norseofcourse
Herd Master
I've had to treat a few of the lambs for parasites lately. One in particular is worrying me.
On July 26, I wormed three of the lambs with Valbazen - both of Rose's twins, and Gracie's (ex)ram lamb. None had bottlejaw. They all had pale eyelids - Gracie's lamb was the palest/ He had also been lying down more, and a slightly lowered appetite.
In the week following, Rose's twins improved somewhat, but Gracie's lamb stayed the same, in fact his appetite and energy level both seemed to slowly decrease, to the point his legs would tremble sometimes if he stood too long.
On August 3, Monday morning, I re-dosed Gracie's lamb with Ivermectin. Tuesday morning his appetite was slightly better, and he didn't go lay down right after eating like he had been doing. Tuesday evening his appetite was again slightly better - but he now had bottlejaw. His appetite and energy level both continued to improve every day, and the bottlejaw started to go down after a couple of days. However, on Friday his bottlejaw seemed to be increasing again, and his eyelids were still very pale.
On Saturday August 15 I wormed Gracie's lamb again with Ivermectin. His activity level and appetite were really good, nearly what I would consider normal, but his eyelids were not getting very much color back, and the bottlejaw was not going away. This time I dosed him with a 78 lb. dose, although he's probably closer to 50 - 60 pounds.
That was yesterday. Last night and this morning, he had a good appetite and his activity level was very good. This evening when I brought them in from the main pasture, I noticed his bottlejaw is worse again - it's more swollen than I've ever seen. His activity level and appetite are still loads better than they were at the beginning of all this, but he ate his grain noisily, almost like the swelling make it hard to eat and breathe at the same time. I listened to him afterwards and he didn't sound congested, and he didn't cough at all. He went to the hay feeder and ate hay, then went outside. It was too dark for me to check his eyelids.
So twice now, one and a half days after a dose of ivermectin, he's gotten bottlejaw (or had it get worse). It did decrease after a couple days the first time, so I'm optimistic, but I'm also worried. Can this be a side effect of the worms dying off? Is there anything else that causes bottlejaw? Anything that can help it? He was getting Nutridrench when his appetite was low, till he was back to scarfing down his grain as fast as the others. I've seen him at the loose mineral feeder. Any thoughts appreciated - thanks!
On July 26, I wormed three of the lambs with Valbazen - both of Rose's twins, and Gracie's (ex)ram lamb. None had bottlejaw. They all had pale eyelids - Gracie's lamb was the palest/ He had also been lying down more, and a slightly lowered appetite.
In the week following, Rose's twins improved somewhat, but Gracie's lamb stayed the same, in fact his appetite and energy level both seemed to slowly decrease, to the point his legs would tremble sometimes if he stood too long.
On August 3, Monday morning, I re-dosed Gracie's lamb with Ivermectin. Tuesday morning his appetite was slightly better, and he didn't go lay down right after eating like he had been doing. Tuesday evening his appetite was again slightly better - but he now had bottlejaw. His appetite and energy level both continued to improve every day, and the bottlejaw started to go down after a couple of days. However, on Friday his bottlejaw seemed to be increasing again, and his eyelids were still very pale.
On Saturday August 15 I wormed Gracie's lamb again with Ivermectin. His activity level and appetite were really good, nearly what I would consider normal, but his eyelids were not getting very much color back, and the bottlejaw was not going away. This time I dosed him with a 78 lb. dose, although he's probably closer to 50 - 60 pounds.
That was yesterday. Last night and this morning, he had a good appetite and his activity level was very good. This evening when I brought them in from the main pasture, I noticed his bottlejaw is worse again - it's more swollen than I've ever seen. His activity level and appetite are still loads better than they were at the beginning of all this, but he ate his grain noisily, almost like the swelling make it hard to eat and breathe at the same time. I listened to him afterwards and he didn't sound congested, and he didn't cough at all. He went to the hay feeder and ate hay, then went outside. It was too dark for me to check his eyelids.
So twice now, one and a half days after a dose of ivermectin, he's gotten bottlejaw (or had it get worse). It did decrease after a couple days the first time, so I'm optimistic, but I'm also worried. Can this be a side effect of the worms dying off? Is there anything else that causes bottlejaw? Anything that can help it? He was getting Nutridrench when his appetite was low, till he was back to scarfing down his grain as fast as the others. I've seen him at the loose mineral feeder. Any thoughts appreciated - thanks!