Author Topic: help please, very long labour (Read 2637 times)

trish.farm · « **on:** March 08, 2015, 07:40:54 pm »

ewe started the normal pawing the ground, lying down, getting up etc at about 2pm today. I clocked her earlier at 10am with "that look" about her and reckoned she would lamb today. Took herself off to a quiet spot in the field at about 4pm. Been pawing, lying down, straining since then. Got her into a pen an hour ago and left her be. Just been out to check her. No progress. Had a gentle feel inside up to end of my fingers and nothing to feel, but she was quite tight. Lots of clear mucus with no nasty smell. Have left her in peace but should I be worried after 5 hours of "i am going to lamb"??

Me · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2015, 07:48:06 pm »

Probably perfectly normal, you will have slowed things down even if they are normal by interrupting the normal sequence of behavioural events and bringing her in to a pen. Generally no interference is best but if you are worried and going to interfere see it through and feel properly until you are clear in your mind what is going on.

trish.farm · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2015, 07:51:30 pm »

Now I feel really guilty!! And I am the one always saying I don't interfere with lambing!!!

Just never known them go for 5 hours without anything happening!!

Will leave her well alone and just check her before I go to bed!! Thankyou!!

Me · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2015, 08:00:23 pm »

I suppose my point is if you are going to interfere - interfere! I'm not sure you got as much out of your internal examination as you could have - if you do another one then have the confidence to carefully work out what is going on ie. is the cervix open, if so how much, is there a lamb there, is it presented well, nose/two feet, backwards, just a tail, huge etc as that all affects what you need to do next if anything!

ScotsGirl · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2015, 09:02:53 pm »

I would certainly have had a feel to check if cervix dilated or if I can feel feet etc. I had one like that who went on from 2.30pm (right at start of 5 Nations game!) and I left until 10pm. When I checked all I could feel was a tail! By the time I got lambs out the first one couldn't walk as had been folded in half for so long.

Mum rejected it but after a lot of tlc and massage she made it and grew up on the bottle.

Some don't like an audience.

Beeducked · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2015, 09:05:35 pm »

Quote from: ScotsGirl on March 08, 2015, 09:02:53 pm

Some don't like an audience.

Ain't that the truth!

trish.farm · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2015, 09:30:21 pm »

Just pulled a very dead little lamb out. Funny how you know somethings not quite right with your ewes. Nice healthy twin followed who is up and feeding. Wish I had done something earlier now and might have saved the lamb, but I think the reason she was taking so long was because it was dead. Wasn't wrongly presented, just wasn't moving, very small too. Both lambs are much smaller than all my other lambs so bit worried there might be another one in there, don't want to start digging around inside her though. Will give her half and hour and go back out and check.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2015, 09:59:25 pm »

I'm so pleased to read this, trish. Just the fact that you'd posted the question meant that you knew something was amiss. I'd just written in another thread that I should refrain from offering advice until I've caught up on some rest, or would have posted here to say either have a look or get the vet.

So well done for getting in there and helping #2 lamb out alive. You're almost certainly right, the reason #1 wasn't coming was it was already dead.