Lamb with no anus

[ARR]

Retrieved a cold and abandoned newborn ewe lamb from the field this morning. It’s been on the bottle and drinking OK although it seemed constipated, after a closer inspection it appears to have no anus. I have heard about this before although I have no experience with it. Anything I can do or is it a case of pts?
Thanks

 

[Al R]

Nothing can be done, had 2 this week that couldn’t keep up with mum in the field. Reading online when I googled it it effects 1/100 lambs?

 

[neilo]

Nothing can be done, had 2 this week that couldn’t keep up with mum in the field. Reading online when I googled it it effects 1/100 lambs?

Clearly not 1 in a 100, that would see most flocks seeing several every year. I haven’t seen one in years, thankfully.

 

[Al R]

Clearly not 1 in a 100, that would see most flocks seeing several every year. I haven’t seen one in years, thankfully.

I thought it was high too...

 

[neilo]

Retrieved a cold and abandoned newborn ewe lamb from the field this morning. It’s been on the bottle and drinking OK although it seemed constipated, after a closer inspection it appears to have no anus. I have heard about this before although I have no experience with it. Anything I can do or is it a case of pts?
Thanks

If you have a prod around, does the lamb have no anus, or does it just have a bit of skin covering/sealing it? If the latter, a small incision with a scalpel will allow thingsto work properly. If the former, putting to sleep is the kindest option IME.

 

[neilo]

I thought it was high too...
View attachment 776768

No way. How many lambswould you see with it from your lot? Surely nothing like 1 in 100?

I’ve seen it once in a while, but not for several years, and we have just over 1000 lambs a year.

 

[Guiggs]

Had one last year that wasn't plumbed up so to speak, nothing can be done except to put them out of their misery

 

[unlacedgecko]

No way. How many lambswould you see with it from your lot? Surely nothing like 1 in 100?

I’ve seen it once in a while, but not for several years, and we have just over 1000 lambs a year.

I’ve seen ewe lambs that sh!t through their fanny. Could they bump up the number that have the condition and survive?

I agree though, I think 1% is exceptionally high.

 

[Al R]

No way. How many lambswould you see with it from your lot? Surely nothing like 1 in 100?

I’ve seen it once in a while, but not for several years, and we have just over 1000 lambs a year.

Exactly - it could be in ‘Merica? last year may be 2/3 out of 1800+ lambs. We tried doing the incision on a 4 day old and it didn’t work, found his head the next morning. Another lamb was the last of triplets, waterbelly and no anus so knocked it there and then.

 

[Al R]

I’ve seen ewe lambs that sh!t through their fanny. Could they bump up the number that have the condition and survive?

I agree though, I think 1% is exceptionally high.

Yes i’ve Seen that to, had a haemaphrodite year before last, it stood like a ram to wee but it came out the fanny so it all leaked down onto its testicles, trimmed and clik’d more times than a Suffolk would be!

 

[neilo]

Exactly - it could be in ‘Merica? last year may be 2/3 out of 1800+ lambs. We tried doing the incision on a 4 day old and it didn’t work, found his head the next morning. Another lamb was the last of triplets, waterbelly and no anus so knocked it there and then.

Agreed, it doesn’t always work. The alternative is tapping them anyway, so little to lose giving them a chance IME, depending on cause of the problem. If they have no anus underneath then there’s only one responsible thing to do, unfortunately.

 

[Wooly]

Had a few over the years.

Tried most things.

Verdict : They ALWAYS end up dying.

Don't waste your money or conscience - put it out of its misery....... sometimes it's kind to be cruel !

 

[hill farmer]

I’ve seen ewe lambs that sh!t through their fanny. Could they bump up the number that have the condition and survive?

I agree though, I think 1% is exceptionally high.

I found a ewe like this once, lying down straining, I thought she was prolapsing and caught her but she was crapping through her fanny.
Funny thing was that she was a 4yr old looking well and must have had lambs in the past or would have been culled at scanning.

 

[MJT]

Had one this year so far, but was the type that are plumbed together properly so nothing can do . Have had success when there’s obvious pressure on anus and just a film of skin over it, make incision and plenty of blue spray and iodine and usually fine .

 

[Downton_shep]

If You apply a little pressure to the stomach and you can see pressure where the hole should be then it’s pretty straight forward to open it up. Try to cut a cross rather than just a line. Less chance of healing over.