Weak Pasterns-what would you do

[Bridgemoof]

Well it's been a couple of days since the Vitamin B injection, and he's worse than ever.

Snowcap is completely down now, he can hardly get up at all. His front legs splay out to the sides when he tries to get up and it's pitiful. He doesn't seem to be in pain, but he is practically paralyzed at this point. Tomorrow morning I will get the vet to run bloodwork to see if there could be some miracle cure left yet. If not, we will have to put him down forever.

Now I think at this point it's maybe not genetics, because I wouldn't think he would go from weak pasterns to completely immobilized. So did we end up giving him too much selenium? Not enough? Is it copper...calcium...or something else. Hopefully the bloodwork will reveal something. I guess it does look like WMD at this point, although there are some things with the symptoms of WMD that don't jive with his exactly.

This is a bummer, I am posting all of this so it might help somebody in the future.

 

[bonbean01]

Awwww...I'm so sorry...really hope his bloodwork shows something that can be treated

 

[SheepGirl]

Sorry he's doing so poorly Usually the vit B shot works within a couple days for us.

Could it be a Manganese deficiency?

 

[RemudaOne]

Sorry to hear he's unimproved . I was so hoping he would be feeling better. I hope the bloodwork reveals something for you.

 

[Bridgemoof]

Sorry he's doing so poorly Usually the vit B shot works within a couple days for us.

Could it be a Manganese deficiency?

Manganese? Oh no. Now I have to look up everything about that. I can't believe he would be that deficient in any mineral since they get them free choice at all times. BUt...who knows.


I know, this is a major bummer.

 

[Bridgemoof]

I just looked up manganese deficiency and here is what I found:

Magnesium deficiency in sheep most commonly occurs in acute form within 4-6 weeks of lambing. Affected ewes exhibit sensitivity to touch and trembling of the facial muscles; some are unable to move, others move stiffly; extreme cases collapse and show repeated tetanic spasms with all four limbs rigidly extended.

I don't think it's that.

I wonder if it's something viral or bacterial, and giving him an injection of penicillin couldn't hurt?

 

[SheepGirl]

I read somewhere that manganese causes weak pasterns and legs...didn't mention age/sex of sheep affected. Hmmm.

If it's an infection, he'll have a temp.

 

[Bridgemoof]

omg GOOD call Sheepgirl, I totally overlooked taking his temperature! I didn't even think of it. I just took it and it was 104.2. We gave him a shot of LA200 and a shot of Bantamine.

It seems to me that a couple months ago both Snowcap and Beastie had low grade fevers. They didn't seem to be feeling that good.I thought it was the heat. We gave them both shots of LA200 at that time and they seemed better the next day.

Wouldn't it be something if the LA200 fixed him? Oh man. Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[bonbean01]

 

[RemudaOne]

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