My ewe lamb is pregnant and sick!! Help!!

[cassie]

The only thing that will really cure her is to give birth. Labor can be induced by a combination of lutalyse and dexamethasone. If she is still 14 days away from lambing it is doubtful the lambs will survive, but at this point you need to save the ewe. The treatment for ketosis/pregnancy toxemia is propylene glycol (sp). Sometimes you can find it at the livestock supply. You can definitely get it from the vet. Use a turkey baster to give it. Until you can get the propylene glycol give karo syrup. You can use honey but it isn't as good as karo syrup. This ewe needs simple sugars.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Thank you @cassie, this is the kind of info we need now, anything you can think of, I would think would be helpful.

 

[cassie]

One thing I didn't mention is that ewes with ketosis and milk fever often need help delivering their babies once they go into labor. The cervix will dilate but they do not have the muscle strength necessary to push the lambs out. They have to be pulled.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

@cassie, bless you for taking the time to share your wisdom, I think @sheepfarmer00 is afraid for her ewe and the lamb and just needs whatever support we can provide as a group.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I'd try penicillion, electrolytes and vitamins, lots of fluid and offer her hay and feed.

@Athena2344, thank you for jumping in with good information.

 

[sheepfarmer00]

Thank you guys so much for the info you guys are sharing. I actually looked at the date and my ewe lamb is supposed to lamb in 9 days. I was hoping she could lamb and keep the babies since I actually show lambs and was hoping to be able to show the lambs she was supposed to have. she still won't get up and she also won't eat I figured for the best chance for survival of the ewe would be for her to actually eat. Is there anything you could think of that she would enjoy to et I tried sweet feed but she showed no intrest in it. I honestly hope the ewe can pull through because as I said previously that I showed her so she is actually more of a pet to me.

 

[cassie]

The ewe won't eat because she is in a state of ketosis. The more ketotic she is the less hungry she is and the longer she goes without eating the more ketotic she gets. The only thing the can break this cycle is simple sugars, hence the propylene glycol and the Karo. Quite frankly, the chances of the lambs still being alive is not high. The ketones circulating in her blood may well have killed them. If you can treat her with propylene glycol she MIGHT start eating and break the cycle. Maybe. Quite frankly, your ewe is very critically ill and the only thing that will cure her is if she delivers the lambs. The sugars are just a stop gap measure. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have been down this road before with my dairy goats. I would love nothing better than to be proven wrong, but I am not optimistic. If she were my ewe I would induce labor and start giving her the propylene glycol. That is the only thing that will save her, if anything can.

 

[SillyChicken]

The longer you "wait and see", the more in peril your ewe will get. Doing nothing will insure the death of all of them. Have you taken any action for her?
If she survives, I recommend you read below.

Nutrition as Prevention
One major factor in the nutrition of the pregnant ewe/doe is that of the unborn lamb/kid. The gestation period in sheep/goats is short as compared to many other animals and the fetal demand for nutrients and glucose is at its greatest during the last two months of pregnancy. In fact, about 80 percent of the growth of the fetus occurs during the last six weeks of pregnancy; if twins are present, the increase in total weight is considerable.

Although much is yet to be learned about pregnancy toxemia, the incident of the disease can be minimized by careful management and proper nutrition. The total metabolic rate increases by at least 50 percent during late pregnancy. It has been shown that late-pregnant ewes/goats require about 50 percent more feed if bearing a single lamb and about 75 percent if carrying twins. The increased amount of feed, however, sometimes exceeds the sheep’s digestive capacity unless grain is substituted for part of the hay. Multiple fetuses will tend to crowd the animals digestive system therefore limiting intake, this is where concentrates can help.

One pound of corn or the equivalent of high energy concentrate should be fed daily during the last six weeks of pregnancy.

Affected ewes stand apart from others in the flock, walk unsteadily, appear dull, and are usually off feed. Vision may be impaired, and they show little fear of humans or dogs. Blindness often results, and eventually there can be convulsions, grinding of the teeth, labored respiration and usually a mucous discharge from the nose. The mortality rate is about 80 percent, with death usually occurring in from two to 10 days. A shock-like state eventually occurs.

Pregnant ewes/goats should be in medium condition and not fat; body condition 3.5. During the first half of pregnancy, excessive fat should be reduced and weight gains should be allowed only during the six weeks before lambing/kidding. Overly fat ewes/does seem more susceptible to the stress syndrome of pregnancy toxemia than are other ewes/does. Late-pregnant ewes/does should be treated with considerable care at all times to minimize both physical and psychological stresses. Feed should never be withheld and transportation avoided if possible.

Treatment of pregnancy toxemia in ewes/does other than feeding concentrates might include; oral propylene glycol or corn syrup are quick sources of energy and should be given at the rate of 200 ml four-times daily along with 3 to 4 liters of an electrolyte solution designed for dehydration in livestock.

 

[cassie]

SillyChicken pretty well covered it. I just have a couple more comments. If a ewe or goat has a very heavy load of babies, like three or more, she is of much greater risk of developing pregnancy toxemia (ketosis) than if she has one or two. If you can catch them at the very beginning and start immediate treatment with propylene glycol you can sometimes stop it. One of the first signs a female is developing ketosis is a decrease in appetite, particularly grain. If she won't eat all her grain that is a red flag. Females heavy with young are often reluctant to move around. I would make all my expectant mothers get up and walk a bit. I watched for any unsteadiness as she got up and moved, particularly in the hindquarters. These animals were immediately checked. You can, or at least you used to be able to get, ketostix at the drug store. They are treated slips of paper. You put the stick in the urine stream and if ketosis is developing the paper will change color. By comparing the strip to the color chart on the package you can see if ketones are present and if so how severe the case is.

If a doe of mine developed ketosis, I did not hesitate to breed her again the next year. After all, I had a dairy and the does had to milk to earn their keep. I just watched her carefully because she was of greater risk. Since I had a dairy I could closely observe my does because of necessity I spent so much time in the barn with them and I was able to spot trouble early. That said, if the doe was a pet and had had a severe case, I would think twice about breeding her again. Ketosis can cause permanent liver damage.

 

[sheepfarmer00]

Thank you guys again so all the input. Last night the ewe got down and we were sure that was the end of the road. After looking at the calendar she is actually only 8 days from lambing. I think I might look for a vet near me that can do a C-section. I think her best chance of survival would be to look into a C-section. Last night the ewe couldn't even lift her head after I caved and decided to give her some ensure nutritional drink she was able to lift her head on her own by noon today. Again my ewe will not eat anything but molasses and corn starch. Please continue to pray for my ewe she is basically part of my family and with her being sick its really taking a toll on my family. I am ttrying all the info you guys are giving me. Thank you all very much