Hypothermia

[Country Gal]

I came back from a trip yesterday, a tiny lamb had been born to a first time mother. She seemed ok, was on her feet, but I didn't see any sucking and mom only seemed mildly interested.

I have Katahdins, and last year was my first year, had three lambs born in late summer that did well.

This morning I found the baby in a corner of the shed under the feeding trough, she appeared lifeless. I brought her in and put her on a heating pad. Could barely hear a slow heartbeat (I thought). I have a stethoscope.

Now her heartbeat sounds fast and normal. Breathing appears normal, opening eyes and sometimes moving legs. I did a rectal temp, the digital thermometer read "lo", which tells me she is still cold.

Advise and probably outcome? She's still on the heating pad.

 

[babsbag]

Looks like you have a bottle baby once she warms up

You need to get her warm as you know. You can use hot bottles of water tucked against her or a hair dryer. Some people will put them in a bathtub of warm water but I have never done that. Maybe a heat lamp, very carefully monitored, never leave it unattended.

Once you get her warm she needs to eat. Do you think she nursed at all? She needs that colostrum. You might need to try and milk the ewe and then bottle feed the baby.

 

[Country Gal]

The little one is gone, her heart stopped beating. She looked smaller than my lambs from last summer. Plus they had the advantage of warm days, it's cold here, although warmer than usual, I live in Washington State east of the Cascades

 

[Country Gal]

I hope this mother does better next time. She is a healthy looking ewe, but didn't seem very interested in the babe. Her twin sister is pregnant too, I'll have to watch carefully.

 

[babsbag]

Sorry you lost the little one .

 

[HoneyDreameMomma]

Sorry for your loss. I hope the twin ewe does better.

 

[AriesX]

So sad. We lambed the first time last year and lost one to cold and almost lost another. Do you have dextrose to inject? We have found that to be a great lifesaver. Are you expecting more lambs in the cold?

 

[Country Gal]

I was wonder about blood sugar levels. My friend who is an OB nurse suggested that may have contributed. Also, I wonder if I could have anticipated better, being that the mother didn't seem bonded, I didn't observe suckling, the lamb seemed a little on the small side, the mother inexperienced, the weather cold. I was wondering if you all will preemptively take a lamb to be hand raised if you see signs such as this?

 

[Country Gal]

Another question is, can I now milk the ewe, I mean get her accustomed to being milked? Tomorrow I was going to fashion a stanchion of some sort where they come for their grain, with the boards to hold their necks. I had milk goats many years ago. I would like to utilize the milk.

Yes, I'm pretty sure I have 3 more expectant moms, one the twin of this mom, also less than a year old 1st time mother. The others are the proven ones that lambed in August and were very attentive mothers.

 

[goatgurl]

sorry you lost a lamb. i have katahdins too. have one ewe that wouldn't have anything to do with her lamb as a ff but was a good mother her second lambing and this year she is super mom so don't give up on your ewe, she'll figure it out