# Lambs Pics from Toxemia Ewe  pg 5



## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

I have a ewe that is due to lamb in early March.  She is big with lambs (I think at least triplets because she is as big a last year when she had triplets) and is not acting right.  She isn't interested in grain, hay etc. and lays around.  I had to help her up after taking her temp (102.5) and she just wanted to stand there.  I tried to get her to walk and but she isn't eager to move.  You can see her wool quivering for whatever reason.  What can I or should I be doing for her?  Either post here or call my cell phone 717-587-1302 because I am very concerned about her.  Thanks.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

Is her breath sweet?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 19, 2013)

Sounds like pregnancy toxemia (caused by a lack of energy in her ration) in which case you need to drench her with propylene glycol a few times a day.

Act quickly--this can kill her. Propylene glycol can be found at any farm store.


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

I came across giving 2 to 3 ounces of propylene 2 to 3 times a day.  Does this sound correct?  How can I entice her to eat and how can I get more energy into her?  We have propylene here that we use for our cows but our feedstore said I cannot use it for my sheep.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 19, 2013)

It's not labeled for sheep, but you can probably still use it. I've never dealt with pregnancy toxemia, but my friend has, and I know she went off the suggestion on Sheep 201, which is the 2-3 oz 2-3 times a day. That's 60-90 cc each time you drench her.

You can give her a vitamin B shot to get her appetite stimulated. Grain is full of energy (calories), so if you can get her to eat, try to get her a sweet feed (has molasses) which will give her more energy. Don't give her a lot if she's not used to it and keep hay in her feeder for her to eat to keep her rumen working.


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

She has been getting sheep feed and I would give her a little bit extra away from the other ewes.  I am waiting for someone to call me back from the feedstore and let me know if and what they would have.  Do you think I should just give her our "cow" propylene or wait for a call?  Also which vitamin B should she have?  I have also seen about putting molasses in water.  We have King Syrup that we use on our pancakes but it is not the blackstrap kind.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 19, 2013)

she-earl said:
			
		

> She has been getting sheep feed and I would give her a little bit extra away from the other ewes.  I am waiting for someone to call me back from the feedstore and let me know if and what they would have.  Do you think I should just give her our "cow" propylene or wait for a call?  Also which vitamin B should she have?  I have also seen about putting molasses in water.  We have King Syrup that we use on our pancakes but it is not the blackstrap kind.


There really aren't any propylene glycol brands labeled for sheep, however it is used for them and most people just use what is labeled for dairy cattle. Go ahead and give her that. Vit B complex is good. You can put molasses in her water if she's drinking it or you can just drench her with it. Whatever way you can get it into her faster.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

Speed is key. 

 Also if you have a sheep electrolyte mix that is high in dextrose that would help too.   I would even consider getting an IV bag from the vet that is high in Dex and administering that. 


Also getting the CMPK mixture into her will help too.   


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/80803.htm


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

What is the ratio of molasses to water?  What is the dosage rate of the Vitamin B complex?


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 19, 2013)

The cow propylene should be fine. Last time we had a case of toxemia the vet left us with a gallon jug of "Energy Malt" which is labelled for cows and is a mixture propylene glycol and various vitamins. We've also used just propylene (also labelled for cows). I don't remember what the dosage is though. I would call your vet for a recommendation or talk to the vets at Pipestone.

***I found the dosage on the Pipestone website. They say to give 4 oz per 100 lbs twice daily.***


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 19, 2013)

she-earl said:
			
		

> What is the ratio of molasses to water?  *What is the dosage rate of the Vitamin B complex?*


5 ml per 100lbs.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 19, 2013)

I have to leave to go to work now--I'm glad other sheep people jumped on! 

Good luck with her! As long as you can get propylene glycol in her you should be good. You can also give her some Sheep Nutri-Drench, too.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

Right now any molasses in any water is good.  Think of it like you are trying to stop a diabetic coma. You have to get her sugar up.   She's consuming her own body tissues to stay a live and you have to halt that process. 


