# Need help fast!



## sherri1 (Apr 1, 2013)

Purchased Ewe with 2 lambs 3 weeks ago. All were healthy. Came home today and found one lamb, alive, but laid on her side with her head tipped backwards and her neck stiff. This is the second lamb (different Ewe) to do this in 3 months. Can anyone tell me what is wrong?


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## SheepGirl (Apr 1, 2013)

Tetanus maybe?


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## Four Winds Ranch (Apr 2, 2013)

My guess would be Tetanus as well!!! You could try giving the lamb a shot of penacillan, it will kill the bacteria that has invaded it's body!! You will probably have to feed it via stomach tube, cause ya don't want it to get dehydrated!  Lambs don't last long if they get dehydrated!
Good luck!!


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## SheepGirl (Apr 2, 2013)

Also if it's tetanus you need to give a shot of tetanus ANTI-TOXIN (not TOXOID).


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## Bridgemoof (Apr 2, 2013)

Yep it sounds like tetanus to me, too. Do you have horses on your property?  I was told that the chances of your sheep and goats of getting tetanus is greater if you have horses for some reason.  Please let us know how the lamb is doing.


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## CritterZone (Apr 3, 2013)

Bridgemoof said:
			
		

> Yep it sounds like tetanus to me, too. Do you have horses on your property?  I was told that the chances of your sheep and goats of getting tetanus is greater if you have horses for some reason.  Please let us know how the lamb is doing.


I had never heard this before so I looked it up.  According to a couple different websites, horses tend to be the most sensitive animal to the Clostridium tetani spores.  The spore is shed in their feces (and human feces too, but you shouldn't find that in your pasture), which is potentially transmitted to your sheep and goats through open wounds (think tail docking, ear tags or castrating), and through umbilical cords.  I don't think you are more likely to see tetanus in your sheep and goats BECAUSE you have horses, as long as you vaccinate.  The CD&T vaccine will protect your animals, and is pretty cheap insurance.


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