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Author Topic: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!  (Read 3061 times)

3507sarah

  • Joined Aug 2018
lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« on: August 06, 2018, 04:20:34 pm »
Hi ALL

Just joined as I am desperately seeking help!

Vet has visited and believes our 4 month old lamb may have ruptured its cruciate ligament as it's knee is wobbly and she can not weight bear on this rear leg.  Have no idea how she's done it.  The response I've had from vet is they don't want to enthusiase as shes so young.  Neither do I as she is already a VERY much loved member of the family especially with my daughter and husband  :love:   However, they haven't offered any further suggestions or help.  I had to phone the practice and ask for pain relief which she now has - metacam.  She is happy in herself - eating, occasionally limping around but mostly sitting in the shade.  The heat doesn't help!  I have phoned a few vet practices and all seem reluctant to offer advice or help - the vet simply does not return my call.  Do they not know how to treat or just make a decision?  No one locally seems to be able to even offer surgical repair.

Which leads me to this .......  Has anyone successfully rehabilitated a lamb with this injury?  Does anyone know of a vet around or near the New Forest (Hampshire/Dorset border) who is able to treat/help?  I would much rather help and treat Popcorn Marie than put her down as she is such a lovely lady ....... :sheep:

Any advice and pointers welcome ...

Many thanks.

Sarah


Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2018, 09:25:15 pm »
Such operations are done fairly routinely in dogs, they often fail in heavier dogs, it is fiddly and a GA is required. 

messyhoose

  • Joined Nov 2017
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2018, 06:33:25 pm »
Fitzpatrick referrals (the Ch4 supervet) has a lot of info of cruciate ligament injuries (in dogs) but it says that animals over 15kg need surgery, animals under 15kg can poss get some recovery from a combination of rest, physiotherapy, weight management and anti inflammatories. So bet your vets are recommending keeping the lamb shut in along with the metacam. They seem incapable of giving a time scale. I had a sheep with a hernia and the vets did the same- "keep confined and pain relief". My private vet asked me- what kind of life is that for your sheep?  Most vets i know will never suggest euthanaesia- it has to be the owners choice, they offer options (and often there isnt one) and leave you to join up the dots.
Why dont you ring Fitzpatricks (they are in Surrey)? I wished i lived near them when i found a lamb with gangrene and needing an amputation/ artificial limb- that was one occasion my vet actually did say euthanaesia or find another vet!

3507sarah

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2018, 09:16:17 pm »
Funnily enough I had a rottweiler who had two TPLO (cruciate rupture surgeries) and one was via Fitzpatrick himself about 13 years ago at his practice in Surrey.  Lovely chap.  Spent ages talking to my Mum about Ireland - both from Dublin. 

Tricky as I suspect she would get very stressed travelling and being parted from her two friends.  Yes - most dogs are operated upon but I am told ruminants are different (?) I also suspect it would be very tricky post surgery to keep her clean and quiet/rested.

I've not been told to keep her still or box rest her.  She is quite good at resting though.  Spends alot of time sitting down chewing stuff around her.  She does seem very happy and relaxed - its just the flippin' dragging of the back leg.  I have to say in the past 3 weeks I have seen slight improvement.  I'd just like to know if it would improve with time (not expecting it to be perfect) or like dogs, does it need surgery given her weight and size.

Very frustrating - its times like these I wish I knew a sheep vet  :eyelashes:
Thank you for the comments - really appreciated xx

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2018, 09:42:05 pm »
If you google "can a cruciate ligament repair itself?" the answer seems to be"yes".
I'm sure I tore mine a few years ago. It was very painful when it happened and for ages afterwards if my leg was knocked or I stood on uneven ground unexpectantly my knee would collapse and I would end up on the ground  in a spasm of intense pain. I didn't rest it but got very careful where I was treading so my knee wasn't put under any strain. Now, maybe 6 or so years later it is fine and I haven't had any problem for years.
Similarly my collie had his cruciate go. The vet said they couldn't operate and after a while it didn't bother him any more. So I would be inclined to see how she gets on.


