After the birth of two lambs, one failed to get up and nurse. This little one is strong, and kicks when picked up, but will not stay standing on two legs. This lamb is the same size as the other one. What can be done to help it get up? What type of problems cause this? He is on a bottle and and feeds well.

-- George Jensen (gjensenii@hotmail.com), February 27, 2000

Answers

George, how old are the lambs? Is it able to move all 4 legs? If you run your hands gently over its body, especially the spine, does every thing feel normal? Are the shoulders or hips dislocated or broken? Might the ewe have stepped on it and broken one or more legs? Do the pupils open and close according to the light? Are the gums pink? Tongue and mouth warm? Are you feeding it enough and often enough? Can it urinate and defecate?

If this is a very new lamb, might add a bit of sugar to the bottle and give it a sugar high. Make sure it is plenty warm. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), February 27, 2000.

George, I raise dairy goats, and on occassion we have had newborn kids with this same problem. Found out it is a selenium deficiency! Now, we routinely give our newborns a shot of selenium at birth. Gives them the extra boost they need! You can get this at any of the vet catalogs, or at some feed stores. I also get mine from the local vet. It is called Bo-Se; seems like they changed the name a little; so just look for the selenium in the ingredients. good luck

-- sissy sylvester (jerreleene@hotmail.com), February 28, 2000.

Yes, I agree with Sissy. I had a kid to the vet once for this and she gave her selenium & antibiotic. You can read about selenium deficiency under "white muscle disease". Good luck with the little one!

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), February 28, 2000.

We give ours Sheep or Goat (they are the same formula) Nutri-Drench, an oral supplement for weak newborns, off feed, scours etc. It works quickly and does have selenium and trace minerals, plus glucose, vitamins and amino acids. You just gently squirt some into their mouth. They perk up quickly. I agree that your problem is probably selenium deficiency, especially if you live in the Midwest. We get the Nutri-Drench at our local feed store, but it is also in the Caprine Supply catlog.

-- jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), February 28, 2000.

Don't have an answer but do have a story.

When I was young, my great aunt raised sheep and we always had bum lambs to raise in the spring. On year, on the day before Easter she brought us a lamb that was very (VERY) weak. It was in a cardboard box and barely moving. We put it in the house next to the heater vent and fed it a bottle. That night we went to town to go to church and to eat dinner at my aunts. It snowed while we were in town and we ended up staying the night at my aunts house. The next day when we came home and opened the door to the house, the lamb jumped out of the box and came running to us with his little tail just going 50 miles an hour.

This was one of my most favorit bum lambs that I ever raised, and I was only about 4 or 5 years old and still remember him.

Good luch with your lamb. CC

-- CC (car-col@mailccity.com), March 02, 2000.