# Dorper foaming at the mouth and vomiting



## soarwitheagles

Hi everyone!

So sorry I have been away for so long!  Just finished feeding the flock grain, dried clover, and hay when suddenly, one of our 1 year old white dorpers began foaming at the mouth [white foam].  She next began to jump up and down as if trying to dislodge something from her throat.  Finally, she vomited up a brownish substance.

She is presently standing alone, not looking so good.

Any suggestions?

I did through some green garden plants over the fence earlier today [squash plants, bean plants, etc.]

Might that have something to do with this?

As a side note, I have been feeding the entire flock with hay, clover, and grain for months without any problems.

Thank you,

Soar


----------



## frustratedearthmother

I know nuttin' about sheep - but does she appear to be bloated?  Have you taken her temp?  Do you have a vet available?  I wish I had anwers for you, but I'm sure someone will come along who knows much more than me.  Good luck!


----------



## babsbag

If she were a goat I would say poisoning of some kind, the question is what? But the jumping around is a little strange.

@SheepGirl
@Sheepshape[/USER
@secuono 

Any ideas?


----------



## norseofcourse

I've had a sheep (two actually) foaming at the mouth, shaking its head, and jumping around, and it was choking - it had eaten so fast it was choking, and it did eventually dislodge what it was choking on and was fine after awhile.

What happened with yours sounds similar, but the vomiting would concern me, as would the 'standing alone not looking so good'.  Mine were back to normal within a few minutes.

Can she swallow?  Have you seen her drink anything?  And what @frustratedearthmother said - does she appear to be bloating?  Is her temp normal?  If you have a good vet or a nearby sheep mentor you may want to give them a call.

Good luck with her.


----------



## soarwitheagles

Thank you everyone for your informative posts.  Norse, the symptoms you described were nearly exactly what this Dorper exhibited.  I think the vomiting was clearing the airway on the poor girl.  Good news: within an hour, she is back at the feeding trough, eating like a little piggy again, big smile on her face.  If it happens again, I may try the Heimlich Maneuver on her, but if it gets worse, rather than do CPR, we will simply have a large, all you can eat, neighborhood sheep barbecue.

Thanks again everyone!

Soar


----------



## norseofcourse

Glad she is doing well!


----------



## soarwitheagles

Thanks Norse!


----------



## babsbag

Choking is so much better than poison, at least easier to cure. Glad she is doing ok.


----------



## Sheepshape

soarwitheagles....glad she's doing well. 

Frothing,foaming etc is usually choking or poisoning, though a severe pneumonia can look similar. With pneumonia, though, the animal is usually VERY ill and has quick, gasping breaths.

SO glad to hear she is just a greedy beggar.


----------



## soarwitheagles

I totally agree!

Thank you!


----------



## TAH

Glad she is doin well


----------



## soarwitheagles

Me too!

Thank you!


----------



## Baymule

That is one of those heart-in-your-throat moments when you feel so helpless, followed by a big heave of relief. Glad she was just overeating/too fast and is ok now.


----------



## NH homesteader

One of those moments where you finally recover from the panic and look at her and say....  Did you seriously just choke because you wouldn't slow down eating? Animals...  Seriously though glad all is well.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

I lost my very best show doe when she choked to death right in front of me.  I tried massaging her throat...the Heimlich maneuver, beating on her... all to no avail.  And worse - she was a few days  away from kidding.  I ran inside, grabbed a knife and cut her open...too late to save the kids.  Absolutely devastating....

So glad your ewe was able to dislodge her blockage.


----------



## NH homesteader

That's so awful.  Never would have thought of that as a major risk.  I didn't mean to make light of it.  I'm a nervous laughing type of person.  Foot meet mouth


----------



## Green Acres Farm

frustratedearthmother said:


> I lost my very best show doe when she choked to death right in front of me.  I tried massaging her throat...the Heimlich maneuver, beating on her... all to no avail.  And worse - she was a few days  away from kidding.  I ran inside, grabbed a knife and cut her open...to late to save the kids.  Absolutely devastating....
> 
> So glad your ewe was able to dislodge her blockage.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

NH homesteader said:


> That's so awful. Never would have thought of that as a major risk. I didn't mean to make light of it. I'm a nervous laughing type of person. Foot meet mouth


No problems!  Don't give it a second thought - I do the same!

