# 2 week old bottle lamb - GOOD UPDATE!



## woodsie

I have a bottle ewe that is 2 weeks old today and seems off. Usually she devours her bottle but for the past 18 hours she has comes up to get her bottle takes a couple ounces and then quits. She also is not bouncing around and is sleeping a lot. She has normal poops and doesn't have a fever. She shakes/trembles off and on but not really bad...tail is hanging a little low but she's not hunched up, she lays down a lot but will get up without a struggle. She seems like she's not feeling well. I should also note that we had a homeschool group come through yesterday and they were feeding the chickens bread and she did eat some bread yesterday before we noticed and picked up the bread. She has a nice round belly but doesn't seem particularily bloated.

Is there anything I should do preventatively or be watching for? We are heading into the weekend and if I need to pick up for medication/supplements I would like to have it on. She's really special to us and I really want to make sure we don't lose her and I hear that lambs are hard to get back once they go down. 

THanks!


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## bonbean01

I really wish I had some good answers for you...but I don't.  I just googled this and if it was a tiny bit of bread, it shouldn't hurt her.  Any idea of just how much she ate?  At her age and being on milk only, her little rumen wouldn't be developed yet ????  

I'd keep a close watch on her poops and also take her temperature now and then....AND...I really hope someone comes on here to give you some good advice!!!!!

Hope your little lambie will be okay!!!!


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## woodsie

thanks bonbean, I don't know how much she ate but my friend said she was gobbling it up so I suspect that's what going on. I called the vet and they suspected the bread too and that her tummy would be upset. I tried Pepto but she didn't really take it too well and she ended up looking like she was wearing pink lipstick!

I'll try again to syringe some pepto and I was going to give some plain yoghurt in her next small bottle...it sounds like I was probably overfeeding her as well with 3/4 to 1 cup every 4 hours during the day (6 bottles) and she has quite the belly so we don't have to worry about her being starving. I'll stry just small bottles with yoghurt and see if it helps.

We're praying she's going to do okay, I have dreams of milking her one day as her mom has a gloriously HUGE udder and teats.


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## woodsie

She has stopped eating and clearly is not feeling well...doesn't want to be touched...going to quiet spots and laying down. We tried giving her baking soda and veg oil in a syringe down the throat as she seemed really bloated....she really didn't like that and is now kind of rubbing her head to the side, I think from the aftertaste of the baking soda....45 mins later, no change so I don't think it was bloat. She is peeing, not pooping. I do have antibiotic/pepto combo that I had from a buckling that had cocci and am tempted to give it to her and hope for the best.

Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

If she isn't pooing the bread may have constipated her. I would do a warm water enema to see if you can get things moving again.


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## BrownSheep

I would cut back on the multiple treatments. Doing the varied treatments might just upset her tummy more. I would also give her an enema. Unless she A) scours or B) bloats horroribly I would just give her pepto and water/formula for the next 12 hours and give her time to sleep it off.

Eta...you can also do electrolytes to help keep her hydrated.


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## alsea1

Hoping Your lamb makes it.


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## bonbean01

Really hoping your little one will so much better by morning!!!  A warm water enema sounds like a good idea.  So glad people with more experience gave good advice!  Keep us posted!


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## woodsie

well did the enema, nothing much came out but with some tummy rubs and cuddles she seems to be perking up and was looking for a bottle and even followed us around a little....so that is a big improvement. She's in our prayers and we sure hope we having a bouncing lamb in the morning.


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## woodsie

well there was some mucusy yelloe poop beside her this morning...unfortunately my husband flushed it before I could look at it but he said it looked like it usually did but really slimy (guessing from the lube and water in the enema). She got up eagerly and drank her bottle ( I only gave her 1/3 cup) and was somewhat curious and checked out the other lamb I have in the house, let me touch her, sniffed so fairly normal. 

She is still shaky and laid down fairly soon after. Still seems weak and off but certainly better than she was, doesn't seem as bloated and uncomfortable. I have some powdered b-vit (Thamine) that I was thinking to add to her next bottle to see if that helps perk her up and maybe add some plain yogurt? Anything else?

Thanks!


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## bonbean01

I'm so glad she is getting a little better!!! 

I'm leary to give too many vitamins of any kind to little ones that young, but yogurt I think can't hurt anything, and the probiotics could help her little system.


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## woodsie

Gave her another small bottle (1/3 cup) and she seems to be bloated again. Is there such a thing as lactose intolerance in sheep, as she is on lamb replacer not sheep's milk? I'm drawing a blank here. 

Here are some pics of her....does she look bloated to you - she's the smallest of triplets (2 weeks old) and had a tummy from being an overfed bottlebaby.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

Can you get goat milk?  Our bottle lambs did terrible on either replacer or cow milk.  Try her on goat for 48hrs if you can.


