Poka_Doodle's journal

[Poka_Doodle]

Hey guys, apologies for no pictures today, but one has got to love having an animal get sick when they are barely halter broke, and it is the weekend. But I got some medication into the lamb after a couple minute chase to catch him, and have spoken with my lamb vet. Oh and I found out that not only do we not have a thermometer to for the animals, but my drench gun from last year seems to not be functioning. Just got to love mornings like this. Now off to bake some muffins.

 

[Bruce]

Flash on the left and Lightning on the right

Adorable!

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Hey y'all, I would just like to apologize in advance if this sounds choppy, the past couple days have been non stop.

Ok, so anyways where do I start. (Insert brain being so tired that it separates things by the animal name)
Ever wanted to own a money dump? Get yourself a fancy show lamb. Lightning was THE lamb that our breeder had, he was by far the best in the group and had a look that made one think that the future is incredibly bright. But about three weeks ago, he came down with coccidiosis. Annoying, but we managed to get it treated. About the same time, he came up lame. I honestly thought it was just from him being dramatic on a walk, and intended to not work him for a bit. One week later, he didn't get up during the day, so I did discuss with my vet what might be happening. I did a physical exam with my un-experienced hands and didn't find anything, but he wouldn't put weight on his hind left leg. So it is time for pain meds, got those started, but we were trying to watch for the possible side-effects of stomach issues. One day he had been fine so we tried to stop the every day and a half dose. We tried... but then he wouldn't put weight on that leg... and at this point I had my dad who is a small animal vet, look at him, and he couldn't find the source. Sometime when that was happening, we were looking at him and noticed a very new abscess. Perfect, another health issue for this lamb. But whatever, a couple eight-thirty abscess draining, and a few other inspections, and this is routine. But his leg still isn't healing. That brings us to today, it was finally time after nearly three weeks of lameness (which has also set the other lambs back on the exercise schedule), to get an X-ray. We are still discussing options, but for now, it looks like we will have a lamb to ride along with our others for the early shows we want to do. There is still hope, but I am not sure. The one thing that is motivating me is the purple banner from last year in the barn. Those chickens are really what is reminding me what one can possibly come back from.
I'll provide other updates later this week with pictures, but this is just the start that I am in for.

 

[Baymule]

Oh no. I’m so sorry your lamb isn’t doing well. I hope you can turn him around and he gets better. I know it won’t be for lack of trying and top notch care on your part.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Hey, next update in the series. The other lamb, Flash, is doing fantastic. He has started getting his legs washed, and going for walk/runs with me. He seems to be making his case to be a showmanship lamb.
I also got a ewe Maple that I never got around to posting about. She is a cutie, and drama queen. One of these days I will get a picture of her to share, but at the three week mark with her, the only pictures I seem to have with her, are the pictures of the lambs eating.
Last but not least, my boy Ticket (bonus points if you can guess his Beetles inspired show name) and I have had quite the journey over the past 21 months. On Sunday I achieved a goal that I had set out to achieve, and showed Ticket in his first jumping show. We faced so many challenges, and times when it would have been easy to quit, and nobody would have blamed us, so to compete Sunday was a victory in my mind. There are still improvements to be made, but it was back in September that I was told this was impossible, by someone who I trusted. I am excited to see what comes in the next couple months, but I am already extremely proud of my boy.
Here are a couple pictures from Sunday, and one from yesterday's exercise with Flash

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Hey y'all, I would just like to apologize in advance if this sounds choppy, the past couple days have been non stop.

Ok, so anyways where do I start. (Insert brain being so tired that it separates things by the animal name)
Ever wanted to own a money dump? Get yourself a fancy show lamb. Lightning was THE lamb that our breeder had, he was by far the best in the group and had a look that made one think that the future is incredibly bright. But about three weeks ago, he came down with coccidiosis. Annoying, but we managed to get it treated. About the same time, he came up lame. I honestly thought it was just from him being dramatic on a walk, and intended to not work him for a bit. One week later, he didn't get up during the day, so I did discuss with my vet what might be happening. I did a physical exam with my un-experienced hands and didn't find anything, but he wouldn't put weight on his hind left leg. So it is time for pain meds, got those started, but we were trying to watch for the possible side-effects of stomach issues. One day he had been fine so we tried to stop the every day and a half dose. We tried... but then he wouldn't put weight on that leg... and at this point I had my dad who is a small animal vet, look at him, and he couldn't find the source. Sometime when that was happening, we were looking at him and noticed a very new abscess. Perfect, another health issue for this lamb. But whatever, a couple eight-thirty abscess draining, and a few other inspections, and this is routine. But his leg still isn't healing. That brings us to today, it was finally time after nearly three weeks of lameness (which has also set the other lambs back on the exercise schedule), to get an X-ray. We are still discussing options, but for now, it looks like we will have a lamb to ride along with our others for the early shows we want to do. There is still hope, but I am not sure. The one thing that is motivating me is the purple banner from last year in the barn. Those chickens are really what is reminding me what one can possibly come back from.
I'll provide other updates later this week with pictures, but this is just the start that I am in for.

