Lamb with stiffness in back legs

[Hartwig]

Last year we had one lamb with this case that didn' t make it and this year we have one again and another with less symptoms but the same : about 3 weeks old, the lamb get stiff in the back legs, makes a hump and moves the stiff back legs only when walking slowly - when it runs, it lifts up the back legs, hovers with them over the ground and runs (very quick) only on it`s front legs !!

We had used several treatments (last year and this year most again) and none has helped : antibiotics, painkiller, anti-inflammatory, Vitamin B, Selenium + Vitamin E, Copper.

Does anybody know what kind of illness that could be and how to cure it ??? All Vets here are helpless now after their above recommendations have not improved anything.

Thx.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Looks like joint ill. It’s got big back joints, probably to late now but try giving penicillin for 10 days, if it’s inside it’s easier but like I say probably to late for that lamb. Got 5 here like that from lambing in cold shite weather.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Looks like joint ill to me too....you need to catch it in the early stages and treat them for 10 days consecutively for any chance of recovery

 

[Nithsdale]

Joint ill, as said.

It'll do, of sorts. But the only cure is 40gr of lead injection.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Joint ill, as said.

It'll do, of sorts. But the only cure is 40gr of lead injection.

It will get to next March and then they will reject the whole carcass!

 

[Nithsdale]

It will get to next March and then they will reject the whole carcass!

I've had the odd one go and you do get something for them. But not much! - and as you say, next spring before they're anything like going (usually when you finally get sick of walking it in, when the rest have run in and are already penned up)

 

[Hartwig]

Hmmm, joint illness seems obvious but when we touch the joints they feel not hot, not swollen and completely normal - two vets and one human doctor and one chiropractor (both friends of us) came to the same conclusion.
Can there be some kind of joint illness that keeps cold and does not swell and why only and always on the back legs ??

 

[Nithsdale]

It has had joint ill. It has 'recovered' but the legs/joints are now stiff, and will be for life.

There is no treatment

 

[Estate fencing.]

Hmmm, joint illness seems obvious but when we touch the joints they feel not hot, not swollen and completely normal - two vets and one human doctor and one chiropractor (both friends of us) came to the same conclusion.
Can there be some kind of joint illness that keeps cold and does not swell and why only and always on the back legs ??

I’m afraid you have left it to late. Don’t spend anymore time and money on the lamb. Do you dip there navels?

 

[CopperBeech]

It’s dog food mate

 

[Al R]

It’s also under/overshot and looks like it’s on deaths door, plus joint ill

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

Joint I'll can affect the spine where it swells and compresses the spinal cord. We have an odd one every other year. Repeated injections may reduce the swelling but also may not as suggested above

 

[Al R]

I also wouldn’t rule out erysipelas which is similar...

 

[Northeastfarmer]

It’s also under/overshot and looks like it’s on deaths door, plus joint ill

Other than that it’s a very healthy lamb

 

[Al R]

Other than that it’s a very healthy lamb

If you say so
Certainly a money pit and not a money pot

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

I also wouldn’t rule out erysipelas which is similar...

That is transfered in the waters of the ewe and the lamb ingests that on its tonsils when it first sucks. We inject against th at at birth it's not always dirty pens that cause joint ill.

 

[Hartwig]

It’s dog food mate

I know, but my question is how to prevent it for the future ??

We lamb our Easycares from mid-april on outside on the paddock beside the farm, take them in pens in the polytunnel after lambing for a day for observation, tagging, etc. and let them out to the next paddock.

Is there a golden rule how to prevent such joint illness ??

 

[Al R]

I know, but my question is how to prevent it for the future ??

We lamb our Easycares from mid-april on outside on the paddock beside the farm, take them in pens in the polytunnel after lambing for a day for observation, tagging, etc. and let them out to the next paddock.

Is there a golden rule how to prevent such joint illness ??

A high proportion would be from going inside. Use iodine when inside. Lambs laying on molehills or under hedges where it’s muddy or poo from other sheep on the ground where they are born all goes up into the naval

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

A high proportion would be from going inside. Use iodine when inside. Lambs laying on molehills or under hedges where it’s muddy or poo from other sheep on the ground where they are born all goes up into the naval

Good colostrum intake helps we have used a new imported B12 injection this year and the ewes were in very good milky condition and joint I'll was very low. Also it was dry when going out that must of helped where they were lying plenty of squirted iodine not sprayed is our preferred method.

 

[CopperBeech]

I know, but my question is how to prevent it for the future ??

We lamb our Easycares from mid-april on outside on the paddock beside the farm, take them in pens in the polytunnel after lambing for a day for observation, tagging, etc. and let them out to the next paddock.

Is there a golden rule how to prevent such joint illness ??

Don’t bring them in.