[Jacob-list] dead lambs

[Sue Roenke]

Marie (who now works at Cornell Sheep Farm) said first one was probably deformed, the second sounds like floppy kid (goat term) syndrome and tubing her probably made her worse.  
Sue


From: lambfarm at tds.net
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:03:36 -0400
Subject: [Jacob-list] dead lambs










Okay,folks, this has never happened before...First 
ewe to lamb out was bred elsewhere:both lambs were weak and lethargic,brought 
them inside,milked out mom and gave them both colostrum...Little boy recovered, 
went out, nursed on mom, is doing well. Little girl got progressively weaker, 
and I noticed her anus was a little strange.  She was pooping but it just 
didn't look right. Second morning, she was very weak, there was blood near her 
backside, she was bleeding rectally.  I figured at that point there was 
something internally wrong with her, and the kindest thing I could do was not 
feed her. She died shortly thereafter.  
 
Next ewe lambs out; one of mine, had twins last 
year, no problems. This year, a single ewe lamb, feisty, got up right away 
looking for food.  But she got progressively weaker.  That was 
yesterday. This morning I weighed her and she had lost a pound from 
birthweight.  I brought her inside and tubed her with mom's colostrum, 
noticing that mom was only working on one side.  Had she only tried that 
side and with no milk, was slowly starving?  Well, anyway,tubed her this 
morning.  Tubed her a few hours later.Just went out and she's very much 
dying.  No point in tubing her again. No fever.  This one looks on the 
outsideanyway anatomically correct.  She peed. Not sure she ever 
pooped.  I had to tube a lamb a few years ago, and she bounced right back. 
This one clearly isn't going to. At this point, to even find a vet who knows 
sheep on a Sunday afternoon...I don't think they could get here in time. I don't 
think she hasmuch time left. She's lying on her side, legs stretched out, 
stargazing a bit.  
 
With the first one, I figured there was some 
internal problem, but now to have another one die...and she was fine when 
born.  Any thoughts out there?  
 
Unfortunately, my vet decided there was more money 
in being pet vets and gave up farm animals.  The nearest vet is a horse 
vet, who has meds, but is admittedly clueless about sheep.  The next 
nearest is 45 minutes away.  I only know about him; haven't called 
him.
 Betty, in Vermont,who now has a blog, thanks 
to help from Walter and Linda.  See Betty's blog at http://sheepwoman.wordpress.com.

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