# 12 year old ewe, head drooping



## J G (Sep 2, 2016)

Our 12 year old Dorper ewe is standing with her head down, nose touching the ground. She won't eat, but it seems like she wants to. She twitches her ears frequently. 
Poop is normal. She has some drool coming from her mouth (she is missing a tooth though). 

She had a ram lamb a few weeks ago, but was unable to raise him as she was not producing milk. 

The other ewes we have in her pasture (11 year old and her 4 month old baby) seemed very frisky today. More than usual.


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## babsbag (Sep 2, 2016)

She's an old girl for sure. I raise goats, not sheep, but if she were mine I would take her temperature, and  have a fecal done to check for worms. She could be sick from a birthing complication or lambing can cause a parasite bloom. That is about all I can suggest. Is it possible that she has something stuck in her mouth or throat?


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## J G (Sep 3, 2016)

babsbag said:


> She's an old girl for sure. I raise goats, not sheep, but if she were mine I would take her temperature, and  have a fecal done to check for worms. She could be sick from a birthing complication or lambing can cause a parasite bloom. That is about all I can suggest. Is it possible that she has something stuck in her mouth or throat?


She is. One of our first sheep.
That's what I was thinking first, but I tried to check and didn't see anything. She also isn't coughing, and no labored breathing. We will worm her tomorrow, and try to get her to eat.


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## babsbag (Sep 3, 2016)

I was thinking perhaps a retained placenta, or a part of one. Did you take her temp? I hope she's ok.


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## purplequeenvt (Sep 3, 2016)

If she lambed a few weeks ago then chances are she's not sick from something like a retained placenta. That would manifest within a few days. 

12 is getting up there for a sheep. Like others have said, check her temperature. My first guesses would be pneumonia and parasites. 

You won't always see panting, coughing, or labored breathing with pneumonia.


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