Grass Tetany in Sheep

[Baymule]

Lady Baa Baa has been feeling “off”. I could see that she didn’t feel good. I figured she was hitting the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy and gave her tummy rubs. She laid down and I could see in her eyes that she wasn’t her usual self.
She was eating the pellet Feed, hay and grazing in the yard. But she just wasn’t right.

Sunday we went to our DD’s house to visit. When we left, it looked like Lady Baa Baa was in labor. She was laying down, stretching out her head like she had a contraction. I thought we’d come home to a lamb. But, no lamb.

We hadn’t been home long when I decided to go check on her. The girls were grazing in the yard. As I watched in horror, her head curved around over her back and she nearly fell over in spasms. I ran to catch her to keep her from falling over. I called BJ and told him there was something bad wrong and he hurried out. It got worse. She was going in circles, grinding her teeth and foaming at the mouth. I circled with her and finally she stopped. We didn’t know what to do for her.

I wracked my brain trying to figure out what was happening with her. I ran down the list of possibilities and it hit me. I looked up grass tetany and there it was. Sunday evening and where to get the calcium and magnesium she needed? I called Tractor Supply and I think I got hold of an idiot. She couldn’t find anything with calcium or magnesium. How am I going to find cal-mag on a Sunday evening with a shelter in place state order during a global pandemic??

It dawned on me that we had magnesium tablets and I had dolomite lime, which is calcium and magnesium. I powdered the magnesium tablet in a zip lock bag with a hammer and dumped it in a cup, added a heaping teaspoon of dolomite, 2 teaspoons of honey and enough water to make a slurry. I loaded it in a syringe.

I dosed Lady Baa Baa with it , waited an hour and dosed her again. I checked on her at 10:30 pm and it seemed like she was better. Next morning I dosed her again, she felt good enough to fight me. She ate pellets, hay and drank water. Looked like she was going to make it.

This was 100% my fault. I ALWAYS keep dolomite lime out for the sheep during spring grass time and I hadn’t done so. I had slowly put them on the grass and they were fine. I don’t know why I didn’t have the dolomite lime out for them, along with their mineral.

Finally on Wednesday I found a tube of CMPK for a cow at a feed store and bought it. I gave Lady Baa Baa a syringe of it. By that time, she probably didn’t need it, but it made me feel better.

I wanted to share this in case someone else has a Sheep go down with grass tetany. My homemade concoction saved Lady Baa Baa’s life. Now I wait to see if she will have a live lamb....and when!

 

[thistlebloom]

Well that was scary! Glad she recovered, and hoping she gives you a healthy live lamb.

 

[Baymule]

What is grass tetany?

Hypomagnesemic Tetany in Cattle and Sheep - Metabolic Disorders - Merck Veterinary Manual

Learn about the veterinary topic of Hypomagnesemic Tetany in Cattle and Sheep. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual.

www.merckvetmanual.com

Spring Grazing Alert: Grass tetany has already been reported in Montana this spring - MSU Extenison Animal and Range Science | Montana State University

Animal and Range Sciences Extension Service - Range Extension Program

animalrangeextension.montana.edu

 

[farmerjan]

With her getting close to lambing, it could also be some pregnancy toxemia. Very common in ewes that are carrying multiple lambs. Mostly they are needing more energy (sugar) and they are eating less because of less room inside for the feed because the lambs are taking up so much space. You adding the honey helped also to give her that needed "sugar" (energy) boost. I suspect you are right about it being mostly the grass tetany. I keep a couple of the tubes of the CMPK here for any cows that "don't act right".

Good for you to think about the mag tablets and the dolomite lime mixture. You may have to supplement her with a little feed (grain) if she is borderline with the toxemia.

Also, if you can get online, you can research most of what TSC has in the store and not have to deal with people who really don't have any animal knowledge.

It happens more often in older ewes and more often with ones that have multiple lambs inside. Usually the last 2-4 weeks of pregnancy. We feed some alfalfa to the ewes for the last month before lambing because of needing to keep nutritional levels up while they are naturally eating less due to smaller "stomach space" inside. It has several "trace nutrients". But again, since you were well aware that you had not added the needed nutrients to offset the increased "green grass intake" I think you got it right.

We always feed a high mag mineral mixture in the spring to the cattle to prevent grass tetany.

 

[Baymule]

Thanks @farmerjan. It had to be grass tetany, new grass, pregnant, the lamb is drawing on her calcium, vitamins and minerals and I had failed to put out the dolomite like I usually do in the spring. I also put out dolomite lime for them when they are lactating. All the ewes get a little feed twice a day and free choice hay. I have one ewe that puts it all in the milk bag and I usually supplement her by hand. She learned her name real quick and ran to the fence to get her goodies.

 

[Sheepshape]

How's Lady Baa Baa? (Fingers crossed she's on the mend.

 

[Beekissed]

I applaud your quick thinking, Bay!!!! I'm impressed and so very glad you had the wisdom to make do in a tough situation. I'll be watching for this in my flock....but our grass is so very poor compared to your lush offerings, I doubt I'll have any issues.

 

[Baymule]

How's Lady Baa Baa? (Fingers crossed she's on the mend.

Thank you for asking. She had eyes that said she didn't feel good for several days. I kept her (and the rest of the ewes) off the grass until yesterday. I let them in the yard for a couple of hours. Lady Baa Baa and Ewenique were close to the gate, so I quickly lured them in the barn and gave both of them corn. Ewenique is on the thin side, she is the one that puts it all in the milk bag and she always needs a little help to fatten back up. I feed both of them corn by hand several times a day. Lady Baa Baa is getting her bright eyes back, eating well, eating hay and seems to be much better. She does lay down more than usual, but will get up and come to me if I have goodies for her. She is enjoying her butt scratches LOL

I applaud your quick thinking, Bay!!!! I'm impressed and so very glad you had the wisdom to make do in a tough situation. I'll be watching for this in my flock....but our grass is so very poor compared to your lush offerings, I doubt I'll have any issues.

Thanks Bee. It was a NOW situation and I made it happen with what I had. I continue to put out dolomite lime for the flock. My mistake.