Stuff happens and we keep going...hopefully learning a lesson along the way!


----------



## babsbag

frustratedearthmother said:


> I ran inside, grabbed a knife and cut her open...too late to save the kids.


   You are a stronger woman than me.


----------



## soarwitheagles

Baymule said:


> That is one of those heart-in-your-throat moments when you feel so helpless, followed by a big heave of relief. Glad she was just overeating/too fast and is ok now.





NH homesteader said:


> One of those moments where you finally recover from the panic and look at her and say....  Did you seriously just choke because you wouldn't slow down eating? Animals...  Seriously though glad all is well.





frustratedearthmother said:


> I lost my very best show doe when she choked to death right in front of me.  I tried massaging her throat...the Heimlich maneuver, beating on her... all to no avail.  And worse - she was a few days  away from kidding.  I ran inside, grabbed a knife and cut her open...too late to save the kids.  Absolutely devastating....
> 
> So glad your ewe was able to dislodge her blockage.



Yes, it was a heart in throat moment...especially after taking such good care of her for nearly one full year.  We purchased her at an auction when she was only a few weeks old and maybe 20lbs.  Now she is nearly 200 lbs. and I must admit, my eyes do see some $$$$ signs when I look at her!  I don't mean to sound cruel, but some of these sheep are gonna need to help me pay for eating all the hay and clover bales during the summer season!

frustratedearthmother, wow, what an adventure!  I suppose I had better keep a real sharp knife readily available just in case....

BTW, both Dorpers look like they are unusually obese [3 times the weight of the same aged AB's] or totally pregnant...perhaps I should not have left them in with the American Blackbelly ram when they were still so young!  Maybe some hanky panky occurred! Whoops!


----------



## babsbag

How young were they?


----------



## soarwitheagles

babs,

I am not sure...but I would estimate their ages at purchase were 6-8 weeks.  Got two for $60 each.  Good deal.  Now, I figure they are nearly yearlings...but at nearly 200lbs each, well, they make the AB's look like skinny little thin dieters.


----------



## babsbag

200 lbs is a big sheep, sounds like you got a good deal for $60 if they grew that well. If they are nearly yearlings that are certainly ready to give you some lambs so I would keep watch. Are sheep seasonal breeders like my goats? I always see lambs in the spring but is that by breeders choice or that ewe's choice?


----------



## frustratedearthmother

soarwitheagles said:


> frustratedearthmother, wow, what an adventure! I suppose I had better keep a real sharp knife readily available just in case....



I do keep one in the barn now...cuz you just never know...I've actually done "emergency C-sections" twice.  Once from the choking and once from a doe that ruptured a uterus and had to be put down.  Got the kid out alive that time!


----------



## Green Acres Farm

frustratedearthmother said:


> I do keep one in the barn now...cuz you just never know...I've actually done "emergency C-sections" twice.  Once from the choking and once from a doe that ruptured a uterus and had to be put down.  Got the kid out alive that time!


You're brave!!!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Lol - not brave....cried like a baby while I did both.  Just too stubborn to let something die without trying everything I can to save it.


----------



## NH homesteader

I've found out being a mother to a human child as well as caretaker of many animals,  that we are all much stronger than we think we are when that time comes.  Even if we cry through it! I have been reading stories like this to my husband,  his usual reply is well,  they're your goats! What a pain,  he would do it too.  He just likes to pretend he won't. 

Kudos to you though for saving the kid! Stubborn is a fine way to be!


----------



## soarwitheagles

babsbag said:


> 200 lbs is a big sheep, sounds like you got a good deal for $60 if they grew that well. If they are nearly yearlings that are certainly ready to give you some lambs so I would keep watch. Are sheep seasonal breeders like my goats? I always see lambs in the spring but is that by breeders choice or that ewe's choice?



babs,

My understanding is different types of sheep will breed with differing cycles.  We purposefully chose American Blackbellies and Dorpers because they are known for breeding year round, new twins and triplets every 8 months, if you feed them well and give them access to an interested ram.  We have some AB ewes that dropped their lambs in January, and they are nearing their time to give birth again.  I kind of like that!  New additions every 8 months, and with these breeds, they keep giving birth all year round!

Other breeds of sheep are seasonal, and some professional breeders only desire to have lambs at a certain time of the year, so they only allow mating, etc. according to their preferred time table.


----------

