Castrated Lamb Not Able to Stand Up

[TheSheeper]

I have a castrated lamb. He’s about to be a month old. I just put the bands on him last night. This morning he was doing very well. He was eating from his mom, standing around, playing and everything was well. Now he can’t stand up, starts kicking very suddenly. I gave him some nutridrench but it seems like he spit out most of it. I tried making his mom give him milk but he doesn’t want to drink. He’s just sleeping on the floor. What can I do?

 

[Beekissed]

I have a castrated lamb. He’s about to be a month old. I just put the bands on him last night. This morning he was doing very well. He was eating from his mom, standing around, playing and everything was well. Now he can’t stand up, starts kicking very suddenly. I gave him some nutridrench but it seems like he spit out most of it. I tried making his mom give him milk but he doesn’t want to drink. He’s just sleeping on the floor. What can I do?

From what I've read, you just have to wait it out. If you can give him something for pain it might help but many report just the same behavior after banding. That's one reason I've chosen to get away from banding and use the Burdizzo instead. Even the California bander is better than the traditional small bands...the sheep doesn't seem to know anything's been done with the California bander, but it takes so long for the balls to fall off with that one.

 

[TheSheeper]

Gotcha. I tried giving him some milk but again he split out most of it. He’s curled up in a little ball and is very tense. I try to move him and he just stays there with his head in droopy on his legs. I gave him some more local anesthesia in each testicle to help with any pain he may have. I’ll definitely be looking into different ways to castrate after this. It’s my first time doing this so I hope he turns out alright.

 

[TheSheeper]

He’s my weakest lamb so I am very worried he won’t make it through the night. He’s got no milk in his stomach and can’t get up.

 

[Beekissed]

Do you have a drenching gun? If so, you could drench some nutrients into him, just to keep him hydrated. Can't really spit it out when you use a drenching gun.

 

[TheSheeper]

I don’t have a drenching gun. I’ve been using a syringe without the needle to get everything inside him.

 

[TheSheeper]

It seems like he’s getting up now. Phew. He’s drinking milk from his mom and walking around. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Beekissed]

It seems like he’s getting up now. Phew. He’s drinking milk from his mom and walking around. Thank you for the advice.

So glad he's feeling better! You may want to get yourself a drench gun as you'll likely need one down the road. They come in real handy if you want them give them something they don't want.

 

[Baymule]

I normally cut my ram lambs. I like to castrate at 2 weeks, it's no big deal then. But now that I can't get slaughter dates (everything is booked a year or more out) I gave up castration and will take them to auction as rams.

BUT-we had a bottle lamb that we decided to keep as a wether as a companion to our ram. I borrowed the bander apparatus and banded him yesterday. Today he was his regular greedy self on his bottle, but was very needy after he ate and just wanted to be stroked and petted.

This is my first time to use a bander, I don't know if I'll do it again. but so far, so good, so we'll see.

I hope your little guy continues to do good.

 

[Baymule]

A dull knife doesn't cut anything.