Thanks, I think (:-] How would I know if it is pneumonia rather than some other illness? How contagious is it? Will it transfer to goats? Any recommendations for treatment? Antibiotics, I assume? (How many questions do we get per message?....... - Can't find my sheep book and the little paperback I have is useless....)

-- Lana Pettey (Ragtimedog@Yahoo.com), June 16, 2001

Answers

First of all, catch one of these runny nosed sheep and give her a good checkover. By that I mean, take her temperature, rectally of course. Normal in a sheep is 101 to 103. If its really hot out and the sheep hasn't been shorn it could be a bit higher. But with a respiratory infection it can go to 106. Listen to her lungs, borrow or buy a stethoscope ( any good drugstore carries these ). If she sounds raspy or very shallow breathing, thats another sign of respiratory infection.Is she eating, drinking, and pooping okay? No diarrhea? Check her gums and conjuntivae( area inside eye when you pull the lid down) Should be healthy pink, if its pale or whitish, a sign of parasites. Than if any of the above seem out of normal, isolate those involved from the others and call your vet. There are some new drugs out there for pneumonia that are more effective than penicillin or LA 200. I am now using Excenel, a form of Naxcel, which is from my vet. If you don't find any unusual symptons, besides the runny noses, it could be allergies, especially if they are in an area that has a lot of pollen or bloom right now. Don't laugh, sheep as well as other animals do have allergies. Or it could be a reaction to gnats or face flies. I try to spend a few minutes each day just watching my sheep and their enviroment to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. A biblical quote, "The eye of the master fattenth his cattle". By the way, can anyone give me the exact location in the bible for that?

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), June 17, 2001.