# A Pretty Special Ewe and Lambs



## Sheepshape (Apr 18, 2013)

She and her lambs look pretty normal, but their story is a bit special.

A 2 year old Beulah Speckle Faced expecting twins....everything going fine until......huge vaginal prolapse at 9 o'clock at night. Vets a good distance off, so phone call to experienced sheep farmer neighbour.I gave her an injectable pain killer as she was straining hard (not in labour) He came over with a large needle and thread and a length of rope. I fetched the bag of sugar he asked for and he promptly reduced the prolapse, then stitched her vagina over. He went on then to fashion a makeshift prolapse harness from the rope, but warned us she may perforate her bowel, that her uterus might fully prolapse at labour etc..
I gave her some antibiotics and my husband got up every two hours throughout the night to check that she was not in labour (as the rope and stitches would need to be cut). Leaving her at 3:30 a.m, he said she was standing quietly with no signs of distress.
I went to the shed at 5:30 to find her licking off two lambs, one very much alive and well, the other alive, but seemingly with no use in his legs.The rope harness was still intact, the vagina was torn (but not too badly). We cleaned her, removed ropes and stitches,gave more painkillers and antibiotics, then turned our attentions to the sickly lamb. His limbs all seemed intact, but he was very weak, with no suck reflex. So....tube feed.....except the tube clearly didn't get into the stomach and milk started regurgitating everywhere. We held the lamb by his back legs and drained out large amounts of milk, whilst he made some weak coughing efforts. He looked like he would die very soon. 10 minutes elapsed and he was breathing rather better, though fast and shallow. Legs not being used at all. We tube fed him again.....this time into the stomach!
Come midday his head was up and he didn't look like he wanted to die just yet.He was starting to move the legs. A further tube feed and antibiotics and he seemed a little stronger....I stood him.....he was able to stay standing. Come evening he was on his feet and FEEDING FROM HIS MUM! He is feeding very well this morning.
What about mum? Well, she is hungry and feisty (head butting at lambs in the next pen), lost very little blood ,and seems to have lots of milk. She has small vulval tears, but no prolapse.

A pretty remarkable ewe and lambs?

Sandie


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## promiseacres (Apr 18, 2013)

thanks for sharing her story....beautiful sheep


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## alsea1 (Apr 18, 2013)

Wow. Good thing for old timers and their make do knowledge.


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## newgirl97 (Apr 18, 2013)

Awe! That's so awesome!
Thanks for sharing!

Were both lambs rams?


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## Bridgemoof (Apr 18, 2013)

That is unbelievable! Amazing! Great outcome.  You are so lucky, as we lost a ewe and her lamb last week from a prolapse.  And we even took her to the vet!  You have some good old ewes there SheepShape. I'm happy for you.


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## Sheepshape (Apr 18, 2013)

Newgirl97....yes both lambs were ram lambs (big ones, too).

Had it have been during the day or we had a vet closer, we would have taken her to the vet. The outcome couldn't have been better, though. These local farmers have a wonderful wealth of knowledge about animals, and seem to be able to cope with just about anything!

This ewe is looking much better than some of the others who had difficult births at the same time post partum. She is actually looking absolutely fine.... i am still astonished.


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## Canadiannee (Apr 18, 2013)

Those are some beautiful new ram lambs Sheepshape! And Momma looks happy... who'd have known she was prolapsing?!?! She looks the picture of maternal bliss!


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## lovinglife (Apr 18, 2013)

ok, but what was the sugar for?


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## PotterWatch (Apr 18, 2013)

Covering the exposed tissue with sugar is said to help reduce swelling, making it easier to return to its proper place.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Apr 18, 2013)

That is awesome!!!! Congrats!!! Who would have thought sugar!!!


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## bonbean01 (Apr 18, 2013)

That's awesome!!!!! 

When one of my Dad's cows calved, it threw the calf bed and after careful cleaning, we rubbed sugar on it and could see it shrinking...and then he put it back in and put in some stitches and that cow was good to go.


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