Help! Lamb born with foot issues

[blessedfarmgirl]

Elanor lambed a single ewe lamb this morning!!!!!!! We were so thrilled, but she has something really wrong with her feet. The pasterns are so weak she's almost walking on the back of her pasterns instead of her hooves. Front feet are worse than back. Her hooves are also really gummy and soft and they're shaped weird. Does anyone know what causes this? Selenium deficiency? She's sooooo pretty and her markings are really cool, I'd really hate for her to be crippled. I hope it's nothing serious. She got dipped and given nutridrench and has been nursing, she seems healthy otherwise.
Here are the pics:

pics:

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

 

[farmerjan]

Do you have access to MuSe or BoSe ? It could well be selenium deficiency... one shot won't hurt her so I would give her a boost... I think it is 1cc or less for a new lamb... been a long time since we gave any to sheep here... we get a high selenium mineral and it seems to provide enough for the sheep. I also saw a "selenium" salt block at TSC here the other day... you might want to see about that too...
Their hooves usually are a little soft for the first few days, and toughen up after a couple days. I wouldn't worry about it too much, they don't look real bad. It could also be just poor confirmation and another reason to not keep her. Give it a few days if she is nursing and otherwise seems okay. It could be just weak muscles and tendons and they will strengthen with exercise and use too.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

I don't have any BoSe, I gave her a pea sized amount of Selenium Vit. E gel just now. Will that be sufficient, or should I try to get my hands on some BoSe? I can call the vet and see if they have any.

I don't need to bandage her feet or anything? Would that make it worse?

This lamb isn't born to my cull ewe, she's from one of my good ewes, so I think it might be deficiency. Her dam has good conformation as does her full brother from last year.

We watched her nurse after we gave her the Selenium gel, and her dam has tons of milk. She's walking ok, just slow.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

I'm sorry if I sound panicked! I just didn't expect this. I will definitely give some extra selenium to my ewes who haven't lambed yet, hopefully that will prevent any further issues.

 

[farmerjan]

I think a little selenium gel would be fine. You might want to ask vet next time you talk to them about some MuSe ( I think MuSe is for sheep and goats and BoSe is for cattle... maybe a little different concentration) But the gel certainly not going to hurt.
You know, no matter how good an animal is, just like in people, sometimes there is just one that isn't a "good one" when it is born... You might never know what caused this and she might grow out of it with a little time. As long as she is walking, and nursing, I would just keep an eye on it and let nature "do it's thing" for a few days. They need to "dry" after being in the womb/wet.... I think they will harden up and toughen... unless she walks like they hurt her... then a trip to the vet with her might be in order....

 

[farmerjan]

And sadly, sometimes they just aren't all born with good confirmation.... some recessive genes hidden back in animals that with the luck of the draw, just "click" and then you get a baby with less than desireable traits. We have had it in cattle over the years... occasionally get a "dink" out of a normally good cow... it just happens. But give it a little time...

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Thanks! That makes me feel a lot better. She doesn't act at all like she's in pain. I'll just have to calm down and wait a few days

 

[SageHill]

Thanks! That makes me feel a lot better. She doesn't act at all like she's in pain. I'll just have to calm down and wait a few days

Yeah, we all want everything to be perfect. And the first thing we always seem to see is the "not perfect" and of course we stress on it. Yup - same here. That must be a human condition . Sounds like you are doing everything you can, the rest is wait it out -- the hardest part for sure. She's a cutie for sure!

 

[Mini Horses]

I believe she'll be fine in a few days of walking. The sel gel should help. I've had mini horses born with weak pasterns...in 3 days, up and perfect.