 I do 6cc of Vitamin B for crashing adults.   They pee out any extra.  


 Mix 60ccs Prop glycol with 30cc molasses and enough water to thin it to for a syringe.  Get this in her now. Squirt it in her cheeks if she doesn't want to drink it.  Some vanilla extract or cocoa powder will help cover the taste.


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

I just gave her 6cc of Vitamin B complex.  I also drenched her with 60-90 cc of the propylene that we have for our cows since I have not heard back from our feedstore.  I moved her to my jug so she doesn't get pushed around by my other three ewes.  I will mix some of our molasses that we use in the house with warm water.  I want to look for a bale of fine stem leafy alfalfa for her.  I appreciate the input each of you have given and would welcome any other ideas.  She is will be three-years-old about the time her lambs are due.  This is her third lambing.  She had twins the first time (3/11) and triplets (2/12) the last time.


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## bonbean01 (Feb 19, 2013)

Putting molasses in warm water for our sheep to drink doesn't work...they won't touch it...if you want to be sure she is getting this, mix it up and use a drench gun and then you know she got it.  

Really hope she'll be okay...keep us updated!!!


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

The faster she has the kids the better it will be for her.  


What you got in her is good. She may take a lot of TLC to get through this but if you keep on her you have a good chance.  Toxemia can be hard.  

This is a recipe that people have had luck with as well. 

1 Cup Molasses
1 Cup Corn Oil
2 Cups Light Karo Syrup
Mix well and drench with 3 ounces of Magic 3 times a day until doe kids. Then at least one time per week after she kids for three weeks.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

And this is a recipe that we used with an older goat we had that turned her around completely. 

Every 4hrs : Drench with 125-250 ml of "magic" . The recipe I was given was for 1gal.  30 eggs, 120 cc Rice bran oil. 120 cc Prog Glyc, 15grm probios, 4scoops of goat Electrolyte mix high in dextrose, 1/4 c cocoa powder, 2tbsp vanilla.   Add water to make 1 gal and shake it to mix it all up again before dosing. Keep in the fridge.


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

Does it make a difference that I working with a sheep instead of a goat?  What is "Magic 3"?


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

It is 3 oz of Magic.... 3 times a day.  


All these recipes are called "Magic".  Everybody has their own variation.  none of them have copper so they are fine for sheep or goats. 


You pick the recipe that you have the ingredients for and are most comfortable with.  I've done some combining and variations on any one of them because of what I had on hand at the time I needed it. 




 I would also add that you may want to offer her baking soda free choice so that she can settle her stomach if she needs to.   Just in case her rumen turns acidic.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

Also with all of these that are oil and sugar based... If she gets the runs, back off the qty until she doesn't.


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## she-earl (Feb 19, 2013)

Is the baking soda like what I would have in my cupboard for baking?  Or would it be like the sodiam bicarb available for our cows as free choice?
Is the homemade molasses mixture in place of the bought propylene?


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 19, 2013)

Baking soda, not baking powder. But both are likely in your cabinet.   It's the same sodium bicarb for the cows.    

Since she's already on the glycol mixture I'd stay on that. Keep us posted on how she does.   And for any recipe that calls for goat specific electolytes or such, just make sure they don't have copper or use sheep electrolytes instead.


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## she-earl (Feb 20, 2013)

This morning when I got to the barn around 4:15, she got up on her own and stretched.  It was a little more challenging to corner her for her Vit. B complex injection.  My husband will be helping me drench her with propylene and molasses dissolved in a little bit of water mixed in with the drench.  From the info I have seen, I think I can only drench her for about three days.  The Vitamin B she could have every day or every other day.


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## Shelly May (Feb 20, 2013)

Glad to hear she has signs of improvements this am, Don't forget that alfalfa hay, you will be able to stop all meds in a couple of days, but to keep her from another episode you need to get her on the high protien hay until she lambs for you. Good Luck and keep us posted.


