[Jacob-list] Jacob-list Digest, Vol 48, Issue 6

[Gary Anderson]

Thanks for the heads up.  While at the AGM, in fact about 15 minutes before
my talk, I received a call from one of my my brothers who cared for our
flock while we were away that one of our yearling ewes 'was down', lying
flat with her head back.  Since I couldn't check her myself, I told him to
call the local vet.  He was delayed getting there due to a previous call on
a cattle dystocia; he gave her banamine and B complex vitamins, but she was
dead the next morning.  I surmise that she had the same problem you saw in
your ram, but she didn't get timely treatment.

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Today's Topics:

   1. Polioencephalomalacia (JACI SIEHL)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:11:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: JACI SIEHL <wedohoney at sbcglobal.net>
Subject: [Jacob-list] Polioencephalomalacia
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Message-ID: <420101.85711.qm at web80603.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I don't know if anyone else has come across this, but I want to share my
recent experience so that maybe it will save someone else from something
similar.
   
  I brought a new ram lamb home on Sunday (day 1).  On Thursday (day 5) I
noticed he was laying around a bit more than normal and his stools had
started clumping a bit.  Since we were experiencing several days over 100 I
assumed the heat that he was not accustomed to and a change in diet and
environment were the cause .  I watched him closely for the next couple of
days.  He was off his feed a little bit, not a lot, but just not eating as
much as I would have expected.  His temperature was normal, no
irregularities in breathing or any other symptoms.  On Sunday (day 8) his
rumen was making some noise, but not a lot - I assumed due to loss of
appetite.  On Monday (day 9) evening he did not want to eat.  About 3 hours
later I found him standing stiff with his head bent way back and staring at
the sky.  It was one of the strangest things I'd ever seen.  I spoke to my
vet and he diagnosed it over the phone as PEM (polioencephalomalacia).  He
gave me three injections of B1 to be
 given once every 24 hours.  Within 4 hours of giving him the first
injection he looked almost normal and by the time he got the second one
you'd never know there was anything wrong.
   
  My research found that the symptoms can take a week or better to show up
if the cause is due to stress or a change in diet.  Some foods can cause the
rumen to not make or use Thiamin.  Other causes can be too much sulfur.
Evidently corn, corn by-products, molasses, and some weeds may contain
thiaminases (render thiamin unusable by the animal).  Alfalfa has a higher
rate of sulfur than do grass hays.  Sometimes water can have excessive
sulfur.  Neither sulfur or thiaminases are problems in the normal amounts
and if the animal is not unduly stressed.  But, sometimes it can take the
animal over the top.
   
  If given enough B1 quickly enough it is supposed to be curable and not
have long-lasting effects.  But if not treated soon enough can be fatal.  If
B1 is not available you can use B Complex, but pay close attention to the
level of B1 that is being administered - it is the only one that counts in
this situation.
   
  This is an easy one for the average person to remedy as long as you
recognize the signs and act quickly.  There are a lot of sites on the
Internet that give specifics - worth reading and being familiar with in case
you ever need it.
   


 
  Jack and Jaci
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End of Jacob-list Digest, Vol 48, Issue 6
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