VERY lethargic and thin corsican sheep, fell down tonight.

Green Acres Farm

True BYH Addict
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
1,340
Reaction score
1,347
Points
253
Location
Florida
I agree that a fecal is the number one thing to do so that you know what you are dealing with at this point. On top of that I would take her to the vet and ask for a test for Johne's. It has been known to show up in sheep as well as cattle and if it is the problem, she needs to be disposed of as there is no cure and it is highly contagious. We had a ram that had it and he was laying down and still eating. Had tried everything else, and finally one of the vets at the practice did the blood sample and came up with Johne's. It is seen in cattle and some animals can shed it without showing clinical signs, but it is something you really need to rule out before you possibly infect anything else. Worm loads will drag down the animal and even cause death, but if they have Johne's, then they are susceptible to everything else as their immune system is compromised. Don't know if there is a fecal test for the johnes, but I would look into it as well.
But she is so young. Doesn't Johnes show up when they are older?
 

luvmypets

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
2,813
Reaction score
4,895
Points
413
Good Luck, she a such a cutie.
Just a question, was she in this condition when you got her?
 

farmerjan

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
10,327
Reaction score
39,339
Points
748
Location
Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Normally, johne's shows up when an animal undergoes a stress to their situation....calving, moving, ....NORMALLY.... but never rule it out until you get a definite negative....had a heifer test positive for it on a rented pasture when she was being bred.... and had a friend bring some new stock in that infected his young stock and has paid for it in spades. Calves get it from sucking their own mothers and it is supposed to incubate for several years before actually showing clinical signs....If these are bought animals, I would get them checked. Are you sure she is young????
 

Sheepshape

Herd Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
1,706
Reaction score
3,095
Points
373
Over here we don't have Ivermectin Plus for sheep, but we have plain ivermectin (for roundworms,lugworms and nasal bots) and in combination with a flukicide e.g Fasimec which is triclabendazole plus ivermectin (where the triclabendazole is the active ingredient against flukes).

Whatever you use, make sure that you have adequate fluke treatment if you are in a 'flukey area'

Good luck.
 

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
The sheep is 4 months old so no Johne's test would be accurate. I have thrown the medicine cabinet at a goat once or twice, better than a dead goat. Yes, the treatment "might" kill them, but not treating certainly will.
 
Last edited:

Quarterhorse

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
Points
21
Location
Minnesota, USA
She took a turn for the worse, was laying flat when the hubby checked on her this morning while I was at work. We thought we were going to have to euthanize her. He didn't give up though and gave her 400 mls of fluids and a nutrition/calorie supplement. She got more perky and was up and walking/grazing for a few hours. We got a fecal sample tonight after she ate some (she had no stool in her earlier in the day). We are bringing the fecal to the vet tomorrow morning when they open. We are bringing her fresh grass/alfalfa/clover (she is not interested in hay). Her ears were cool to the touch, so we have a blanket on her and a board beside her to keep her sternal (she keeps laying on her side). Thank you for the Johne's thought, we will get her tested for that as well (hopefully they can do that tomorrow as well).
Thank you all so much for your compassionate replies <3
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0156.JPG
    IMG_0156.JPG
    84 KB · Views: 94

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
She is too young for a Johne's test. And yes, I got this post confused with someone in BC...sorry. I hope she makes it through the night and you can get this figured out.
 

Quarterhorse

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
8
Reaction score
4
Points
21
Location
Minnesota, USA
I just finished reading all those comments. Fecal only tomorrow, hopefully it gives results. Thank you for the kind words. She has been a tough cookie so far, hopefully she pulls through!

Good Luck, she a such a cutie.
Just a question, was she in this condition when you got her?
She was not like this when we got her. She arrived almost 3 weeks ago, all three looked great. A week into them being here, she started having droopy ears and neck and was loosing weight. That's when we did the first dose of Panacur, she kept getting worse while the others are perfectly fine. We gave them all ivermectin a few days later, she kept declining. We started the iron and vit b injections and offered electrolytes, kept declining, so I found this site and you wonderful people to get more suggestions. We are new to sheep, and looking back I should have brought a fecal in when we first noticed her symptoms (I am kicking myself for not doing that). Our goats have always done perfect with normal dewormings, but she is a very different case.
 

Latest posts

Top