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## she-earl (Feb 20, 2013)

Another good sign.  I went to the barn to gather eggs and then sat in the barn playing with our puppy.  I saw where I could see watch the ewe.  She was walking around and then picked a spot to lay down.  After a little bit, she started chewing her cud.  I am encouraged by any little step in the right direction.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 20, 2013)

Sounds like she is on the mend.  Good job!


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## she-earl (Feb 20, 2013)

Thanks for the help from each of you.  I am expecting at least triplets again but would not be totally shocked if it is more than that.


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## Bridgemoof (Feb 20, 2013)

Yes great job! Sounds like she has turned the corner.   Now good luck until lambing time.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 20, 2013)

That is awesome!!  Keep an eye on her and don't hesitate to give her a little boost if she looks droopy again. She will need not just protein but the sugars in the grain. I would keep up with some kind of sugar based supplement until about two weeks after she kids. And then wean her off of it.


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## she-earl (Feb 20, 2013)

What recommendations would you have?  It would be nice if it would not need to be a drench because you always run the risk of getting some in the lungs.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 20, 2013)

I would put it on her grain instead.


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## she-earl (Feb 21, 2013)

My sheep liked ear corn that I would shell off the cob and give to them.  I was wondering if hi-moisture corn from the silo would be OK to give her a little bit in my hand and if she eats it to them mix some in with her regular sheep feed so that she would be tempted to eat?


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 21, 2013)

You can certainly try it. I find that a little vanilla does wonders when I am trying to get them to eat.  If she is still off her feed I would give her a dose of probiotics and keep up with the drenches until she is completely turned around. If she doesn't want to eat, she's still at risk.


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## she-earl (Feb 25, 2013)

Yesterday my ewe seemed to head in the wrong direction.  I wasn't eager to look in the barn this morning fearing she would be about gone.  However, she had held her own and then after breakfast it became apparent that she was going to lamb.  She was at least 10 days early and I had not seen lamb movement since last Tuesday.  I was expecting dead lambs.  I helped her with each one.  One was a head presentation, one was a head and one front leg, one was normal, and the last one was backwards.  The first and last ones were rams and the middle two were ewes.  All are alive.  The ewes are the smallest.  Mom has an udder but doesn't seem to be much milk there yet.  I thawed some cow colostrum and have gotten them each to drink some.  We are going to give the ewe oxytocin to hopeful have her pass the afterbirth.  Yesterday she didn't eat or drink but she has been drinking during the lambing.  We will be drenching her with the molasses, karo syrup and corn oil mixture.  Hopefully she will get her appetitie back.


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## Shelly May (Feb 25, 2013)

If you have not given the Oxytocin yet DON'T, wait longer. you can pm me if you haven't given it to her yet, I will explain why.


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 25, 2013)

Wow, quads! Good luck with everything!


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## she-earl (Feb 25, 2013)

I will try for pics later but right now I have my hands full keeping an eye on mother and babies and taking care of my calf chores.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 25, 2013)

Try a dose of CMPK gel. It can help them perk up after labor. Also have the babies nurse as much as possible. It will stimulate contractions and help expel the afterbirth and also help bring her milk in. 


Neighbor had to give a pig oxy yesterday after her milk didn't come in.  If there is a reason not to give it, I'd love to know it.  Thanks!


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## BrownSheep (Feb 25, 2013)

Congrats! Hope everyone plls through for you!


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## she-earl (Feb 25, 2013)

She has expelled the afterbirth, drank a good bit of water and has eaten a little bit of grain and hay.  I needed to wrap the two back feet of the one lamb because they would buckle when it tried to walk.  I left all with mom and work with a bottle while right in the jug.  She hasn't rejected any so I hate to just take a baby from mom.


