Please help! Ewe is driving me crazy!

Hufflesheep

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UPDATE:

Fever is still normal but he is still weak and now not eating much. I don't know what to do except keep him warm in the house and try to give him bottles.
😩
 

High Desert Cowboy

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Last year my one ewe had triplets, and by the end of the day it was clear one wasn’t doing as well as her sisters. I gave her to a friend and she had to live in a box by the stove for two days being tube fed before she recovered sufficiently to go outside and suck from a bottle. So there’s hope, but how are you at tube feeding? Nutrition is important, and if he’s too weak to suck effectively tube feeding is a must.
 

Hufflesheep

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Last year my one ewe had triplets, and by the end of the day it was clear one wasn’t doing as well as her sisters. I gave her to a friend and she had to live in a box by the stove for two days being tube fed before she recovered sufficiently to go outside and suck from a bottle. So there’s hope, but how are you at tube feeding? Nutrition is important, and if he’s too weak to suck effectively tube feeding is a must.

Haven't tried it yet, but i may have to. This morning he was on his feet and drank a couple ozs. I noticed he was constipated and stupidly gave him probiotics then i remembered he was on antibiotics.
 

purplequeenvt

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If he's too weak to suckle properly, tubing may be necessary (and this is coming from someone who HATES to tube lambs).

Did the vet check your lambs heart? White Muscle Disease (selenium deficiency) can weaken the heart muscle and causes the lamb to slowly fade away. Unfortunately, if that is the case, there's not much hope.

New England is a selenium deficient area. Our old protocol was to give lambs 1/4-1/2ml of BoSe at birth, but when we changed things up and started giving BoSe to our ewes prior to breeding, our percentage of multiple births went up. We never got a majority of single births, but once making sure the ewes were adequately supplemented, we started having a lot fewer singles and more twins and triplets. We even had a set of quads.

I'd recommend getting one of these products from Premier to help supplement your ewes year round.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix-vitamin-e-booster?cat_id=263
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix?cat_id=263
 

Hufflesheep

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If he's too weak to suckle properly, tubing may be necessary (and this is coming from someone who HATES to tube lambs).

Did the vet check your lambs heart? White Muscle Disease (selenium deficiency) can weaken the heart muscle and causes the lamb to slowly fade away. Unfortunately, if that is the case, there's not much hope.

New England is a selenium deficient area. Our old protocol was to give lambs 1/4-1/2ml of BoSe at birth, but when we changed things up and started giving BoSe to our ewes prior to breeding, our percentage of multiple births went up. We never got a majority of single births, but once making sure the ewes were adequately supplemented, we started having a lot fewer singles and more twins and triplets. We even had a set of quads.

I'd recommend getting one of these products from Premier to help supplement your ewes year round.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix-vitamin-e-booster?cat_id=263
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix?cat_id=263

If he's too weak to suckle properly, tubing may be necessary (and this is coming from someone who HATES to tube lambs).

Did the vet check your lambs heart? White Muscle Disease (selenium deficiency) can weaken the heart muscle and causes the lamb to slowly fade away. Unfortunately, if that is the case, there's not much hope.

New England is a selenium deficient area. Our old protocol was to give lambs 1/4-1/2ml of BoSe at birth, but when we changed things up and started giving BoSe to our ewes prior to breeding, our percentage of multiple births went up. We never got a majority of single births, but once making sure the ewes were adequately supplemented, we started having a lot fewer singles and more twins and triplets. We even had a set of quads.

I'd recommend getting one of these products from Premier to help supplement your ewes year round.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix-vitamin-e-booster?cat_id=263
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/selenium-iodine-premix?cat_id=263

I called the doc and left a message for next steps but I think you may be right i found this in sheepandgoat.com

"When the disease affects the heart, the animal shows signs similar to pneumonia, including difficult breathing, a frothy nasal discharge (may be blood stained), and fever. The heart and respiratory rates are elevated and often irregular. Skeletal and cardiac muscle disease may occur concurrently."

The doc gave me extra bo-se shots for the next lambs due soon. 😭 i feel so useless. This has been hell
 

Hufflesheep

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The little guy died. 😣
While I'm not entirely sure from what, i suspect selenium deficiency to at least be an aggravating factor. Both of the first two ewes gave birth to slow, weak lambs.

**For those first timers who fall into this thread by happenstance in their pursuit of research, take heed. Even for those with primitive hardy breeds (such as mine) may be lacking in essential nutrients.

So the next two ewes have been given shots of bo-se on March 8th and i have extra shots of bo-se for newborn lambs. I was instructed to administer it directly after birth. Hopefully there's no risk of 'over-doing it'(?)
In the future I know some of you have reccomended the paste. Do any of you use mineral blocks?

Again, my sincerest gratitude for helping me through this.
 

Baymule

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I am sorry that you lost the lamb, unfortunately that is part of farm life. We do our best, we ask for help, we get lots of kind advice, but sometimes it is not to be. We grieve, learn and move on because life doesn't wait for anyone and more lambs are on the way. Posting our ups and downs is for everyone to learn. It is good that you posted this.

No on the mineral blocks. Sheep have no upper teeth, gnawing on a block is not good for their teeth. Get the loose minerals for sheep, I get Dumor at Tractor Supply and mine like it and do well on it. I also offer them Azomite, a rock dust from an ancient lave flow out of Utah. I observed my new born lambs eating fresh dirt kicked up by gophers one time and offered the Azomite, they ate it like candy. So they get both. I also offer Dolomite lime, I get it in the garden part of Lowes. It is helpful for pregnant and nursing ewes. I got trays with 2 compartments that hook over a 2x4 from Tractor supply.
 

Hufflesheep

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I am sorry that you lost the lamb, unfortunately that is part of farm life. We do our best, we ask for help, we get lots of kind advice, but sometimes it is not to be. We grieve, learn and move on because life doesn't wait for anyone and more lambs are on the way. Posting our ups and downs is for everyone to learn. It is good that you posted this.

No on the mineral blocks. Sheep have no upper teeth, gnawing on a block is not good for their teeth. Get the loose minerals for sheep, I get Dumor at Tractor Supply and mine like it and do well on it. I also offer them Azomite, a rock dust from an ancient lave flow out of Utah. I observed my new born lambs eating fresh dirt kicked up by gophers one time and offered the Azomite, they ate it like candy. So they get both. I also offer Dolomite lime, I get it in the garden part of Lowes. It is helpful for pregnant and nursing ewes. I got trays with 2 compartments that hook over a 2x4 from Tractor supply.

Awesome! Thanks!
 

Baymule

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Buuy Pat Colby's book Natural Sheep Care. I don't use her mineral mix, I prefer to buy the Dumor and offer additional minerals, but it is a good read and lots of information.

 

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