Bottle Lamb fever

[TulipAcres]

My mama ewe didn’t have any milk so I’ve been bottle feeding her twins (born a week ago on Jan 30). They weren’t able to get any real colostrum, but did get colostrum replacer. I dipped his umbilical cord in iodine at birth.
The ewe lamb is doing fine. Mom hasn’t rejected either, she just has zero milk.
I pulled the ram lamb out Sunday afternoon when I noticed he hadn’t been drinking as much as his sister.
Turns out he had a temp of 105. I have since given him two doses of LA200 antibiotic, continue to give him nutri drench, started vitamin B today, getting some milk into him but not as much as he needs. Some times he sucks an ounce (he was eating from the bottle just fine before), other times I feed him via syringe (he swallows just fine).

This morning his temp was just above 104. He enjoys following us around the house. Doesn’t seem to be breathing funny. No discharge. No scours. Sleeps if we leave him in the crate, but otherwise seems okay - apart from the fever and not eating.

Does anyone have a good idea what could be going on?

 

[Alaskan]

No idea.

I would see if feeding him more often would help to get more into him.

But... I would call the vet.

 

[TulipAcres]

Just an update if it’s helpful for anyone - looks like the lamb almost had pneumonia. The vet said he may have an upper respiratory infection. Kinda hard to tell because there was no real big sign of breathing problems. I think we caught it really quick. He still had a fever of 105.8 when I took him in last night. She immediately gave him some pain med for the fever (and gave me some to take home for a few days dosing) as well as Benanine (is that what it’s called?) - a few days worth of antibiotics.
I haven’t taken his temp today since he is eating better than the last few days. We put him back out with his mama and the other sheep last night (he kept jumping out of his box and trying to find us every time we went to our room to sleep).

 

[cingarb]

My mama ewe didn’t have any milk so I’ve been bottle feeding her twins (born a week ago on Jan 30). They weren’t able to get any real colostrum, but did get colostrum replacer. I dipped his umbilical cord in iodine at birth.
The ewe lamb is doing fine. Mom hasn’t rejected either, she just has zero milk.
I pulled the ram lamb out Sunday afternoon when I noticed he hadn’t been drinking as much as his sister.
Turns out he had a temp of 105. I have since given him two doses of LA200 antibiotic, continue to give him nutri drench, started vitamin B today, getting some milk into him but not as much as he needs. Some times he sucks an ounce (he was eating from the bottle just fine before), other times I feed him via syringe (he swallows just fine).

This morning his temp was just above 104. He enjoys following us around the house. Doesn’t seem to be breathing funny. No discharge. No scours. Sleeps if we leave him in the crate, but otherwise seems okay - apart from the fever and not eating.

Does anyone have a good idea what could be going on?

Darn he is cute. I raised 2 on a bottle just last year but had already forgotten how sweet and innocent. The whether is FAR from cute now as we tamed him so well that now he waits for a back to butt and goes for it! Ouch

 

[Alaskan]

Just an update if it’s helpful for anyone - looks like the lamb almost had pneumonia. The vet said he may have an upper respiratory infection. Kinda hard to tell because there was no real big sign of breathing problems. I think we caught it really quick. He still had a fever of 105.8 when I took him in last night. She immediately gave him some pain med for the fever (and gave me some to take home for a few days dosing) as well as Benanine (is that what it’s called?) - a few days worth of antibiotics.
I haven’t taken his temp today since he is eating better than the last few days. We put him back out with his mama and the other sheep last night (he kept jumping out of his box and trying to find us every time we went to our room to sleep).

Great update.

Keep us informed... I want to know when he is 100%

 

[TulipAcres]

Darn he is cute. I raised 2 on a bottle just last year but had already forgotten how sweet and innocent. The whether is FAR from cute now as we tamed him so well that now he waits for a back to butt and goes for it! Ouch

I knew the mama was going to have some milk issues so was really hoping she would give us two ewe lambs and no rams. It’s hard for my little boy to get so attached to a bottle baby ram. And I really don’t want a dangerously friendly ram with us, but we should be eating him before that becomes an issue.

 

[TulipAcres]

Well, I’m pretty sure the little ram has made a full recovery. He hasn’t had any issues since we started the meds from the vet and has been out on pasture with the other sheep since. He is more friendly than I would want any ram lamb to be, but hopefully we’ll be able to harvest him (hopefully he will be big enough) before the end of the year.

 

[Alaskan]

Well, I’m pretty sure the little ram has made a full recovery. He hasn’t had any issues since we started the meds from the vet and has been out on pasture with the other sheep since. He is more friendly than I would want any ram lamb to be, but hopefully we’ll be able to harvest him (hopefully he will be big enough) before the end of the year.

Good update.

 

[farmerjan]

One thing to think about. If the ewe doesn't have any milk, do you have a reason for suspecting that she would have a problem???? You do know that there are genetics inplay here and a female with less than needed milk, or no milk, is not a good candidate to retain replacement ewes from. Of course there are extenuating circumstances,,,,, rare breed you are trying to preserve and can work with less than perfect situation in the hopes the ewe lamb will be better; momma ewe had an infection last time and so it was not necessarily a genetic thing..... just something to think about....

Congrats on catching the ram lamb's problem quick and a successful intervention for him. Most rams do not get overly obnoxious until they get a little age on them. I think you will eat him long before you have a problem. DO NOT do any head to head things with him... they have a hard head for butting for a reason.... any interaction friendliness should be done from the side so he does not want to assert his "place" with pushing etc from the head. Actually good advice for most any male of any breed.

 

[TulipAcres]

Yes, we are very careful not to pet our rams on their heads!

This mama ewe did not previously have any lambing or milking issues. This is her 4th or 5th year lambing and the first time with this milk issue. With a flock as small as mine (I can only keep 2 or 3 ewes through the winter), it’s worth me seeing how the ewe lamb does when it comes time to decide whether to breed her or not. I would love to cull aggressively, and will always keep that as a top priority as we grow our flock, but it isn’t the best economical choice for us at the moment.