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## bonbean01 (Feb 25, 2013)

Quads...wow!!!!  Hope they all do well and Mama too   Sounds like you have your hands full...but look forward to photos when things calm down a bit for you there


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## BrownSheep (Feb 25, 2013)

If you do pull try to take the larger lambs. Studies have shown runts do better when left with mom.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Feb 25, 2013)

The wobbly babies may need selenium.


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## Bridgemoof (Feb 25, 2013)

Congratulations on the quads! Sounds like the ewe had a rough go of it, she is gonna need extra energy now for sure. I'm so glad she has her appetite back! Hope all the babies do well.  We recently gave our two weak twins a shot of BoSe and then a shot of Vitamin B a couple days later. They're doing great now. But enough milk for you is gonna be rough. I'm so glad you are supplementing them right there in the stall. It's best to do your best to keep them with momma, based on my first hand experience of raising a bottle baby.


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## she-earl (Feb 26, 2013)

Sadly the one little ewe was dead this morning.  I was up at 11 p.m. and everybody seemed OK.  She drank from a bottle for me.  I don't know if being born early, pregnancy toxemia,  wrapped feet, quad, etc. was too many strikes against her.  I think it is possible the ewe may have accidently laid on her.  She is an attentive mother and yesterday she had partially laid on one but I found it in time.  She was unsteady on her back legs after lambing but the "paralysis type" walking was going away as she was up moving about.  I have named them Chocolate Chip (ram), Coconut (ram) and Vanilla Bean (ewe).  Hopefully I have a chance for pics soon.


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## BrownSheep (Feb 26, 2013)




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## Bridgemoof (Feb 26, 2013)

Oh that's sad. I'm sorry.


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## bonbean01 (Feb 26, 2013)

so sorry


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## she-earl (Feb 26, 2013)

Here are the pics.  Lamb looking at camera is the smallest.  Her name is Vanilla Bean.  The ram in the back was the firstborn and his name is Chocolate Chip.  The ram in the middle is Coconut.  I needed to put him on penicillin because his temp was 103.


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## Bridgemoof (Feb 26, 2013)

Awww they are adorable! Is the mommy feeling okay? Again I'm sorry you lost the one. That's a shame.  They are so sweet, look at those little faces.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 26, 2013)

Soo cute! <3

And I wouldn't worry about a temperature of 103. That's okay.


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## she-earl (Feb 26, 2013)

The mother is better than she was since last Tuesday.  However, I can't say that she is fully back to normal but I feel she is heading in the right direction.  I needed to put Coconut on penicillin because his temp was 103.  He was the last one born and was backwards.


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## Bridgemoof (Feb 26, 2013)

102-103 is normal for a sheep and lambs. I think he is okay!


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## she-earl (Feb 26, 2013)

His poo was a little yellow and he was shaking a little bit even though under the heat lamp.  His ear were cool and I thought he seemed just a "little off" compared to the others.  I just checked on them now and they are a contented, peaceful family.  He was sleeping there just as snug as the other two.  I really suspect that the ewe laid on the fourth lamb last night without meaning to.  Mom seems to enjoy the heat lamp also and I think when she wanted to get close to the lamp last night she probably tried to lay between her babies and inadvertantly laid on the one.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 26, 2013)

Yellow poop is normal for the first couple of days. His ears will be cold if he's cold--which it sounds like he was with the shaking. Keep him warm and full of milk and he'll do great


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## she-earl (Feb 28, 2013)

Mom and babies are feeling good.  Ewe is now laying elsewhere in the pen instead of under the heat lamp.  Each day she is eating a little bit more and is stretching when she gets up.  The lambs are stretching so hard when they get up that they just about topple over.  They are quiet so I am sure they are getting enough milk from mom.  I still have them in the jug and will most likely keep them until we have a beautiful day or until I need the jug for the next ewe.  When the lambs are weaning age, they will be for sale because I don't have enough pasture that many sheep.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 28, 2013)

Healthy, happy sheep stretch.


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