bacterial sheep illness

[bovine]

It's not OPA - they can live months and will be very thin. To be the cause of death the lung tumours would be screamingly obvious.

Not botulism either.

With the speed of death I'd be investigating salmonella, pasturella or clostridia given the seemingly rapid progress of disease.

Are they vaccinated, what with and when?

 

[shepherdess]

Yes bad shot will treat for this at same time as shot of pen strep etc which ever else I try along with, and max dose doesn't help them thou

 

[shepherdess]

Their vaccinated with hept vac p bovine done 2 weeks ago that's all vaccinated with later than I'd liked but didn't want to stress them more with this issue, wouldn't these show up in the lab tests bovine all that showed was a pulmonary bacteria but which type was inconclusive

 

[bovine]

When have they been dying? Over what sort of time period? How many have you lost?

It really takes 2 weeks after a booster for meaningful protection. Some of the clostridia are hard to grow. Salmonella needs special culture and may need more samples. Pasturella generally easy to find.

Can you expand on 'pulmonary bacteria but type inconclusive'? Either they cultured something or they didn't?! If they did there is no excuse for not typing it. Unless contaminated I suppose

 

[shepherdess]

Would be nice to turf them out bobajob but their due in a week so it would stress them more as would have to run them a good mile to get to fields or box them this close to lambing, no easy fields to sheds either as farm away fields, but out in the open I agree would prob solve a bit

 

[shepherdess]

Vairys bovine, some will last a week then snuff it others over few hours from looking down in the dumps,

Lost a good 30 over a month

Vet took tests blood and organs sent them away to a lab
The pm on drowling ewe was pussy liquid on outside and inside of both lungs and heart this was tested and showed bacteria vet wasn't over presific as was phone conversation at time will know more when we chat better tomorrow, I agree they were vaccinated late this was as I didn't wasn't to stress them more,

 

[bovine]

My suggestion would be to get your vet to kill the next one as soon as it looks sick (or take it to the lab live if you are close) and get good quality samples.

Could be post mortem contamination - where they find a heap of mixed bacteria.

 

[shepherdess]

Haven't seen reply maybe won't from tests all I know is results showed pulmonary bacteria, theies no trembling they blink when u flash a hand towards their eye so alert and all and some will eat till the end their breathing is struggled laboured I guess due to fluid around lungs their hot though sheared and weather cold on vets taking temp, first sign is both ears right downwards looking real sad to start with you can get them up their maybe wander off drink or eat or maybe stand their for z bit and just lie back down, hour or so later normally thit start to drowl hold head down and body up it runs out, most will eat ivy or cake when offered and even drink, but respond to nothing I have given them

 

[shepherdess]

Might be only option will see what vet surgests tomorrow
Thank you

 

[Six Dogs]

Sordelli?

 

[scholland]

Sordelli?

That was my thought but the dying over several days doesn't for with that. They certainly go off quick with sordelli.

 

[Leereade]

Be interested to find out off what you have told us maybe they have just invented another way to die on us....

Sheep 1 - humans 0

 

[flockeye]

With the fluid on the lungs it's obviously a respiratory thing. Have to agree with bovine on this get a "live" one to the lab. Last year I had 2 go down with pasterella at the same time (all on the hep p plus system done 5 weeks pre lambing) must have got missed or not taken and the amount of fluid out the nose/lungs was unbelievable. Hope things turn round and quickly for you. Bloody sheep!!

 

[shepherdess]

Well arrived this morning to another that's gone over night! This one is one I know for the reason she always would try and take my legs out each morning to get at the cake, and last night was as boisterous as normal, but this morning no more
I have spoken with vet and the next that shows signs will be going up and used for pm,
As soon as I get any more info from vets etc il add it to hear and to let you know the out come, which with hope we're get to bottom of.

Thank you all for your help and advice

 

[Old Shep]

I've no advice - just to say hope it gets sorted soon. I'm sure everyone feels for you what a night mare.

 

[shepherdess]

Thanks old shep

 

[spin cycle]

It's not OPA - they can live months and will be very thin. To be the cause of death the lung tumours would be screamingly obvious.

but the stress of being close to lambing might 'accelerate' the process?

 

[bovine]

but the stress of being close to lambing might 'accelerate' the process?

No, not in my experience. The tumours in the lungs are screamingly obvious if it was OPA.

 

[Chasingmytail]

what is the breed and is there any evidence of mineral deficiency in the flock? I would wildly guess you have a number of issues not just one. What I have seen here is cobalt deficiency which has lead to pasteurella then a knock on effect.

Is the cake fresh? It hasnt become dirty/mouldy/contaminated. What about the amount of cake they consume and whether there is access to silage (again quality/mould). If this has happened since they have come inside? Have you recently brought them in and changed their diet? Are they gorging on one type of food. Because you say it hasnt effected the leaner sheep which means the fatter ones are eating more???

What do people think about this? Over eating disease Enterotoxemia? http://extension.colostate.edu/topi...-overeating-disease-of-sheep-and-goats-8-018/

Home bred ewes?...I'm very interested in seeing the vets results. Also sorry for you stress and loss of stock.

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/ewes-fitting-and-sudden-death.21194/

 

[gatepost]

Bit of a long shot but, Ergot poisoning?