Extra Swollen Bellies

[Sheepfarmer22]

This isn't really a disease or injury but I find it best fit in this forum...

All of my lambs (not ewes or rams, just the lambs that are under seven months) have swollen abdomens. I dont understand why. I deworm often and I don't think that's the case. Is it too much food? Grass? Salt content in food? Disease? I need help! Take note that the lambs are together. The ram and ewes that are adults are in a different pen seperate. They don't have this problem. Does anybody have ideas?

 

[farmerjan]

First off, do you deworm with the same thing everytime? How often are you deworming? Do the lambs ever get rotated off this place/pen/pasture?
If they never get rotated out, they are constantly picking up worms and larvae from the ones that you wormed them for...
If the grass is short and they are grazing, they are ingesting the immature larvae that climbs and clings to the grass... ESPECIALLY grass less than 6 inches tall.

I suspect wormy.... Maybe I am wrong.... But I suggest changing to a different CLASS of wormer... READ the labels... if you are using a "mectin"... you want to switch to something in the " zole" family.... VALBAZEN which is albendazole, or Safeguard which is fenbendazole..... OR.... PROHIBIT..... which is in the " sole" family...Levamisole.

And if you are constantly changing wormers, then the surviving worms are building a resistance to ALL the wormers and you are going to have animals that will get worms and NOTHING will work on them.

I think a fecal sample taken to the vet to get them cultured is your best bet.

 

[Baymule]

I generally use ivermectin until I get a problem animal. Then I trot out the Levamasole. AKA Prohibit and /or Levamed.