Lost one on my ewes yesterday, she was aborting her lamb and for some reason things didnot go right. Found her too late.

This morning went out and another ewe has prolasped. We have tried the spoon and harness, together and it is not working, prolaps comes out either above or below spoon. Thought we had it came in for dinner and went to check and it was out along side the harness. Have pushed it back in and tightened the harness. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO??? I've been messing with this all day so she's probably going to be stressed. Can I give her penicillin to prevent infection (thought I read someplace not to give to ewes in last month) Help!!!

-- Betsy K (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), February 04, 2001

Answers

I must admit I've never messed with sheep but I have dealt with prolapse in cows. There must be something wrong with you flock. Parasites perhaps? Possibly a mineral deficiency. With a cow when they prolapse you just have to sit there for a while up to your armpit in the backend of the cow. We use antibiotic pellets and put them directly in the uterus. I think that holding the uterus in place by hand for a little while helps....you can feel contractions and hold it till they have passed and everything has more or less stabilized. I wish I could be more helpful.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), February 04, 2001.

I have heard that you can use water to fill the uterus so it takes the right shape. I do not know how though.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), February 04, 2001.

Hate to be a spoil-sport, but I think it's time to call the vet.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), February 04, 2001.

I have heard that you can push it back in and then put in a few stitches to keep it in. I think that there are those who put in the stitches themselves, I would feel better about having the vet do it.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 04, 2001.

We had a ewe once with a prolapsed rectum at the end of her pregnancy. Our biggest mistake ever was trying to save her. The vet was very willing to try all kinds of things ($$$$) and we ended up spending 4 times her worth (the sheep, not the vet) and lost her in the end (the sheep and the vet!). It is a hard decision but it is better to strengthen your flock by culling problem animals. Prolapse tendency is highly hereditary.

I don't know where you live but it is sometimes very hard to find a good sheep vet (they all seem to specialize in cows!). When we need advice we call ATTRA (appropriate technology transfer for rural areas) and ask to speak with the sheep specialist, it is a free service. The number is 1-800-346-9140.

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), February 04, 2001.

Mattress sutures are long running stitches taken across the vagina to keep the prolapse and the lamb inside. I have done a goat before, but it is very important that you know the due date so you cut out the sutures before she starts kidding, or she will rip them from her vagina as she pushes the lamb out. In goats, once a doe prolapses her vagina or her uterus she will never again do this, since the scar tissue builds up holding the whole thing into place, very secure. Good luck with this, unless you are an old hand at this or like me just learn on the fly, since some animals are not worth the vet bill, you may want to find a more experienced person to help you, and like I said I am talking goat, sheep may be a whole nother story. And yes I would start her on the penicillin. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 04, 2001.

Depending on whether its a rectal or vaginal prolaps the treatment is different.

If rectal, she could be on too much roughage or too high protein grain. Back off on both and see if that helps. If not you can use a 1/2" PVC pipe grease it up, insert into rectum and put an elastrator band around. It will fall off just like a lambs tail.

If it's vaginal you can either use a paddle or purse string stitches. Make sure the paddle is in tight and pointing down to help hold the uterus in. The outside parts of the paddle should be tied up high, where her hip bones are. If she needs stitches and you've never seen or done them befor either call the vet or another experienced person to help, they can be kinda tricky. Either way you need towatch her carefully for signs of delivery because both need to be removed before she delivers. You can give her antibiotics, check the label for doseage while pregnant.

One thing to keep in mind is, regardless of what you do she may prolaps worse after lambing or everytime she is pregnant. I had a ewe that did and I have to tell you they are more trouble than they're worth. Like others mentioned, her value as a production ewe may not warrent the cost. I wish you luck!

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), February 04, 2001.

It's 10:35 and I'm in from the barn. This ewe is definately going down the road as soon as the lambs are weaned. This is my first sheep experience, have had angora goats for 10 years and I did have a goat that prolapsed once and I kept pushing it in for several days and it finally stayed.

When I went back to the barn after the post the prolapse had gone back in by itself. My friend that I got the ewe's from and who has had sheep for years has helped me and we think when I tightened up the harness before maybe it repositioned the spoon and the prolapse worked back in. I called the shearer and he said we probably needed to tighten the straps on the harness, they are in full wool and so I think when I tightened it up it worked, but time will tell. I'll be checking on her through the night, but I think if she settles down maybe it will work. I know that I won't be keeping her but would like to get one set of lambs out of her.

The second problem. Early in the day I noticed a ewe hanging in the barn by herself. She came back in the barn and friend and I watched for a while and figure she's going to lamb. I put the ram in on October 8 which should give me until March 1st (Dorsets go 145 days) but she is bagged up and sure acting like she wants to lamb. Now I'm wondering if she's trying to abort like the other one I found dead Saturday morning. If thats the case then I've got some kind of something going through the flock. I have taken good care, i.e. worming and being careful about feed, etc. and these two are in really prime condition for bringing some nice lambs on the farm. It's seems the harder I try to do it right sometimes the more it goes wrong. I can't really justify calling the vet for one but I'll need to find out what is going on if this second ewe aborts.

