Is this WMD?

[Joseba]

Healthy one month old lamb (14kg) started limping on one back leg a week ago. Thought it was a bad knock or possibly a fracture so bandaged it up with a splint. After a couple of days the foot had swollen and her temperature was 40.7C so took it to the vet. He sold us 6ml of anti-inflammatories by injection (20€). By the next day the other back leg had given way too. Reading up in Eddie Straiton's book, I thought it may be either swayback or WMD. Called the vet and he sold us 1ml of selenium and 1ml of Vit E for 18€ which he told us to give sub-cutaneous.

Went shearing the next day and showed a mate the video. He agreed it is probably WMD and gave us a mix of selenium and vit E, telling us to inject 1ml intramuscular each week for 3 weeks.

It's hard here (north Spain) to find clear answers and get basic medicines, so am posting this here to see if we're doing the right thing.

The lamb had no problems at birth and other than this sudden paralysis is completely healthy and lively. It still sucks from its mother and moves around surprisingly quickly on her front two legs.

 

[cheviot53]

WMD is also called stiff lamb as they tend to have trouble walking in all 4 legs and a hunched spine , Swayback looks like the lamb but the swollen foot is not normal SO GUESSING maybe joint ill or a spinal abcess or both ??

 

[AftonShepherd]

WMD is also called stiff lamb as they tend to have trouble walking in all 4 legs and a hunched spine , Swayback looks like the lamb but the swollen foot is not normal SO GUESSING maybe joint ill or a spinal abcess or both ??

Could the swollen foot be caused by splinting too tight and not related to the original cause?

 

[snarling bee]

I thought WMD was what Putin has threatened to unleash on the West. ie Weapons of Mass Destruction

 

[Joseba]

Could the swollen foot be caused by splinting too tight and not related to the original cause?

I thought that too, so took it off after a couple of days with it on but even now it’s still swollen.

 

[2tractors]

I have seen this caused by a spinal abscess daily injections with penicillin for a long time can cure 50% of them.

 

[primmiemoo]

Do you have metacam or similar anti-inflamatory, @Joseba ? That would help with the swelling and pain. It does look just like joint ill in the spine, so worth talking to your vet about which antibiotic to use, although it isn't always the best outcome when a lamb goes down with it.

 

[Agrivator]

The best splint for a lamb or calf is a length of foam such as that used for insulating a water pipe. You might need two lengths to fit round the leg. Bind as tight as possible with insulating tape.

The soft foam prevents any damage to the skin.