As we all know Metacam (Meloxicam) is an excellent pain reliever and anti inflammatory drug in livestock, however, it is not cheap and worse still, the injectable form has a short shelf life, so it's not practicable to have a bottle "sitting on the shelf" for an emergency.
So, last night we had a ewe in pretty poor order after lambing twins, (one dead one alive) over the previous night. She was exhibiting massive panting yet obviously feeling cold, as she moved under a heat lamp put in for the 2 lambs as she is fostering one too. Late on yesterday eve, I had given her a shot of AB earlier , she had received some twin lamb drench and I also gave 40ml of calcijet under the skin. Before I went to bed, she was up a bit and massively hungry but panting like a train still.
So, no Metacam in stock, a neighbour had some but it had gone manky, and no way was I calling a Vet. Quick online check on human medicines for a sheep and found a mention that Paracetomol and Ibuprofen can cause side effects in some animals so ruled out... but Asprin is often a safe option for animals.
I was not going out to harvest willow bark at 23.45, so I found a couple of asprin still here, calculated a dose and ground up 1,25 asprin tablets, and mixed with a dribble of drench and water and ?. Did not expect to see her alive to be honest.
Herself was up 3 times overnight looking at another ewe and reported at 7am that the ewe was still alive!! Yay! Looked in on her at 8am and she was up and was then eating cake happily, as were the suckling lambs, still a bit of panting, but a very different animal. ...
So in this case, it may have been the Calcijet that helped... Dunno. BUT, what alternatives have other folks used, "in extremis" to help a poorly animal for pain relief and to bring down a temp?
I know that some recommend turmeric and stuff for join and pain relief, but I am thinking a more pharmaceutical type product....
So, last night we had a ewe in pretty poor order after lambing twins, (one dead one alive) over the previous night. She was exhibiting massive panting yet obviously feeling cold, as she moved under a heat lamp put in for the 2 lambs as she is fostering one too. Late on yesterday eve, I had given her a shot of AB earlier , she had received some twin lamb drench and I also gave 40ml of calcijet under the skin. Before I went to bed, she was up a bit and massively hungry but panting like a train still.
So, no Metacam in stock, a neighbour had some but it had gone manky, and no way was I calling a Vet. Quick online check on human medicines for a sheep and found a mention that Paracetomol and Ibuprofen can cause side effects in some animals so ruled out... but Asprin is often a safe option for animals.
I was not going out to harvest willow bark at 23.45, so I found a couple of asprin still here, calculated a dose and ground up 1,25 asprin tablets, and mixed with a dribble of drench and water and ?. Did not expect to see her alive to be honest.
Herself was up 3 times overnight looking at another ewe and reported at 7am that the ewe was still alive!! Yay! Looked in on her at 8am and she was up and was then eating cake happily, as were the suckling lambs, still a bit of panting, but a very different animal. ...
So in this case, it may have been the Calcijet that helped... Dunno. BUT, what alternatives have other folks used, "in extremis" to help a poorly animal for pain relief and to bring down a temp?
I know that some recommend turmeric and stuff for join and pain relief, but I am thinking a more pharmaceutical type product....
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Might think on this next time...
