[Jacob-list] Fwd: sheep update... still need some advise

[Lynette Frick]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lynette Frick <lynettefrick at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 9:11 AM
Subject: sheep update... still need some advise
To: jacob-list-request at jacobsheep.com


Hi Hanna,

Have you visited a vet? If she still has a partial blockage then he may be
able to tube her and deal with it. If she is grinding her teeth, usually
that suggests she's in some sort of extreme discomfort, which you obviously
know since you have been treating her with banamine. The tooth grinding is
what has me most concerned. Have you located the source of her pain? Are her
feet sore, and how does her breathing sound? You also said that she is
standing arched backed, that points towards feet or abdominal pain. If you
don't have a stethiscope, they are pretty cheap, and now may be the time to
get one. You can listen for both stomach sounds, and breathing/heart sounds.
Does she have good capilary refil, meaning if you press your thumb against
her gums does the color come back emidiatly or does it take a while? What's
her heart rate, and breathing rate? Check healthy lambs for reference first,
measure cap. refil in seconds, and heart in bpm, breaths in breaths/min. You
need to know this, and you need to need to know an average in your flock to
compare against for future reference. It is good info to share with your vet
should you choose to call one.

You also mentioned that she is scouring slightly, what does the poo look
like, is it watery, is there blood, etc.?  If it isn't a blockage, or a
disease, it may be hardware disease, especially considereing that she
doesn't sound like she is responding much to tons of antibiotics. Is your
hay pretty clean, or was the bale you fed a roadside bale with lots of fun
stuff, or is you barn kind of rough like mine and maybe she ate a small
roofing nail/ screw? I'm just tossing out possibilities, but if you have
access to a vet and *if this ewe is* *valuable get her in!* If you aren't
particulary attached, and she doesn't start clearing up, butcher her and get
a nice pelt off of her so *she is not completely wasted*. A good pelt is
worth more than a sick lamb through the auction. Don't let her die first,
you run the risk of the hide being on too long and loosing wool in patches,
not to mention it is *unethical* and selfish. If you wait too long she will
either be too sick and miserable to be utilized in any way, or if she lasts
long enough, she will have a break in the fleece rendering the pelt and
fleece worthless. When stock get sick, its not the time to be sentimental,
even if she has a name. Tough decisions have to be made to prevent prolonged
suffering. These decisions will also affect how you can treat more valuable
stock in the future. When a good proven producer goes down, and its time to
call the vet you will have the funding to do so if you haven't emptied you
pocket book and medical cabinet on animals of lesser value. If it sounds
harsh, thats because it is. I had to learn this lesson a long time ago, and
if you ask any rancher or farmer who makes a living from what they do
they will all tell you with heavy hearts, there is a time to cut your
losses.
I honestly wish the best, but if push comes to shub, I really hope you do
the right thing and don't let her suffer. Call a livestock freind and have
them show you how to butcher, you'll feel bad about it at first, but just
know in your heart that you did the right thing, and enjoy your healthy
animals and the thought that you you can probably save the next one. You'll
get over it quickly if you keep that in mind. It also comes in handy to know
how to butcher if you ever have to deal with victims of dog attacks that
need to be dispatched immidiatly and humanely.

Good luck,

-- 
Lynette Frick
IDEAL FARM
Jacob Sheep
www.idealjacobsheep.com/



-- 
Lynette Frick
IDEAL FARM
Jacob Sheep
www.idealjacobsheep.com/
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