Poorly lamb...help!

[Blossom2017]

I’m pretty new to this so please forgive me, this is only my second year.....we had a ewe who last year had a stillborn 6 weeks early. Yesterday morning she had twins but no milk. They had plenty of colostrum yesterday via a bottle, both were sucking fine. This morning & all day today, neither wanted anything. The little boy is definitely on his very last legs but the girl keeps getting up & calling but won’t take anything. Do I give up or should I do something else? Thanks

 

[ladycrofter]

Sounds like they are too cold to suck are they under a heat lamp? Get them really warm.

 

[Blossom2017]

They aren’t as their temperatures we’re fine but I can get them under, thanks, I’ll give it a go

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Cull the useless bugger

 

[cheviot53]

Can you get some one to show you how to stomach tube them ?

 

[ladycrofter]

Body temp is no indicator, they need external heat. Do you have some Lamb Kick Start or similar glucose based product? Make sure milk is slightly more than body temp, it cools quickly in the bottle, use a thermometer as it will feel too hot to you. If still no sucking, tube feed. If critical inject body temp glucose intra-peritoneal, if not sure how to tube feed or inject get the vet out sharpish. Too late now to take them in to the surgery.

We do not give up - "if there's life, there's hope". You may end up with a large vet bill but you will learn something for managing it yourself next time. learned a lot from our vets in the early years.

 

[Blossom2017]

Thanks, I have done that in the past but I was told not to do it after they’re more than 24 hours old?!

 

[Blossom2017]

Body temp is no indicator, they need external heat. Do you have some Lamb Kick Start or similar glucose based product? Make sure milk is slightly more than body temp, it cools quickly in the bottle, use a thermometer as it will feel too hot to you. If still no sucking, tube feed. If critical inject body temp glucose intra-peritoneal, if not sure how to tube feed or inject get the vet out sharpish. Too late now to take them in to the surgery.

We do not give up - "if there's life, there's hope". You may end up with a large vet bill but you will learn something for managing it yourself next time. learned a lot from our vets in the early years.

 

[ladycrofter]

Do what? Anything is better than dead.

 

[Blossom2017]

Sorry I think the message sent too quickly!! I did read about injecting the glucose but again thought it may be too late. I can do that (we have plenty of other animals & have given plenty of injections etc before!) They are warming again now. Thank you again for your help

 

[Chasingmytail]

stomach feed with more colostrum - plenty of advice on the net. Its a saviour here. Small amounts often.

 

[ladycrofter]

Good luck, as @Chasingmytail says if they can't suck. Check online for the injecting diagram before doing it, it is not the usual type of injection, very specific place and depth. And get the vet out if necessary, you will always learn something useful, you cannot learn this stuff from books and watching YouTube. Two good lambs to market in the autumn might just cover the bill! I had to pay the vet many years ago to show me with a dying little ewe lamb, she gave me good lambs for many years.

 

[primmiemoo]

I know it sounds silly, but I've found that fussing a chilly lamb whilst it's warming by rubbing it where the ewe would lick can make a difference and help with perking up.

Also to note how a ewe will lick to encourage lambs to pass water. If their bladders are working, there's a little more hope.

Good luck with them both.

 

[Goatherderess]

I hated stomach tubing when I first started with the goats and kidding, a good dose of watery mouth 1 year and plenty of youtube videos have made me more confident. I've tubed kids for quite a few days if they wouldn't suck from their mum. Have you a friendly shepherd/ess you can call to show you?

 

[ladycrofter]

Very good point from @primmiemoo tickle their backsides with a straw or rub gently but briskly with a soft cloth, could help get things moving!

 

[GreenerGrass]

@Blossom2017 What colostrum did you use? Does it look like they strain when they try to pooh? We have had same symptoms as you and awful bother. Soapy enema up the bum clears a blockage, usually.

Next year we are only using cow or own harvested sheep colostrum, I really don’t rate the powder at all it invariably blocks them up with our lambs, and yes we mix it fully at the right ratio and perfect temperature.

 

[spin cycle]

I’m pretty new to this so please forgive me, this is only my second year.....we had a ewe who last year had a stillborn 6 weeks early. Yesterday morning she had twins but no milk. They had plenty of colostrum yesterday via a bottle, both were sucking fine. This morning & all day today, neither wanted anything. The little boy is definitely on his very last legs but the girl keeps getting up & calling but won’t take anything. Do I give up or should I do something else? Thanks

are their mouths cold?...if so it could be watery mouth....artificial colostrum is really only a 'kickstart'...they might need a jab or a squirt of spectram

welcome to the sheep world and forum

 

[Blossom2017]

Thank you everyone, we have no problem with anything coming out the other end! That all seems to be working just fine! They’ve had plenty of rubbing & fussing which has perked them up every time! I’m just loathed to call the vet as we’ve had case after case over the years with sheep & other livestock, where they’ve just come up short, not done what we’ve expected & it’s never ended well ( Unfortunately they are the only farm vet in the area & although some of the vets have been amazing, we often end up with one of the younger ‘new school’ vets on call that just don’t measure up (

 

[Blossom2017]

@Blossom2017 What colostrum did you use? Does it look like they strain when they try to pooh? We have had same symptoms as you and awful bother. Soapy enema up the bum clears a blockage, usually.

Next year we are only using cow or own harvested sheep colostrum, I really don’t rate the powder at all it invariably blocks them up with our lambs, and yes we mix it fully at the right ratio and perfect temperature.

 

[Blossom2017]

We used Volac. I used it last year successfully on 3 lambs & have tubed 2 with it 2 weeks ago, they are doing just fine. They are pooing just fine