Emergency Sheep help needed ASAP...

[modern_pioneer]

7 sept 09 1320 hrs

I was called to a a friends farm this morning to help recover a down sheep. Little fellow, about 6-7 months old had been laying in the pasture for at least two days. He had poop all around his back side, I noticed a bundle or lump in his stool. The rest was diarreahea and I could tell he hadn't had water in some time.

Bruce and I loaded the him up on a cart and took him back to the barn. He is drinking water and eating while laying in one spot.

I called Uncle Greg who mentioned if there were any cherry tree limbs around and look for a snake bite. He said if lambs eat cherry leaves/branches they can't pass them making the animal sick. Now he mentioned he wasn't sure about this, but recalled a friend of his that had a like problem with his sheep.

Timber rattlers are common in my neck of the woods. Bruce and I looked all over for a snake bite, nothing was found.

I own guess is that maybe the animal has a parasite which has moved into his brain?

Bruce wants to cull the animal, but I told him to hold off till I could find out what might be wrong with this little fellow.

TIA

 

[enjoy the ride]

I hope sheep people can help more. I have goats but I think that being dehydrated can make him too weak to stand. Usually around here coccidiosis is the cause for a lot of diarrhea- threated with a sulfa drug. E Coli can cause diarrhea too- treated with anti-biotics.
Can you inject under his skin with a ringer's lactate solution to re-hydrate him asap?

Does he have a temperature? Any other symptoms? Is his capillary refill time OK? Have you done a tent thing (i presume you can do this with sheep) to see if he is dehysrated?

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

dont forget to post on the herds site.. might have better response

good luck!

 

[FarmerChick]

Sounds like cocci to me

I have 2 kids with cocci I think right now.
both have the scours

I use Scour Halt for piglets. Red medicine in a squirt bottle.

Key is to stop the diarehea fast to stop dehydrate. Both kids were off feed the other day when I fed them, had the poops. I hit both with a big dose of Scour Halt and this morning they are eating and drinking. They get poor fast, the minute they are off feed and a hint of a poop, I hit with Scour Halt. Works a charm if caught early. Then I hit them with a big dose of Nutri-Drench to get some vitamins etc. back in them.

I gave each a hit of Scour Halt this morning also to be sure they poops are done.

So my 2 kids have dirty butts but are eating and drinking.......next step is hit the feed store and buy medicated goat feed for cocci. Will do that in the morning to keep the spread of it to others. 30 days on med feed helps the group.

Hot weather always brings cocci. It is in the soil and such. Hard to deal with but I put mine on medicated feed every 2-3 months thru the hot weather. Works well for me to keep this in check.

best of luck

 

[modern_pioneer]

I found what looked like a small cut inside of his left shank. Just above the cut I found what I believe a puncture wound.

It looks like he was bitten by a snake, he still hasn't moved or even interested in moving.

Sometimes I wish we could talk to animals so they could tell us whats wrong and how to fix them.

It is what it is, and so Bruce put him down.

I have no problem putting an animal down, its on the menu. Its sad when you can't harvest the meat and it goes to waste.