[wayfarer]

One of my 4 lambs has started scouring.  The others are all OK although I did have to take one to the vets two days ago as it was generally lethargic and not eating any grass but had normal poos.  It had a high temperature and was given anti-inflammatory and long acting antibiotic although the vet didn't know what the matter was.  Within hours it had picked up and was eating normally again.

The scouring lamb has not been wormed although as they have plenty of space and I only have sheep on the land for 6 months each year I don't normally worm and have not had problems before.  It is also rubbing its left hand side along trees and fence posts as though it is trying to relieve some discomfort.  Can anyone suggest anything to help or is it another trip to the vets 

[SallyintNorth]

I'd take it to the vet - s/he can take a skin scrape to see if there are any lice or other parasite causing the itchiness, and also check the poo for worms or fluke.  Or maybe you could check the skin for anything moving yourself - my eyesight's not good enough to see the things any more - and talk to the vet on the phone.

Your vet will also know if there are problems with fluke in your area; we had our first big batch of lambs away last week and 4/21 had signs of fluke in the liver.  Most of them were 4 months old or less, and still suckling their mums.

Oh!  Another possibility, where a lamb with a mucky bum is itchy, is flystrike.  Definitely check it over for maggots and eggs.

[thenovice]

I agree with sally, though I would check for strike before taking it to the vets, especially if it is scouring. Would also worm the lamb, as more prone to worms problems as its young, and see if it stops scouring tomorrow. Have you any clik or crovect? Worth having some handy, if you havnt treated the lambs already

[jacoblambuk]

hi I've had problems like yours i would get them wormed with a clear wormer to cover for nematodirus worm and also tape worm. I don't like to frighten but early on we got coccidiosis treated for that and wormed with white wormer about 4 weeks later i noticed 1 lamb dirty I've got cockis back i will treat them next day that day that lamb was dead then another 1 took 1 just alive lamb and 1 dead lamb to vets they checked them and found they were full of tape worms vets never seen so many but it was the nematodirus worm that was killing them good luck

[shep53]

Couple of points, most clear or yellow wormers do not treat tapeworms, white wormers are the choice for tapes and nematodirus . You only kill  worms / cocci in the sheep at the time of dosing , provided you use the right quantity for weight and have no resistance  (egg count after worming to check ) then the lamb starts ingesting worms /cocci again . When conditions are right for a massive nematodirus hatch then dosing every 3 wks is advised

[wayfarer]

Thank you all for your advice.  Ended up taking a sample to the vet and there was a huge nematodirus burden so will be worming them all.