Problem with a friend's ewe--swollen face

[Ariel301]

My friend called me to come look at one of her sheep last night because it has a problem. I am a goat person and don't know a ton about sheep, so this one has me a little puzzled.

This is a 9 month old ewe lamb, she is a Suffolk/Friesian cross.

Two days ago, they noticed she seemed a little stiff/painful in her legs, and reluctant to walk much, she was also standing with her back hunched. So, they thought maybe selenium deficiency, and treated with BoSe. Yesterday when they went to feed the sheep, this one would not come out of the barn, it was laying in a corner like it was dead. It did not want food. They brought it out to examine it (and called me to come over and look); the sheep did not want to stand at all, and its face/throat were extremely swollen and full of edema, and the sheep was having a very hard time breating, and making a lot of wheezing and grunting noises. I gave the ewe the best exam I could--temperature normal, lungs and heart sounded clear on a stethoscope, gum color normal, not dehydrated, pulse normal, but definitely having a lot of trouble breathing through that swollen face. I gave her a big dose of benadryl and another round of BoSe, and within an hour she was up, walking comfortably, curious, and hungry. She ate and drank, pooped/peed normally (I took a sample to do a worm check, she does need deworming) and did not seem in any pain in her legs anymore, but the swelling really has not gone down in her face, though she can breathe much easier now. They're still treating her with benadryl and putting hot compresses with peppermint oil on her face, she seems to be breathing better with that treatment, but still swollen today.

The only thing I can think of is maybe an allergic reaction? They did get a new load of hay recently. No other animals are sick, and there doesn't seem to be a wound from a bite by a spider/snake/scorpion. Any thoughts? Could this be from parasites? She doesn't have a huge wormload that I could tell, but some.

 

[ksalvagno]

What about a bee sting? Could she have accidentally eaten a bee and stung inside her mouth? How about some Banamine too. That should help with swelling.

 

[Ariel301]

Hmmm....it could be a bee. We do have a lot of them around. That wouldn't account for the lameness though. Maybe two separate issues?

 

[rockdoveranch]

I see there have been no new posts on this since October, so I was wondering what happened to the ewe as it sounds like White Muscle Disease to me.

We have had several lambs bitten by copperheads. Their little faces swell up for awhile and they are miserable, but recover in a day or so.

 

[Ariel301]

She was fine after a few days on Benadryl. We never figured it out for sure.

 

[Eteda]

IT IS..... Photosynthesis do to the reaction to a toxic plant. Can be life threatening depending on the type and severity. Dexamethasone is what the vet gave my lamb just hours ago with a swollen head, neck, ears and front legs. Benadryl cant hurt and has been prescribed by my vet for eczema type issue for a sheep. The vet said to also keep her out of the sun for a day or Two. Her reaction of swelling was VERY fast. From no swelling to swolen up in just about 4 hours or so. She was having trouble breathing and I realized her throat was closing up on her or her nasal passages. She felt really bad also. He took a blood sample and having normal white blood count ruled out other possibilities. SINCE SHE WAS NOT PREGNANT HE COULD GIVE HER DEXAMETHASONE. I guess you would give a pregnant sheep benadryl instead. Ill have to ask he next time I see him. Photosynthesis can be caused by lush pastures due to not being use to so much chlorophyll. Please research but first go put the sheep in question out of the sun and in a shaded stall. Take its temperature while you are out their. It should have no fever and be normal.

 

[Baymule]

This is an old post, but it looks like you brought it up to date. It is a good thing to know what toxic plants are in your area and eradicate them from your pastures if possible. Did your sheep get sick from eating toxic plants?

Welcome to the forum, mosey on over to the new member introductions and tell us a little about yourself!

 

[Eteda]

Thank you BayMuel,
Yes my lambie is sick. or was. she feels better now she is still swollen, but it is going down. I was researching on the PC and came across the info. I knew It was not a bee sting. I decided to just take her to the vet. Since her tongue wasn't swollen I didn't think it was blue tongue either. Im glad I did not wait. I had another lamb that Died two years ago that was doing the same thing. However he did have other birth defects. I though it was worms then. This time I knew I had a normal healthy lamb and I just wormed her 4 days ago. She ate her grain really slow which told me she had mouth or throat trouble. She ate it all an normal ration so it was not her stomach or worms. She had no fever (103.1) and no loose stool. I wanted to help others find the info I was so desperately searching for and be an encouragement for something that can be death to a beloved pet.

 

[Baymule]

Thank you BayMuel,
Yes my lambie is sick. or was. she feels better now she is still swollen, but it is going down. I was researching on the PC and came across the info. I knew It was not a bee sting. I decided to just take her to the vet. Since her tongue wasn't swollen I didn't think it was blue tongue either. Im glad I did not wait. I had another lamb that Died two years ago that was doing the same thing. However he did have other birth defects. I though it was worms then. This time I knew I had a normal healthy lamb and I just wormed her 4 days ago. She ate her grain really slow which told me she had mouth or throat trouble. She ate it all an normal ration so it was not her stomach or worms. She had no fever (103.1) and no loose stool. I wanted to help others find the info I was so desperately searching for and be an encouragement for something that can be death to a beloved pet.

Have you been able to figure out what she ate?

 

[Eteda]

no to much wild vegetation in the pasture. plus a new roll of hay, could have been in their. and then their is the gardenia in the yard. It usually taste so bad they leave it alone after a bite or two. I had them grazing in the yard sat and sunday and then back in the pasture monday. I brought in the roll of hay sunday night. I discovered her thursday morning at 6;30 am. So Im thinking its not in the yard. I planned on bush hogging it today but she side tracked my chores. then the tractor wouldnt start. I plan on mowing it all down in the morning to plant rye grass any way.