Ewe Tooth Problem?

[ragdollcatlady]

It just hurts my heart that she's not doing well. If that sounds sappy, then I'm sappy.

I can't help with sheep.... I'm a goaty person, but I agree that you are in the best of company to be sappy over an old farm animal. We feel you!

 

[4.16Acres]

Thanks for the feels.

Called the vet yesterday and she said to add pain meds to the feed to see if that would help her to eat more. Yesterday she just nibbled and wouldn't eat the pain meds. Tried again this morning and she just walked away. Wasn't the least bit interested in the feed bucket. The one thing in her favor is that she's got good weight on her. But not eating is what worries me. I have the next four days off so I can watch her closer to see if she's grazing during the day.

 

[norseofcourse]

I haven't had sheep long enough to have older ones. Sounds like you are doing all you can for her, poor dear.

I have read that with older ewes with poor teeth, sometimes the best thing is to pull the remaining teeth and at least get rid of that source of pain - as I said I don't have old sheep yet but you might ask your vet what they think of that approach.

 

[4.16Acres]

I did speak with the vet about doing something about the teeth and she said that even if we did something (filing teeth, etc.) that the problem would probably come back. Plus (and I know this sounds cold blooded) but I have to balance financial resources with animal needs.

The good thing is that she did eat tonight without prompting. That's the most she's eaten in a few days. Then she grazed some afterwards. I'm taking it a day at a time. But I'm hoping we're past the worst.

 

[Latestarter]

Didn't sound cold blooded to me... sounded like a reality check! It's already enough that you're rescuing these critters and doing all you can to allow them a comfortable remainder of their lives. I'd say you're doing good!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Just bringing this up because I haven't seen it mentioned yet.... but have you had a fecal run? It's usually pretty reasonably priced. I know teeth seem to be the issue - but what if it isn't?

 

[4.16Acres]

Latestarter...thanks for that.

As to fecal testing...they're dewormed every six months, and had a fecal test a few months ago (negative). But thanks for the suggestion. Sometimes the simple things get overlooked.

 

[Bossroo]

This ewe will progressivley continue to go from bad to worse with more and more pain . Mother Nature uses predators to weed out the week and infirm ,the kindest thing to do now is to think of inviting this ewe to a marinade and BBQ party.

 

[4.16Acres]

Another update. Earlier this week my ewe started sounding congested and stopped eating on Wednesday. The congestion was all up in her nose like she needed to blow her nose. She had just a bit until Friday. When I got home from work it was worse. I called the vet and he came out Saturday. She had a temp (105) and the congestion had gotten so bad that she was panting heavily. He gave her antibiotic shots, something for the fever and then put an anti-inflammatory spray up her nose and then some cream with antibiotics to help with the congestion (he said it was because her sinuses were so swollen that she couldn't get enough air through her nose). I asked if it was pneumonia and he said he couldn't tell because of all the noise from her nose. But he's treating it as pneumonia. We have three days of two shots each and the spray and cream twice a day. The congestion improved tremendously overnight and into this morning when we gave her the nasal treatment. Then about two hours before her next shots and nasal treatments this afternoon it came back. We did the nasal treatment and gave her the shots and it improved her congestion some, but she's still panting and still has a fever. It was hot here today (about 85) so I'm sure that didn't help. I remember when my kids were little sometimes they got worse once on the medicine before they got better. I'm hoping this is the case with this.

She's in a pen and I've seen her drinking and we put a little bit of feed into a bowl and she took a couple of bites. So that's better than she's done in days. But she's still a sick ewe and I'm hoping that her congestion lets up tonight and she can get some sleep.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope the meds kick in and she improves for you!