Pregnant Ewe Losing Wool

[Ewetopia_Acres]

I have 2 pregnant dorset ewes that are about a month away from lambing. While in the field today I noticed that on one of the ewes belly, there was a bald patch. They have both been rubbing a lot and have some strings of wool on fences occasionally. I saw on the internet that this could be a sign of internal or external parasites. Has anybody dealt with this before? I am hoping that it is nothing serious but if it is, we are able to have the vet out.
-Thanks

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings @Ewetopia Acres from the front range in Colorado Sorry you're having issues but welcome to BYH. Have you looked through some of the other threads that may have info? Hopefully someone will be along shortly that can help you. We have some really great sheeple here. @Sheepshape @SheepGirl @purplequeenvt @secuono @norseofcourse and so many others. Welcome and please keep us updated on their status.

 

[mysunwolf]

I'm having the same problem with a few select ewes and would be very interested in figuring out what's going on! Right now on my vet's advice I am injecting Ivermectin every 14 days, 3 times. Once they lamb, I will administer topicals like permethrin and hope that this all goes away...

 

[Ewetopia_Acres]

I'm having the same problem with a few select ewes and would be very interested in figuring out what's going on! Right now on my vet's advice I am injecting Ivermectin every 14 days, 3 times. Once they lamb, I will administer topicals like permethrin and hope that this all goes away...

Its weird. It seemed to just all of the sudden happen.

 

[norseofcourse]

I haven't dealt with anything like this, other than normal shedding, but Dorsets aren't a shedding breed. I'd probably be calling my vet, especially with them being pregnant. Good luck and please let us know what it turns out to be and the treatment.

 

[purplequeenvt]

It could be hormone related, stress, nutritional, lice, or many other things.

Someone of our ewes lose some wool, but it's generally after they lamb. Being pregnant and giving birth puts a lot of stress on a ewe and wool lose can be a result.

Since it's on the belly, it could be due to the skin getting stretched.

Sheep tend to get itchy this time of year even without any parasites. Their wool is long and they get stuff in it that gave irratate their skin a bit.

Sorry, not completely helpful, but hopefully gives you a few ideas.

 

[Baymule]

Total sheep newbie here, so not much help. Sure hope you find out what it is and get your girls some relief! Come to think of it, when I was fat and pregnant, my belly itched too!

 

[Sheepshape]

Over here the best guess would be sheep scab , Psoroptes, at this time of year (though lice can cause a similar picture). Sheep will be seen with wool hanging from their mouths as they attack the itching.

Injectable agents work for scab, but don't touch lice, whereas pour-ons work for lice and not scab.

Moxodectin injectable is the best scab treatment (one injection only, whereas two will be needed with Ivermectin, and the sheep must be moved to fresh pasture). The sheep will continue to scratch for a week or two after treatment due to mite faeces in the skin.

If you're unsure as to which it is, a wool sample can be taken to the vet, but both are visible to the naked eye. Mites look like brown sugar grains, sitting on the skin, whereas lice wander about in the wool.

If the cause is lice or scab, they can lose lots of wool by scratching. All sheep scratch a bit from time to time and other causes of scratching rarely cause much fleece loss.

I had to treat all mine for scab a short while ago....

 

[mysunwolf]

I've read that sheep scab was supposedly eradicated from the US, but there are still lice and mites. And of course all the other reasons they might lose wool!

 

[secuono]

My first guess would be lice. They can be hard to get rid of when in full fleece. And you have to treat the areas they live in as well. Any dogs and other animals that also use the area should be moved out or treated, they could carry the lice for a short time and reinfect the sheep.

I would probably wait until after they lamb to shear and treat hard for lice so as to not stress them further and then move them to new area. Lambs could get it and reinfect, though. But once sheared, should be easier to deal with and lambs will have very short wool.

Stress can also cause wool loss, but if they're itching and getting strands of wool falling off, lice is more likely.

Can you find any lice or eggs?