However, I'm puzzled as to why your lamb drags her leg. My dog used to keep his back leg raised so he didn't have to put it on the ground. And I could certainly move my leg all right. The only problem being that there was nothing to stop my knee going sideways if I wasn't careful.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

3507sarah

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2018, 10:37:02 pm »
Hi Roy

Yes good point.  My rotti used to hold her leg high too.  She is rolling her hoof under her leg so in effect walking on her pastern/cannon rather than hoof.  I guess not exactly dragging it but folding her hoof under so the front hoof point touches the fetlock.  I only refer to the cruciate as this was the vets opinion having wiggled her knee ??  Her hoof was checked for stones etc.

she appears to be in pain when she puts weight on the leg.  It is very frustrating not knowing what is going on.  Hopefully things will improve with time.  I just worry that when the weather turns, all the sitting down will not be helpful especially if the ground starts to get muddy and wet.

messyhoose

  • Joined Nov 2017
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2018, 07:39:49 pm »
If you can afford it does the vet think an xray might pin point problem? from bitter experience id say lumps and limps are both sometimes hard to diagnose from just a feel. hope you get to the bottom of it x

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2018, 02:14:35 pm »
The response I've had from vet is they don't want to enthusiase as shes so young. 

Clearly not a farm vet.  ::).  Most commercial lambs head off to the abattoir at 4 months or not long after.

Things don't add up from your description and what others have said.  I think you must try harder to get hold of a proper farm vet.  If you've identified a practise that serves your local farms, I would suggest going to the surgery and talking to the receptionist, rather than leaving a message.  Or at the very least saying in the message that you fully appreciate that this is going to be expensive and are prepared for that, but you have an animal that is suffering and you need to do something.  You may also need your current vet's blessing; no vet will knowingly 'poach' a customer but will be happy to be a second opinion with the original vet's knowledge. 

In my experience, most farm vets are delighted to be asked to help an individual farm animal, but will say if they think it's not likely to work, not the best option for the animal, etc.  It may be that I've just been very lucky with my vets, I suppose.

Best of luck, do let us know how you get on.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2018, 02:56:24 pm »
OK we'll start with the disclosure that I all but skipped sheep at college... never planned on having anything to do with them. I've got nine now <sigh>
 Perhaps a farm vet on here can tell me if it's possible for a 4mth old sheep to rupture it's cruciate? I ask because in dogs it  happens as a result of long term slow degeneration as a part of degeneartive joint disease and very rarely as a simple trauma. In cats it's way more likely to be trauma and road accident. But at 4 mths of age I'd guess the distal femoral epiphysis much more likely to give way than the cruciate ligament.
In any event the issue here is more what the plan was for this sheep is. If it was just to rear it and sell then economic realities and you leave it alone. Somehow that leg will stabilise albeit crooked and a mechanical lameness - with short term pain releif being a humane measure. If the intention is to keep a pet sheep (as in  you're my wife who goes out giving sheep kisses and treats every evening and they're all going to die of old age or obesity) then you need more information and you're going to have to pay for it to be examine under some heavy sedation or anaesthesia to detemine the range of motion properly and possibly x-rays to see if my theory holds true.
pgk

Melmarsh

  • Joined May 2014
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2018, 05:26:19 pm »
You don't say exactly where you are but there is a very good XL vet surgery in Salisbury , I used to live Carnal area of the forest and they will visit there or there are others in Dorset , try Google XL vets in your area and see what you get. Mine are excellent  , can't fault them for sheep, goats cattle etc. They don't do horses at my practice.

Possum

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Somerset
Re: lamb with ruptured cruciate ligament - HELP!
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2018, 07:10:48 pm »
Hi Sarah,


Did you make any progress with this lamb?

 

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