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## woodsie

She bloated again with a really hard tummy so I gave oil and baking soda...and tried to keep her moving. I also did another enema and got some poop happening. The above pic is what came out...what do you think?

I can buy pasteurized goat's milk at the store, would this help? I have a Nubian that is due any day but nothing right now. 

I am inclined to just give electrolites as maybe her stomach is so off that she is having trouble digesting the milk. Should I keep up with yoghurt in the electrolites? or get specific animal probiotics? I'm not sure about antibiotics as she doesn't have diarehea and don't want to upset her system more...but fear I might be losing time. AHHHH - I hate it when they are sick!

Thanks for all your help and suggestions, I sincerely appreciate it!


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## woodsie

AHHH! she had a big poop and thought we are okay, took her outside for a minute and now she's shaking and won't put any weight on her back right leg...hobbling around on three legs. WHAT! I am totally stumped! HELP!


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## bonbean01

I don't have a clue, but hope someone who does can help you out!!!!  She has such a cute little face 

This would be a long weekend when this is happening, right?  By now most vet clinics would be closed...sorry you are having this happen


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## alsea1

Can you get your hands on some sheep milk.
I would try that.


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## woodsie

well definitely getting worse...only good thing is I think I know what to do...she has a temp of 41.6 C so she's running a fever and so I am treating her with antibiotics Neomycin. She is thirsty so I have cut out milk and am just giving electrolites as she is clearly in pain as soon as the liquid hits her tummy...which is what the leg cramping I think was all about as she is hunching up on all the legs now. So at least I feel confident in a plan of action and praying the antibiotics work in time.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

If you are going to give her electrolytes you need to take her off milk and formula. The electrolytes interfere with the milk curdling and then she'll be crashing from that too. 

Assume for now that the back leg is unrelated or is a side symptom of an upset stomach. I know when I have a stomach bug my hips hurt.  It may clear up or she may have twisted it a little. Either way it's not her biggest issue. 


I would take her off of formula. Completely. Giver her a dose of baking soda and let her be.  Let her stomach totally empty and don't give her anything at all for 12 hours.  


Then get either pasteurized or raw goat milk or sheep milk if you can get it.   Those mucusy milk poops are from an upset stomach.  I think she's not reacting well to the formula for starters. 

Once her stomach is totally clear and she looks like a hollow little shell of a lamb, then you can start with either electrolytes if you want to go that route or onto sheep or goat milk. 

Baby's can get overwhelmed systems if we try to do too much too fast. Their digestion is so sensitive that sometimes doing nothing for a while is the best thing to do.  Keep her warm, quiet and let her body take care of itself for a little while.  I've seen a good nights sleep and a good cuddle do wonders for crashing babies. Keep her with you all night if you can, I towel my side of the bed and wrap them up next to me for the night. Sleeping with a "mom" is a big comfort.  


If she was here, this is what I would be doing.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> If you are going to give her electrolytes you need to take her off milk and formula. The electrolytes interfere with the milk curdling and then she'll be crashing from that too.
> 
> Assume for now that the back leg is unrelated or is a side symptom of an upset stomach. I know when I have a stomach bug my hips hurt.  It may clear up or she may have twisted it a little. Either way it's not her biggest issue.
> 
> 
> I would take her off of formula. Completely. Giver her a dose of baking soda and let her be.  Let her stomach totally empty and don't give her anything at all for 12 hours.
> 
> 
> Then get either pasteurized or raw goat milk or sheep milk if you can get it.   Those mucusy milk poops are from an upset stomach.  I think she's not reacting well to the formula for starters.
> 
> Once her stomach is totally clear and she looks like a hollow little shell of a lamb, then you can start with either electrolytes if you want to go that route or onto sheep or goat milk.
> 
> Baby's can get overwhelmed systems if we try to do too much too fast. Their digestion is so sensitive that sometimes doing nothing for a while is the best thing to do.  Keep her warm, quiet and let her body take care of itself for a little while.  I've seen a good nights sleep and a good cuddle do wonders for crashing babies. Keep her with you all night if you can, I towel my side of the bed and wrap them up next to me for the night. Sleeping with a "mom" is a big comfort.
> 
> 
> If she was here, this is what I would be doing.


was writing as you were posting.   Add to that to keep on antibiotics for a full course if she's fevering. Take her off the electrolytes for a while if she's had milk in the last 6 hours. Really let her stomach completely clear.


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## bonbean01

Glad you kept up taking her temp...that can tell you so much!  Really tough worrying about a little lambie...also big lambies...also grown sheep!!!!  I'm not happy unless everyone is healthy!  Hang in there and hope your little one gets better quickly!!!!


