[Orinoco]

Hi

The most boistrous of our lambs is very quite, belly seems a little smaller than the other, not looking for mum or tryng to feed, nor taking feed or drink when offered.

It has been warm today and I know this little one doesn't cope well with the heat but she is just laying in the stable away from the rest, while they feed.

Advice please

K

[Orinoco]

Should I call the emergency vet or wait and see how she is in the morning?

New to sheep, first problems so what thought processes do you all go through before calling the vet etc.

K

[onnyview]

How old is the lamb, how long has it been quiet for? Yes, it is warm today but in the cooler evening lambs should be bouncy again. If you are worried ring the vet even if for advise.


 

[mojocafa]

I hope someone comes along soon that can advise you but in your title it says quite, I imagine it should say quiet. Might be worth editing that , good luck mojo

[bizzielizzie66]

Hopefully one of the "old and expert hands" will come on soon and be able to advise you  - however, If you are worried and new to sheep I would call the vet. It's all part of the learning experience - though it can be an expensive part. It's a little ewe too by the sound of it. 

[Pedwardine]

Never good when they take themselves off away from the rest, especially such a young one who should be so vibrant. Have you taken her temperature? Does she have the runs? Problem could be anything but, if out of character and you are concerned and inexperienced, don't guess or assume she'll be fine again soon. Call the vet.

[ZaktheLad]

It's very unusual for one sheep to keep away from the others so does sound as if she is feeling out of sorts.  How long as it been acting like this?  You say it's belly seems smaller than the others, so this probably rules out bloat as it would have a very blown up belly.  Is it breathing rapidly, is it weeing and pooing normally?  When did you last see it eat and drink? 

[Old Shep]

Best option ring the vets but if you cannot get them do you have any antibiotics like alamycin?  I would give it the appropriate dosage.

[Orinoco]

Thanks all, I went out to check on her and just called the vet, she has a temperature and a bit of a pot belly (both lambs do but this one looked smaller than this morning), vet suggested she has probably had too much of the concentrate which I put down for all of them.

Vet gave injection so fingers crossed she is brighter in the morning.

Don't like learning curves, the lambs are such poppets.

K

[Fleecewife]

It's cheaper and quicker to take your lamb to the vets surgery than to call him/her out, which can help you make the decision to consult.

[luckylady]

How is she this morning Orinoco?  They are such a worry when small, aren't they? 

[Orinoco]

She still isn't right,

She fed from mum first thing and kinda follows the rest around but I'm not sure she has eaten much at all today, she has lost weight, (was a little bigger than the other and now is obviously lighter, walks with a slight dip in the back and the head down, really lacking in energy possibly due to lack of food, she had drunk some water today.

The vet gave her a 3 day antibiotic injection and pain killer, but she still isn't right, not sure how long her system will take to right itself if it is too much concentrate and if she has a temperature today will have been hard on her, but would have liked to see her looking brighter instead of still looking rough.

Quick question, if I were to take her to the vets, wouldn't it put more stress on her been without mum and driven in a car (I know how stressful the cats found the car so worry about taking a lamb).  How does everyone else deal with this type of situation.

K

[luckylady]

Quick question, if I were to take her to the vets, wouldn't it put more stress on her been without mum and driven in a car (I know how stressful the cats found the car so worry about taking a lamb).  How does everyone else deal with this type of situation.

Sorry to hear she is still not right  .  When our lambs were small we took them to the vet in the back of the car and they were seen in the car park although they were orphans so no mum around anyway.  I guess it also depends on how far you have to travel, we only have to drive two miles to ours.  A more experienced sheepy person on here may advise you better on taking lamb from mum for a vet visit.

[bizzielizzie66]

I am sorry the lamb isn't herself yet. You said early on in the post that she had a bit of a temperature - did you or the vet actually take it? If it was a bit high, I am not sure that the "too much concentrate" diagnosis can be spot on?  I'm not sure that that would lead to running a temperature.  Still - let's hope the anti-biotics take effect if it is an infection of some sort.

If the journey isn't too long, I wouldn't worry too much about a car-trip.  It can result in the lamb being seen by the vet more quickly if speed is of the essence.   If speed isn't a major factor and you don't mind the call-out charge then stick to calling vet out. 

Just a note - you haven't said how old the lamb is.  Has it had 1st Heptavac injection yet? By the way taking the temperature is a good way to assess the lamb. It honestly isn't difficult to do, even for someone new to sheep keeping, as long as you have got someone to hold the lamb for you. Digital thermometers are easy to read and some even beep at you obligingly when the thermometer has been in long enough.  Good luck 

[sh3ph3rd]

Don't worry about stressing the lamb, babies are possibly the most adaptive of all stages/ages of animal. They haven't got the most solid notions of what's normal or what the end of the world looks like.

If you have to travel it, be calm, because they tend to feed off ambient stress at that age as they learn to avoid harm from more experienced adult animals. Their inborn instincts probably don't have anything much to say about cars as opposed to dogs. And you know how easily lambs can take to being friendly with dogs, too. Best wishes.