Blind sheep

[Helga1]

Hi please can anyone help we have a flock of 11 balwen sheep. They have spent the summer at a friends of ours farm while we have made hay on our land. They returned back last Sunday, slightly trimmer than they were. We wormed them and seem to have been fine. We did notice yesterday one of them seem very subdued lay next to the fence, then today it’s gone to almost being drunk like off it’s feet. Then another sheep’s eyes seem to have glazed over to the point where they are reflective. Both of them appear to be blind as we can go right up to them which is something we have never been able to do. Can anyone offer any advice as to what if may be? Thanks you

 

[yellowbelly]

Hi please can anyone help we have a flock of 11 balwen sheep. They have spent the summer at a friends of ours farm while we have made hay on our land. They returned back last Sunday, slightly trimmer than they were. We wormed them and seem to have been fine. We did notice yesterday one of them seem very subdued lay next to the fence, then today it’s gone to almost being drunk like off it’s feet. Then another sheep’s eyes seem to have glazed over to the point where they are reflective. Both of them appear to be blind as we can go right up to them which is something we have never been able to do. Can anyone offer any advice as to what if may be? Thanks you

Like this?

Could be pink eye.
Have a look at this...

NADIS Animal Health Skills - Eye Diseases in Sheep

NADIS is a unique online based animal health resource for farmers, vets and SQPs. The information is written by veterinary experts, peer-reviewed and presented in a practical format with a high visual clinical content to improve disease awareness and highlight disease prevention.

www.nadis.org.uk

 

[Helga1]

Like this?
View attachment 1068461
Could be pink eye.
Have a look at this...

NADIS Animal Health Skills - Eye Diseases in Sheep

NADIS is a unique online based animal health resource for farmers, vets and SQPs. The information is written by veterinary experts, peer-reviewed and presented in a practical format with a high visual clinical content to improve disease awareness and highlight disease prevention.

www.nadis.org.uk

I have looked at that but I’m not so sure. Three of them now are literally just standing a little roached back all alone in the field. We thought maybe something they’d eaten but there’s no froathing or signs of that

 

[pat kcotnit]

Hi please can anyone help we have a flock of 11 balwen sheep. They have spent the summer at a friends of ours farm while we have made hay on our land. They returned back last Sunday, slightly trimmer than they were. We wormed them and seem to have been fine. We did notice yesterday one of them seem very subdued lay next to the fence, then today it’s gone to almost being drunk like off it’s feet. Then another sheep’s eyes seem to have glazed over to the point where they are reflective. Both of them appear to be blind as we can go right up to them which is something we have never been able to do. Can anyone offer any advice as to what if may be? Thanks you

Sounds like CCN. Need injections of vitamin b1, best to get a vet to confirm though. Probably brought about by change of diet from where they were grazing before to where they are grazing now.

 

[ritchiekirkland]

Listeria ?

 

[Jrp221]

Maybe speak to your vet? Think this is what they are trained for? Although it does sound like Pink eye, easily treated with a course of LA antibiotics there maybe another issue too.

 

[Bluesman]

This looks like a bacterial infection of the eye. See my question about eye infection in sheep. Oxytetracycline injections i/m and eye ointment in the eye, otherwise get your vet to inject steroid and oxytetracycline in the eye lid. They will recover but get on to it quickly.

 

[Al R]

Listeria possibly, had 3 the last week - using 2/3 year old silage up in august is the probably cause, even though 95% good bales there could have been a chance they picked it up then.

 

[Nithsdale]

The blindness isn't an issue - you can treat, and it'll come right in few days, or let it sort itself and they'll come right in 7-10 days

Either way don't go bothering them needlessly, they'll be fine left to their own devices through the day until the sight comes back.


As for the one which appears "drunk" very hard to comment without seeing it

 

[BAF]

I've had a bugger of a time with pink eye. Couple of ewes had it before tupping but thought it'd cleared up only to give it to the tup. Couple of squirts with teramycin spray cleared up the ewes but didn't do much for the big lad. Gave him a big squirt of penicillin based mastitis tube and that sorted him.

