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Author Topic: very poorly ewe  (Read 4014 times)

Missy

  • Joined Jul 2017
very poorly ewe
« on: February 16, 2018, 08:15:46 am »
Has anyone any idea - my ewe was lying down flat out yesterday with legs behind her.  I got her up and she was very unsteady and breathing hard.  She is in lamb and due in 3 weeks time.  I penned her up and got the vet out who said it could be twin lamb disease although slightly unusual with 3 weeks to go.  Also she was a little underweight.  I do not feed until 2 weeks to go as they are native breed and in the past when I have fed have had problems with overlarge lambs.  She had the calcium injections and metacam and she hasnt responded.  She drinks a little has passed poo and wee but is still breathing hard, slightly frothy around the mouth and generally very poorly.  I am trying to get her to eat but to no avail. 

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2018, 09:42:12 am »
Is she heptavac vaccinated? Did she have an energy drench along with the calcium- propylene glycol or similar ? If she’s no better then go back to the vet thats been treating her.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2018, 09:53:50 am »

If she is down and not eating then I am surprised that the vet didn't drench her with propylene glycol or twin lamb drench - they can get twin lamb disease at any time during pregnancy.


I suspect if this was yesterday and she didn't respond you may well be too late... if she is still with you, then drench with twin lamb immediately (it doesn't do any harm even if it is something else and may well save a ewe).


Did the vet give the calciject directly into the vein? If not it may need repeating.


I would have also put her on antibiotic cover - any chance she has got pneumonia?

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2018, 10:31:50 am »
I recommend contacting your vet again, immediately.  You will almost certainly lose the lambs and maybe the ewe as well if this isn't sorted asap.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2018, 11:21:06 am »
Agree with others and get vet back.


What breed?


There is this thing about feeding and having big lambs because of it. Recently I listened to an online webinar about feeding ewes in lamb. It said there wasn't any hard evidence feeding caused big lambs and lambing problems. The trick is getting the feeding regime right, neither too little or too much.


Good luck!!

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2018, 12:05:49 pm »
I agree.  The biggest lamb our ewes ever produced was from a Badger Face on the skinny side that had been fed for the single we knew she was producing.  Our vet, who was calling for another matter, estimated she was three weeks old when actually less than a day.

We don't feed according to the calendar but vary what and when depending on the grass quality and amount, weather, age of the ewe, etc.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2018, 12:12:28 pm »
As harmony says. 


We have native breeds (currently Hebrideans but we have also kept Soay and Shetlands) and we feed them for the last 6 weeks of pregnancy - but not too much.  The actual amount depends on your ground, grass, climate, current weather etc, and you soon learn to judge it.  As your ewe is thin, she could have done with feed earlier.  If she is NSTail then she will not carry much in reserve. I have not found native breeds to overeat, or to have overweight lambs.


I think this is a situation where the immediate actions are, as others have said, Calciject, twin lamb drench and antibiotics, even before the vet arrives.  These are things you need in your lambing box. I would then be offering a glucose and salt rehydration type mix, by syringe (without the needle) every hour, plus offering digestive biscuits or similar.  You can also make a porridge of ewe pencils or similar, made liquid enough to give via a catheter type syringe, which is a good nutritional support.  Once a ewe has been down, she will need nursing care if she is to survive.  She also needs to be stood regularly to dung and pass urine, and to burp, supporting her with bales if necessary.


I would suggest you start your other ewes on a coarse mix now, and increase the amount slowly over a couple of weeks, to be on the safe side.


I can't remember  :thinking:  where I heard or read this, but research shows that in-lamb ewes should not go longer than 4 hours with no feed, and all sheep should not go longer than, I think 24 or 28 hours without feed.


I hope the rest of your flock are all OK, and that the sick one pulls through.


Cross posted with MF
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Missy

  • Joined Jul 2017
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2018, 02:54:43 pm »
Thanks for your replies.  The vet who came yesterday just gave calcium under the skin and a metacam injection into the vein.  I called the vet again this am and a different one came out.  Gave calcium into the vein, antibiotics, vit jab and something (cant remember) direct into the vein to try to reduce temperature and a twin lamb drench which he has left with me.  However he is unsure whether she will pull through. :-[  f  I am trying to tempt her with anything but she wont eat.  I will try soaked nuts and biscuits though.

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2018, 04:26:42 pm »
Coarse mix is good for poorly sheep. It got my sick ewe eating last year- she had a similar thing to yours although she got sick after lambing. A cocktail of drugs from the vet and she did get better but nobody expected her to pull through.

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2018, 05:40:38 pm »
ketosis?

propylene glycol based licks or concentrated fluids.?

ZacB

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Suffolk
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2018, 05:42:45 pm »
 :fc: There's always hope so fingers crossed  :fc:
We had a ewe with an awful discharge around 3 weeks prior to lambing - assumed she'd an infection and lambs would be lost, treated with antibiotics with the main aim of not losing the ewe.
Healthy twins and you'd have never know anything was ever wrong - the assumption is she'd an infection in the birth canal? ???
I hope your situation has a similar positive outcome.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2018, 07:37:19 pm »

and something (cant remember) direct into the vein to try to reduce temperature


Would most likely have been an anti-inflammatory/painkiller (NSAID) like Flunixin, It really does cheer up a sick sheep and goats even more so. I keep a bottle in my medicine cupboard now.


Hope your girl pulls through, but you need to get energy into her - twin lamb drench and also warm water, maybe with some honey in it, or molasses. Also if you have her on her own inside, it would be better to get a friend inside to to keep her company. If you can offer her some ivy branches/leaves(minus any berries/flowers) as it is used in the goatworld to get a sick animal eating again. Willow branches (the soft top growth) is also good.

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2018, 06:22:09 am »
Readybrek syringed down her.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #13 on: February 17, 2018, 12:28:17 pm »
Readybrek syringed down her.


As with the porridge I have made from ewe pencils, this sort of thing helps the rumen to keep working.  You could mash digestives in warm water too, or just add sugar to Readybrek.  The kind of syringe which comes with a tube feeding kit is best as it has a wide tip. Give into the side of the mouth, on top of the tongue, a small amount at a time, and give her time to swallow.  Raising her head a little helps.
Young cow parsley leaves if they've come through yet can often stimulate appetite.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: very poorly ewe
« Reply #14 on: February 17, 2018, 06:50:56 pm »
Young cow parsley leaves if they've come through yet can often stimulate appetite.
Cleavers are also good.

 
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