# Ewe lamb declining



## RemudaOne (Jul 27, 2012)

I think this is an emergency in that if I don't figure this out, I think this lamb is going to die.  She is five months old and this is a lamb that went to a friends place for two weeks for weaning.  While there she got no grain or pellets but plenty of alfalfa.  The first day I had her home, when I called them up to eat, I noticed that she was winded after running to the feeder.  I put it down to being penned up for two weeks.  She's been home since the 17th or 18th.... She is now listless, is not eating, does not care about staying with the flock.  While they are grazing or eating the hay or alfalfa I put out, she'll be laying down in the shed out of sight of them.  She is urinating well and it looks a good color.  I only saw her poop once this evening and it was golden brown not black and just a couple of prune sized sort of pellets.  

I called them into the overnight paddock tonight (which I've been keeping them out of to help the forage recover), she loped about 30 feet into the paddock and stopped watching the rest of the flock running into the shed looking for feed.  She wasn't panting but breathing hard and I could see her heart beating in her chest....

When she DOES go out to graze with them, she just nibbles this or that and then stares into space.  I did hear her teeth grind once this evening.  I thought maybe acidosis but she's just not been overfed any grain/pellets or rich pasture.  Also, she let me pet her today and she's never willingly done that..... Something is WRONG.  This evening I pulled some sumac branches down and the rest of them ran over.  I pulled off a branch for her and took it to her, she ate a few bites then left it.

I wormed her on the 21st of this month with ivermectin

Any ideas will be very welcome although I am a little leary of dosing with baking soda since I read that depending on the current ph of the gut, it could cause bloat.  I haven't taken a temp but when I felt of her ears, they did not seem hot.

Editted to add:  When I first started seeing this I thought she may just be depressed from the weaning and her mom rejecting her when she returned but I don't think depression would cause her to grind her teeth.....


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## ksj0225 (Jul 27, 2012)

I have no idea, but I would be concerned too.

Can you check her eyelids and gums for anemia?
Can you get some nutrients in her by drench maybe?

Hopefully some experts will be along soon.


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## RemudaOne (Jul 27, 2012)

Her gums and lids look good.  I think it might be enterotoxemia.... Although my friend did say that he did not feed ANY grain, all of the reading I've been doing points that direction. I went out a little while ago and the light was not good, but I think she was eating dirt.  I have a bad feeling about this.......


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## boykin2010 (Jul 27, 2012)

I can't think of anything off the top of my head.  I would separate and give some vitamins/minerals for a while.  

Could she have gotten into anything with copper in it?  It's just an idea... 

If I think of anything else I will post back...


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## SheepGirl (Jul 27, 2012)

What's her temp?

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I'm thinking acidiosis (could've been caused by alfalfa, especially if she wasn't really used to it), plant poisoning (was she on a dry lot with just hay or was she also on pasture?), or polio (unlikely but possible).


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## boykin2010 (Jul 27, 2012)

Maybe she could've eaten something that made her sick? Something on the hay or something growing wild in the pasture she got to...  

I don't know.  It's all I can think of.  
I do think you need to check her temp


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## RemudaOne (Jul 27, 2012)

None of the other lambs that were with her are exhibiting any signs, none of the other sheep here are either so I don't think it would be copper, but ???  She was on very very little pellets here and a little alfalfa when she left.  She had pretty much free choice alfalfa there, but the same was true for the other lambs that my friend owns..... I just don't know.  I would hate to lose her, she's the only lamb I liked well enough to keep out of the previous lamb crop.  

In the morning, I will take her temp and give banamine just to ease her if she's in any pain.  But in reading, the enterotoxemia causes fluid build up around the heart and congestion in the lungs.... that would explain what I saw when I brought them into the small paddock.... breathing hard and seeing her heart beating after very minimal exertion.  I hope I am wrong....

SG, I haven't taken a temp but her ears feel normal temp, not hot.


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## bonbean01 (Jul 27, 2012)

Oh no...feel so badly for you and your little lamb...wish I knew something, but I don't...saying prayers for you and your little lambie


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## bonbean01 (Jul 28, 2012)

How is lambie doing this morning?  Have been searching the internet and not finding anything exactly that describes your problem.  Closest is a young Dorper ram with some of your symptoms and found this:

Grinding teeth is a sign of pain. Has he had any changes in feed? He improved with a VitB shot which has thiamin in it, maybe he needs a dose of thiamin and a shot of dexamethasone. Few recoveries (even incomplete ones are as rapid as restoring thiamin. If you can't get thiamin repeat the B and again 6 hours later.

Sorry I'm no help...that was the closest I could find.  Hoping for a happy update from you SOON!!!!!