 

[Helga1]

Listeria possibly, had 3 the last week - using 2/3 year old silage up in august is the probably cause, even though 95% good bales there could have been a chance they picked it up then.

Can I ask how yours went on with listeria? We have four now and possibly another … we have injected vitamin and antibiotic. Sprayed feet and eyes. They are all keeping going … everything I read says they usually die before 48 hours but ours have been longer now. Any advice would be super helpful. Thanks

 

[Helga1]

Can I ask how yours went on with listeria? We have four now and possibly another … we have injected vitamin and antibiotic. Sprayed feet and eyes. They are all keeping going … everything I read says they usually die before 48 hours but ours have been longer now. Any advice would be super helpful. Thanks

The latest one seems to be running round the field as if it’s lost the plot

 

[Jrp221]

The latest one seems to be running round the field as if it’s lost the plot

What has the vet said?

 

[Al R]

Can I ask how yours went on with listeria? We have four now and possibly another … we have injected vitamin and antibiotic. Sprayed feet and eyes. They are all keeping going … everything I read says they usually die before 48 hours but ours have been longer now. Any advice would be super helpful. Thanks

Treated first with Betamox LA, died the next day.
Treated second with Alamycin LA and it died 2 days after. Treated third who was a lot milder symptoms than the second but treated same time with Alamycin LA and she’s still here, served by a ram that was put in with her for company for a few days, i jabbed her again on day 5 with Alamycin LA and now day 7 she’s much much better, whistle from 150 metres away and she turns her head towards the noise so I’m hoping a full recovery. 70kg ewe’s and gave them 12ml of Alamycin LA each.

Vet was here TB testing the day the second 2 went downhill and I asked him and he said Endamycin Was the best but Alamycin LA at a higher dose would be better than nothing else. Due to having to use bottles up I do tend to use 10-12ml on ewes.

 

[roseshep]

Hi please can anyone help we have a flock of 11 balwen sheep. They have spent the summer at a friends of ours farm while we have made hay on our land. They returned back last Sunday, slightly trimmer than they were. We wormed them and seem to have been fine. We did notice yesterday one of them seem very subdued lay next to the fence, then today it’s gone to almost being drunk like off it’s feet. Then another sheep’s eyes seem to have glazed over to the point where they are reflective. Both of them appear to be blind as we can go right up to them which is something we have never been able to do. Can anyone offer any advice as to what if may be? Thanks you

I've had this after a ewe ate buckwheat, any chance it could be that?

 

[ShooTa]

Could it be acorn poisoning?

 

[Yonlass]

Treated first with Betamox LA, died the next day.
Treated second with Alamycin LA and it died 2 days after. Treated third who was a lot milder symptoms than the second but treated same time with Alamycin LA and she’s still here, served by a ram that was put in with her for company for a few days, i jabbed her again on day 5 with Alamycin LA and now day 7 she’s much much better, whistle from 150 metres away and she turns her head towards the noise so I’m hoping a full recovery. 70kg ewe’s and gave them 12ml of Alamycin LA each.

Vet was here TB testing the day the second 2 went downhill and I asked him and he said Endamycin Was the best but Alamycin LA at a higher dose would be better than nothing else. Due to having to use bottles up I do tend to use 10-12ml on ewes.

This is the stuff. A long acting dose really improves them. Cheap too

 

[Estate fencing.]

Treated first with Betamox LA, died the next day.
Treated second with Alamycin LA and it died 2 days after.

Classic sheep.

 

[Al R]

Classic sheep.

Yep

 

[Slowcow]

Could it be acorn poisoning?

Not wanting to hijack a thread, but we've had a few sheep going blind the last few weeks, some have misty lens so I've treated them for new Forrest eye. One today her eyes look clear but she can't see at all?

Is that a symptom of acorn poisoning? We have had other problems but according to blood test not trace elements although I'm not convinced yet!