Quick update on that lamb, Lightning, we are not giving up on him, but also understanding the reality of the situation. He has a fantastic team behind him that includes both a small and a large animal vet, and many others. We wish we could say that we have an exact treatment plan, but that is a total lie, at this point the only thing that can be done is to continue to administer antibiotics, and to leave him alone. It does drive me nuts watching a good animal have to sit in the stall, but there is no other option. I actually am going to pick up another lamb that is getting sent down from the breeder today, just to have two competitive lambs. This could mean having two lambs to compete at State Fair, but we are not a hundred percent sure on that.

 

[Baymule]

That’s tough about Lightning. I admire the way you face reality. I know you hate it, but you are handling it well. You are doing all you can do, the rest is up to him.

Flash is hopefully making up for what is going on with Lightning. He will make a fine show lamb.

Maple? And no pictures?

Now to Ticket, just wow at what you have accomplished. Through all the trials and tribulations, the naysayers who said it couldn’t be done, the ups and downs, you didn’t give up. Look at the two of you now! I’m proud of you.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

That’s tough about Lightning. I admire the way you face reality. I know you hate it, but you are handling it well. You are doing all you can do, the rest is up to him.

Flash is hopefully making up for what is going on with Lightning. He will make a fine show lamb.

Maple? And no pictures?

Now to Ticket, just wow at what you have accomplished. Through all the trials and tribulations, the naysayers who said it couldn’t be done, the ups and downs, you didn’t give up. Look at the two of you now! I’m proud of you.

Thank you. I am super excited for the future with Flash.
I will get pictures of Maple. I do have quite a few videos of her silliness, so I'll get pictures from the barn today.

 

[Bruce]

my boy Ticket (bonus points if you can guess his Beetles inspired show name)

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Post in the journal... Post in the journal...
Sorry for not getting to this sooner, I have ummm... been doing things like making sure we have a food truck for a show that I am organizing (really just an excuse for trying to fill up class time with productive), but anyways, I am here now with pictures and an update.
So not new, but I am starting to realize how easy my sheep last year were. They were kind enough to wait until about this time last year to get sick. My current group (really Lightning, but we aren't naming names) has been playing the fun game of "how can we get sick or hurt this week?". I won't share pictures, but let's just say that Maple was coughing, and something that wasn't supposed to come out of her came out. My vet really loves me currently. And for the record, I did push that something back in a few times before loading Maple in the crate and deciding I could be late for school.
Update on Lightning (and let me know if you want me to make a separate thread for Lightning's case, just in case anyone happens to have this happen to one of their animals)- He has what we think is an infected growth plate. We are medicating him heavily, though now he does have a significant knot in his neck. Really not sure on what we will do about that. I don't know the terminology, but there is some theory that it was caused by a rumen problem from eating grain, so he is now on limited grain and mostly gets taken to the 'roundbale buffet'. I am allowing limited grain consumption, like last night, but that may or may not have been further motivated after I smashed my finger on the medal doorway while trying to catch him (it was only meds but he doesn't care).
Oh and I did get another lamb (I never expected to have four), and he is named Flame. He is out of the same buck as Lightning and my last year lamb, Echo. I think he might be a bit darker in color, but I am not actually sure, I will find out when he gets sheared though. The one hard thing with Flame is that I got him on Saturday, and had to bring him for tag-in on Monday. Normally I wait at least a week, if not more to halter break, but Flame had to get started way earlier, and is already going for walks.
Anyways, here are some pictures, Maple was very excited about sniffing my phone when I got it out to capture her goofiness.

Lighting on the left, and Flame on the Right

Flashy and Maple on a walk on Sunday (Maple is in the pink halter, and Flashy is wearing a coat)

My girl

Boop!

Flame was tired from traveling, and found himself a pillow