[SallyintNorth]

I hate to say this, but that foot in the pic has had a lot of trimming on more than one occasion.  Let's hope that was overzealous maintenance by her previous owner, and not an indication that she's a persistent limper..

What makes you say that, from the photos BTW?  Bonnie is a lamb I bought in September, so she hasn't been around for long enough to have been trimmed that often! I didn't do anything with her feet when I bought her, as they'd clearly just been done (though I didn't think overdone). There was a slight pocket in evidence IIRC, but it has got far worse over the past few months I'm afraid.

The sole looks uneven, not smooth, which in our sheep would indicate previous trimming.  I'd be very glad to be wrong! 

Have you got rock salt out for your sheep to lick on at?  It may help, if not.

[kanisha]

am I the only one that thinks the bulbs of the heels look they are proud of the front of the foot tipping the weight onto the front? I  don't know if its acceptable but in this case I would trim some of the soft heel.... this may not of course be advised.....

[Womble]

Well, the plot thickens!!  She was doing a three-legged hop this afternoon, so I went to trim away the detached hoof as suggested. However, I noticed a very slight swelling and puffiness at the very top of the hoof, on the worst side. It wasn't there yesterday, but one foot is noticably different from the other today. The vet thinks this is an abscess starting under the hoof and up into the foot, caused by some of the gunk that's been impacted up there. I've picked up some Alamycin for her, and we'll see what happens next. At least that would explain why she went so lame, so quickly.

So Deere, it looks as though you were right all along!     Thanks for all your help everybody - as a sheep novice, it's lovely to be able to discuss this sort of thing with friends, even virtual ones. It just makes dealing with these issues for the first time so much less daunting  .

[Marches Farmer]

Sorry, "clee" is the local word for the half of a sheep's foot, i.e. a foot has two clees.  By trimming just above the level of the sole ("just above" being the thickness of the footshears' blade).  This makes the sole take most of the weight, rather than the horn being the first part of the foot to hit the ground with every step.  If the horn is soft it will be more elastic (think of your fingernails if you've had a long soak in the bath) and give more opportunity for soil to get packed in and continue to separate from the sole.

[Deere]

I've only been a sheep keeper for five years or so but the last four (since I married a vet nurse) I've been to every "talk" they've put on at the practise the other half works at, not to mention Christmas works do's with the vets which always ends up in some "sheep talk" of one form or another!

They often limp when they get a stone in the void between hoof and foot so re checking today has revealed the real reason for the three legged walk.

Hope your girl has a speedy recovery 

[fiestyredhead331]

if you can get it cleaned out properly you could try some hoof paste?

[Buttermilk]

Clean out, swill out with hydrogen peroxide then pack with stockholm tar was the advice an old timer gave me.

[Katrina]

Thanks Womble, I like the idea of livestock supply shopping in Asda 

[Womble]

Ach, it fair filled ma heart wi pride the day, te drive doon the strath an' see ma wee bit land a' spread oot afore me. An there's ma yowes, a' peacefu grazin by the neebours' lane end, wi him gowking at them aff his quad bike..... an a pair o' them on their bloody knees munching away!

[SallyintNorth]

Ach, it fair filled ma heart wi pride the day, te drive doon the strath an' see ma wee bit land a' spread oot afore me. An there's ma yowes, a' peacefu grazin by the neebours' lane end, wi him gowking at them aff his quad bike..... an a pair o' them on their bloody knees munching away!

 

Dem'd be dem dark ones? 

[shygirl]

a farrier nail is excellent in getting mud out of holes in feet. be gentle though as they are very sharp.