This really sucks, raising sheep was going to be my way of making money so I wouldn't have to go back to work and could be at home to do my homesteading thing. Right now I'm beginning to think homesteading (with animals) sucks!!!

-- Betsy K (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), February 04, 2001.

Betsy, I think most of us have felt the same way at some time or another. I know I have, many times. There was my first lamb(that scoured to death), my first calf(died the same way),and my first goat (took me for a ride across the homestead on my belly!). Even recently there have been times when I've reconsidered goatkeeping, and I'm pretty fanatical about goats. You mentioned that you raised angora goats, have you considered getting back into them or maybe cashmere goats instead of sheep? Or maybe just a different breed of sheep. Some animals and breeds just don't seem to work for everybody.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 05, 2001.

We had one last year that started to prolapse as yours did. After trying the paddle retainer and having no luck with it, I had my vet come and put in a purse string suture. But we had to really monitor her in order to cut the sutures when labor started.I put a baby monitor in the barn and a week later was able to get out there at 3:00 am when her water bag just started to show. We had an uneventful delivery once the sutures were cut. I did not breed her anymore and also did not keep either of the lambs for breeding as the tendency to prolapse can be hereditary.I also learned a very difficult lesson, when I bred a ewe again who had only a small prolapse. The next time around she had a total vaginal and rectal prolapse, lost her and the lambs. Never again. Now with sheep, whose tails get docked, I feel that any ewes to be kept for breeding should have the tail cut no shorter than where the tail attachment makes a web with the body.In other words, so the tail covers the vulva area. Too short docking can weaken the muscles and predispose a ewe to prolapsing.(We are involved with a 4H sheep club and many of our kids show their lambs. Some judges criticize the longer docking, but the kids explain that they are keeping the ewe for breeding.) Other causes can be over conditioning, a selenium deficiency, and heredity. Another thing you can try that has worked is to built a very narrow pen, like a chute, that the ewe can get up and down in , but can't turn around, and elevate the back end with hay or bedding.You can put a water pail and a hay feeder in front. That is allowing gravity to work. My neighbor did that this spring and it worked to keep a prolapse in till she went into labor. Of course you should be checking her frequently so when lambs are born you can move her out so she can care for them. The antibiotic is a good idea . We also have on hand uterine boluses from our vet that we use anytime we need to go in and assist with a delivery. Good luck and keep us posted. Kate in New York

-- kate henderson (sheeplady @ ctskill.net), February 05, 2001.

Ah, Betsy, my sympathies. Went through this exact thing last year with a ewe we got as a bottle baby. Her mother had prolapsed and the lamb was one of triplets. Didn't know enough at the time to realize that the tendency to prolapse is hereditary. We did all the suggestions folks have listed here, had the harness, spoon, stitches, elevated her, etc. Nothing worked for very long, and she was very miserable. Finally had to end up putting her down. Worse experience I've ever had with the sheep. She was obviously in trouble, and vets around here couldn't help. The leader of the 4H club came and stitched her up for us, but as soon as he went home, she was straining again and broke them loose and prolapsed again. I hope it works out for you, but folks are right, don't keep her or the lambs for breeding stock. Don't give up, everyone sooner or later has a bad experience with at least one of thier animals, I'm sure. Let us know how it works out. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), February 05, 2001.

Betsy, Strange thing...this a.m. we had the same problem. One of our ewes had prolapsed (we weren't sure what was wrong, as we have never experienced a prolapse before). I tried pushing it back in but she decided that it belonged outside of her. The next time we checked on her she had started labor, trailings outside and water membranes. Time to call the vet. He came out lickety split and delivered twins. Too bad because they tried to breathe but just couldn't keep going and eventually died. The vet said she wasn't ready to go into labor but the prolapse probably stressed her. Anyway, i wish i could help you, just thought i would share my experience.

-- JoAnn (jonehls@excite.com), February 05, 2001.

Sorry to hear of your problem. Is never easy when they prolapse. Sigh ~ ~ But please do not give up hope. Some years are better than others. You might need to have your Vet stitch her up.

There are also a couple of things that can cause prolapse, as I found out over the years.

One is dock the tail not to close to the back bone. I always leave 2 to 3"`s of tail on. Have had no problems with maggets to date.

Second, she may not be getting enough calcium. I blood test could tell.

You may also want to vaccinate your flock against misscarriage abortion next year. Jeffers Vet Supply has very good prices on these vaccines.

I am crossing my fingers, I bought a very nice looking ewe last year, but the other owner docked her to her back bone. She should lamb in the first week of April.

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), February 06, 2001.

I have found some breeds that do not seem to have much in the way of health problems and are very hardy. Almost all Old hertiage breeds or unimproved breeds. Ie,, Jacobs, Gulf coast, Brecknock Hill, North country Cheviots, Soay, Shetland, Icelandic.

But wishing you will for the rest of your lambing season!!

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), February 06, 2001.

Should of been WELL,, not will. Have a bad habit of thinking faster than I can type!! Sigh ~ ~

-- Bergere (autumnhaus@aol.com), February 06, 2001.