[Merlin]

One of our sheep had a prolapse the day after giving birth to a lamb which was mal-presented and had to be delivered by the vet. The vet corrected the prolapse and gave her an injection to stop the pains, now she has started having labour pains again two days later. Apart from calling the vet again, has anyone had this happen before and what did they do?

[morri2]

Hi Merlin!  Did the vet check for more lambs?  I have just had a ewe give birth 1pm yesterday - pass afterbirth few hours later, but still contracting - pawing the ground etc... Settled a bit by evening but by this morning she'd passed a dead lamb! Might be worth checking she's nothing left in there which is causing her to contract. Good luck.

[Merlin]

Hi
Yes, the vet did check for more lambs at the time the first lamb was born.

[doganjo]

Depends how he checked - might be a small one in there still - probably dead now though.  Don't wait too long.

[Merlin]

As she prolapsed after giving birth, I think we would have seen if there was another lamb. She now seems to have stopped having contractions. Thanks for any help though.

[Hardfeather]

Old shepherds would have referred to that as the ewe 'trying to put her lambing bed out'.

There is a tendency for prolapsed ewes to strain as if still in labour; there are a couple of methods for preventing her from putting her bed out; she can have stitches in her vulva, or you could insert a prolapse 'spoon' (a plastic object which resembles a uterus with its two horns) which is inserted into the vagina and tied to the wool at either side by way of bits of tow through the eyelets in the 'horns'.

If she does manage to put it out in the meantime, you must wash it well and try to keep it clean as it is re-inserted, before giving a dose of long lasting antibiotics.

On a sheep farm that ewe would be marked for culling.

[VSS]

If it was a full uterine prolapse rather than a vaginal prolapse you might be better off putting a truss/harness on her rather than a spoon.

Get rid if her as she will most likely do the same thing again next year.

[Hermit]

I agree once they have prolapsed they will do it again.