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## RemudaOne (Jul 28, 2012)

Okay, you may all call me all kinds of an idiot. Husband helped me catch her up and hold her this morning, took her temp and it's 105. Gave her 1.5cc banamine, 5cc BioMycin, 1 ounce NutriDrench. Have her penned with just grass hay and water, hoping the banamine will bring the temp down enough to help her feel good enough to eat and drink. 

In looking back I really think she wasn't well while she was at my friends place. When I first saw her there (when I was picking her up), I thought she looked a little lighter but then I looked at the feeder and it was full of alfalfa.... I put it down to not seeing her for two weeks and perhaps her growing UP instead of OUT. 

I'll also be giving her 3cc of b12 and 3cc thiamin today. 

If ANYONE has any further suggestions, please let me know. Still not sure what this is but I believe in aggressive treatment to knock things out ASAP. 

Thanks for all of your help to this point and thanks in advance for any additional advice/support.


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## bonbean01 (Jul 28, 2012)

Hey Kristie...so glad she's still hanging in there and of course you are no kind of idiot...geesh...I'm still searching here...anything I find I'll post!  Hang in there...with all that you are doing she could pull through, but would be good to know what is causing this.

Wish I could be of some help...so awful when a little lambie is sick


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## bonbean01 (Jul 28, 2012)

Kristie...you are doing everything suggested on all the sites I've been searching...so far no diganosis is clear from my reading, but what you are doing is exactly what is recommended on all the sites I've been too...hoping for a good update later on her coming around!!!  Really hope some sheep people come on here that have dealt with this soon!!!!!


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## RemudaOne (Jul 28, 2012)

Thank you Bon, marginal improvement I think. She is drinking well, eating just a tiny bit. She was a little brighter and even called to the rest of the flock when they got out of sight. I'm sure this is attributed to the banamine.  I went ahead and wormed her with valbazen too.... At this point I am willing to throw the medicine cabinet at her. 

I've hung a mister and fan up as well. It's already 100 degrees here and I know under the shed, it's got to be worse. Don't know what more I can do for her today, although I may even drench with ACV/NutriDrench this evening. Still keeping fingers crossed....


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## bonbean01 (Jul 28, 2012)

Any marginal improvement is still progress in the right direction!  I too would be ready to throw the whole medicine cabinet too....LOL...sounds like you are on the right track to me.  Super hot here today too which doesn't help anything.  Just came in from working with the sheep and I need a shower...geesh...ready for fall here!

Chin up...have a good feeling that she'll continue to improve!


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## Calypso (Jul 28, 2012)

Hoping she gets well!!!


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## SheepGirl (Jul 31, 2012)

Sorry I've been gone this whole weekend and I just now checked in on BYH. It's good to hear she's still alive! How's she doing today?

When my ewe had a 105.9 fever, the vet had me give 5 cc of Pen G two times a day for five days (10cc/day total) and it got rid of whatever it was that caused her fever and lethargy (she didn't even want to stand up and eat--she had to lay down). So it's good to hear you've got some oxytetracycline in her.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 31, 2012)

Could possibly be pneumonia, but with a fever like that it sounds like she'll need antibiotics.  It also wouldn't hurt to treat her for coccidiosis, or run a fecal to see if the Ivermectin did anything.  Around here, Ivermectin tends to be pretty useless sometimes.


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## RemudaOne (Jul 31, 2012)

You got it right Aggie. It was pneumonia. Sadly, she lost her battle and we humanely euthanized her late Sunday. Thank you all for your suggestions and support, it means a lot. I had been very high on this lamb since she hit the ground five months ago....she was the only one I kept out of the crop. Wanted to see what kind of babies she was going to throw by my registered ram so this has been a difficult time. It comforts me that she is no longer suffering, such a darn shame.


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## bonbean01 (Jul 31, 2012)

Yes, it is a darn shame and you gave it your all, then when you saw she was suffering, you did the right thing by her...hard as it was 

I realize that I do not have any way to take the temp of my sheep...do you buy a special themometer for sheep?  Ear temp or rectal?  And I need to get more for my medicine chest for sure...have some stuff, but not everything I should.


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## aggieterpkatie (Aug 1, 2012)

Sorry Remuda.   


bonbean, I like the regular glass thermometers, and use them rectally on animals.


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## SheepGirl (Aug 1, 2012)

Aww I'm sorry


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## RemudaOne (Aug 1, 2012)

Bon, when I was training the horses, I had a glass thermometer that was made for animals. It had an alligator clip and tether attached to it that you could clamp onto the horses tail hair in case they spit (pushed) it out it wouldn't fall to the ground and break. I haven't seen it in quite some time so I just use the digital ones. They are cheap and quick. I've always taken all animal temps rectally. 

I think NutriDrench or the Power Punch are good things to have on hand as well.


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## bonbean01 (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks for the info Kristi...will get those things next time we're in town!


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