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## woodsie

okay thanks so much...I'll back off of everything but the meds and the cuddles. You guys are amazing...it is so comforting having some other animals lover to lean on and your advice is so invaluable.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

Fingers are crossed for her.  If it is FKS and a something else (the fever) that can take them down fast.   Kid and lamb digestion can shut down so quickly when they are ill that I never hesitate to take them off of milk for 12 hours at least to make sure that it doesn't sour in their stomach because then you are fighting digestive collapse on top of what ever illness.


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## woodsie

Well she made it through the night and seemed quite perky but I gave her some 1/4 cup electrolites this morning and within a minute she is looking for a place to lie down and is trembling...obviously still cramping as soon as something hits her tummy. How do I restart her rumen? 

She is taking the antibiotics well and is getting her proper does and I am about to do her 3rd dose but I suspect her rumen is still way off. Do I just keep her off all fluids? I am worried she might get dehydrated if I don't give her something. At least we don't have any scouring but I feel bad for the little peanut. 

I am going to try to milk her mom but she's pretty wild and I am not too sure how that is going to go as I can barely touch her neck nevermind milk her...my husband built me a stand but it is quite high and not very that long and she is one big ewe and I am not sure she will fit on it. 

Plan B - I am looking at buying a mini-nubian (should have richer milk) in milk but I just replied to the ad and not sure if that is going to work out....give me an excuse to buy another goat too!  I can get goats milk from the store but its pasteurized and definitely not the same as fresh milk and thinking it probably won't be the best plus it is very expensive. 

She seems to be a fighter and together we'll make it through, I'm sure of it. I am feeling more hopeful than yesterday as she seems to perk up between feedings and gives me some hope that she hasn't given up.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

With a 2 week old lamb it's not the rumen you are worried about. She's not even using it yet.  Her gut is still clearly off. 

 When you give her a bottle, what temp is it?  Just want to rule out too cold or too warm as the cause.


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## woodsie

I gave have been giving room temp. bottles...not sure if that is right or not, seems to be conflicting opinions so I split the difference and went with room temp....electrolites are in the fridge but I just run the bottle under warm water will it takes the chill out out of it. Would pepto do more harm than good? my neighbour thought she might have an ulcer due to the bread and thought pepto might help?


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## woodsie

I have a guarded good report - she's up and walking around and not trembling. Curiously walking about, even nibbling on things so I brought in some hay for her to taste. She had a very small bottle of milk replacer with pepto and a yoghurt whey and it seemed to be okay...she didn't cramp up and she stayed walking for a few minutes before laying down and within half an hour she's up and sniffing about. Too early to say we are in the clear but she is actually harrassing my little girls and nuzzling them which is a HUGE improvement as she didn't even want to be touched this morning. It is so good to see her adorable little self bugging us again! 

We are beating the odds with lots of love and lots of support from you all and my neighbour - THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! You are invaluble and your encouraging words are so touching when we are all at a loss and just praying the little ones pull through.


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## SuburbanFarmChic

With sick kids go with warm fluids so that they don't have to use their own body energy to warm what ever they are getting.  If body temp of a kid is 102 degrees and room temp is 70* that's a 30 degree difference in room temp to body temp and can feel cold to them.  I don't feed hot bottles but I bet she's getting room temp bottles and it's feeling cold to her stomach.  I heat until about 5/6 weeks old with bottle babies and then start edging the temp down.  What they get coming out of their mama is warm.


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## bonbean01

I only came on here to find out how your little lambie was doing and hoping the worst had not happened!!!!  So happy she is doing better, even if you have guarded optimism...it sounds like she has turned a corner and I am so happy for you 

We do love our critters, don't we???  I spent last night stressing about scours in a ram lamb...today he is doing better...guess if we didn't worry and try so hard to keep them healthy we would be bad sheppards, right?


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## woodsie

I have been warming the bottles and she is drinking the 1/3cup lamb replacer eagerly with NO cramping, thanks Suburban, I'll keep warming them. I did buy some goat milk from the store but she was not a fan and seems to be doing well on the replacer again

....I am thinking she had a bad bug and the antibiotics are working, I am still continuing the course for the 4 days as recommended....probably the bacteria got a hold when she threw her stomach off with the bread. She followed me around doing my evening chores and is up and at'em this morning. 

Glad to hear your lamb is doing better too Bon ...yes, I make a promise to them, if they don't give up, I won't give up. We do our best and I know the time will come when we will lose one but not before I know I have done everything I can for them.


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## bonbean01

So happy little lambie is doing better!!!!


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