Sheep question!!! please help!!!

[Fluff-n-Feathers]

Before you ask, yes, I already posted this on backyardherds.com but I haven't gotten a response.

What drugs can we give sheep?

The reason I am asking is because my 4-H sheep show is on Friday. However, this Wednesday when I went to my leader's house for 4-H I noticed my showmanship sheep, Dixie, was limping/hobbling a little with her left front hoof. We caught her and looked at her feet and there was mud clumped in her hooves so we scraped it out and thought that she would be back to normal in a day or two. Today I went to the farm to see how she was doing but she was worse and she was limping with her back left hoof too. While catching her we noticed that two other sheep in her pen (including my friend's showmanship sheep) were limping too. We noticed that all the sheep that go out to the big pasture were limping a little but all the rams and lambs that stay in pens near the barn were fine. That’s when we got it... Lyme. The dogs had gotten it not too long ago and it is big in our area.

So now the question is what can we do for them??

We were thinking that just to get through the fair we could give them some pain medication to stop the limping and slow the disease until after the fair, and after we can look into what we can give them to get rid of the Lyme.

So, we are back to the original question, what can we give them?

 

[MandyH]

If you smell the foot, does it stink? It could be foot rot/scald. I'm drawing a blank right now but theres a foot dip for that.

 

[Fluff-n-Feathers]

No there are no sores no smell and their pen is dry...

We pretty much know it is lyme but thanks anyway

 

[EmAbTo48]

There's not much you can do until treated. I understand you have prepared for the fair and judging but honestly I know bringing your sick animal to the fair all weekend to be judged, and then sit in a small stall is not a great idea when lymes is very treatable and the anitbotics kick in right away. Your poor sheep is going to be sick, and in pain. And be stuck away from home and stressed out.

If it were me and my sheep I would be seeing a vet first, getting the blood test and if its actually lymes getting the antibotic in the animal. But that's me and my own opinion.

All I can say is lymes works fast and just gets worse everyday.. there's no medication (beside the antibotic) that will stall it. You take to long and your sheep will pass away.

Good luck!

 

[EmAbTo48]

Suggestion is to see if you can talk to a vet (if you own large cattle you must have a good relationship with one) and just see if they will give you the antibotic so then the animal still goes to the fair but is being treated. I am telling you the antibotic is very quick within a day you should see improvement.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I agree with the others who say to take them to the vet.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

We were thinking that just to get through the fair we could give them some pain medication to stop the limping and slow the disease until after the fair, and after we can look into what we can give them to get rid of the Lyme.

Would you like it if your sheep got sick because someone else knowingly brought a sick sheep to the fair?

It's very possible they all have Foot Rot , which is highly contagious.​

 

[redhen]

Unless you have had a vet check them out... you really dont know whats wrong.
Lymes doesnt make every sheep limp...
What do the 4-h folks say about having a sick animal and not taking it to a vet?