What did this lamb die of?

[Becs]

Bought the lambs in for footbathing this afternoon. Noticed that one lamb was foaming round the mouth a little and and lagging behind. After turning them back out I went out a couple of hours later to check on him and he was dead. He was 4 weeks old, a good, solid lamb (approx 15-18kg and well fleshed). I opened him up and the lungs/liver/kidneys all looked fine but I thought that part of his intestines looked darker and inflamed. His stomach was full. He had a bit of scouring. He was fine yesterday. The ewes are on heptevac P and I have crovexin i8 in the fridge waiting to do the lambs when they're 8 weeks old. I'm now thinking that maybe I should forget the Crovexin and get some Heptivac P to start asap for the lambs.
Had a dead (smaller/younger lamb) 2 days ago but he'd been half-eaten so couldn't tell much from it.
I'd been feeling smug as this year was the best lambing I've had for loses and I'm feeling gutted to find good lambs dead in the field.

 

[spin cycle]

pasturella based on 'lagging'...'foaming'...sudden death symptoms

 

[Becs]

Thanks Spin Cycle - bugger - even with heptevac P they're not going to get immunity until after the second jab, are they?.

 

[A1an]

Do you happen to have any problems with Tick in your area?

 

[sheep on the brain]

we had crypto amongst lambs 1 year and found that any kind of stress could occasionally kill older fit lambs which had started scouring with crypto at about a month old

 

[Becs]

Is there any hope to jab them with an AB the second I spot any signs or is it always too late by the time they show any symptons?

 

[Becs]

No problem with tick here, A1an, to my knowledge.

 

[primmiemoo]

Thanks Spin Cycle - bugger - even with heptevac P they're not going to get immunity until after the second jab, are they?.

From what I gleaned from a Veterinary College Vet, the first jab does trigger immunity in many lambs, but the second, booster one ensures it in most of the rest.

 

[spin cycle]

Thanks Spin Cycle - bugger - even with heptevac P they're not going to get immunity until after the second jab, are they?.

i don't know TBF.....TBH i just googled the answer....i have been told the best do'ers are often the ones felled....hepping must help i'dve thought

 

[livestock 1]

Are you certain it’s not pulpy kidney?

 

[Becs]

Would the kidney look different if it was pulpy kidney, as the kidneys looked fine to me?

 

[livestock 1]

Would the kidney look different if it was pulpy kidney, as the kidneys looked fine to me?

I honestly have no idea what the kidneys would look like if it was pulpy kidney. If the lamb was well fleshed and was one of the better thriving ones out of the batch I would be thinking pulpy kidney

 

[yellowbelly]

Would the kidney look different if it was pulpy kidney, as the kidneys looked fine to me?

If you squeeze a pulpy kidney in the palm of your hand it will just disintegrate.

 

[neilo]

I honestly have no idea what the kidneys would look like if it was pulpy kidney. If the lamb was well fleshed and was one of the better thriving ones out of the batch I would be thinking pulpy kidney

The clue is in the name. Their kidneys will be ‘pulpy’ when you do a PM.

I think they normally just keel over though, rather than froth at the mouth, etc.

Tbh it could be any manner of things imo, not necessarily anything helped by giving Heptavac, although it’s probably good practice to do so anyway.

Edit: @yellowbelly is clearly faster at typing than me.

 

[livestock 1]

The clue is in the name. Their kidneys will be ‘pulpy’ when you do a PM.

I think they normally just keel over though, rather than froth at the mouth, etc.

Tbh it could be any manner of things imo, not necessarily anything helped by giving Heptavac, although it’s probably good practice to do so anyway.

Edit: @yellowbelly is clearly faster at typing than me.

Well yes I would have thought that to be true. The fast doers are a good hand at dying from it around the same stage as suggested. And yes the ones I have had are just dead!

 

[Tomgarlick]

pasturella based on 'lagging'...'foaming'...sudden death symptoms

What age can lambs get pasturella from as seem to have has a few this time with same symptoms as suggested .

 

[yellowbelly]

What age can lambs get pasturella from as seem to have has a few this time with same symptoms as suggested .

Youngest I've seen would be about 4 weeks (ewes on Hept P) but I suppose it could be earlier if the ewes have not been vaccinated and passed on immunity.

Next one you have die, cut it open and have a look.....

....normal lung on left, lung with pasturella on right.

 

[Longlowdog]

Cocci'? First lamb here 5 weeks old with the black squits. He was also spending a lot of time round the water trough. Dosed with Baycox within minutes of seeing him. That was 36hrs ago and he looks better skinned now so maybe caught in time.
With the recent sunshine and warm evenings it has to be perfect conditions for a nema-cocci storm. I should add I'm in Aberdeenshire, so likely a few weeks behind the majority of folk.