, ivy, dandelion leaves etc. with a mineral lick. Her lamb is fine...suckling and eating independently.

Also do I need to routinely dose her again? Or just do it if necessary?

Thanks

Anke · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2014, 05:45:28 pm »

If she is painfully thin I would feed her (and only her and her lambs if they want to, not the whole flock) a proper ewe&lamb mix for a while. It will help her building up her reserves again, shreds is good but you will need a bit more.

Usually a single shot of Calciject is enough, but be prepared to repeat if necessary. I would also drench her with twin lamb disease stuff, or Cetophyton.

I have heard that there is a new product called EWE-GO or something like that available which has the calcium as part of the drench, so no injecting necessary. BUt haven't been able to speak to vet yet to see if he can get it for me. (My goats can go down with milk fever sometimes, and they are a nightmare too inject compared to sheep.)