Neighbors that are moving gave me their last 3 sheep...a purebred Suffolk ram, a Cheviot ewe and a ram lamb. The ewe and lamb are fine even if the ewe needs shearing and I got them on Sunday. The ram (also not sheared..I am hunting for someone to come do that) has not been "right" since Saturday. Off his feed and lethargic. Laying down and not his usual nosey self. After he laid down in the driveway when we were loading him and wouldn't get up we carried him back to the barn on a blanket. He is thin so his owners wormed him and gave him penicillin . I talked to my niece who is a veterinarian in Manitoba and she suggested SafeGuard at twice the dose to make sure its not tapes etc especially if its a severe infestation of worms causing him to be so wasted. Sunday night he was up and eating agin though weak. Has been eating and drinking all week but still weak. They brought Willie to our place last night and he went down and didn't get up..laid on his side in the shelter where we left him (had to carry him on a blanket again) all night. I tried to get him up and he couldn't get his legs under him so I got him to lay on his chest. He ate a piece of apple, some grass and some hay ( a handful of each). At my nieces suggestion I gave him a shot of pennicillin and will again each day for the next few. He fell over onto his side again so I have him propped up with a hay bale now with water and hay before him. He grinds his teeth too so thats a sign of abdominal pain. I am at my wits end and worried about poor, sweet Willie. How long does it take Ivomec and Safeguard to work? He is only 5 and should have a lot of years ahead of him so to have him so sick has his previous owners and myself quite worried. I fear I will have to get a vet out to tend him if he doesn't improve today. Its such a let down after he had been seeming to get better this week! I would love some feedback on how to get him well again.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 19, 2001

Answers

Why wait till he is at deaths door to save this purebred animal who was free!?? If he is loaded with parasites than he is anemic, tapeworms cause no economic loss at all in ruminents, well perhaps a problem in young kids, but tapes are not causing this problem. More than likely tri-strongides or hemoncus worms, which eat the blood. Find somebody in your area with nice sheep and ask what they are worming with. I don't take most folks who use Safeguard or Piperizine wormers on their places, very seriously. Sort of akin to the old TBZ paste and Combiotic :) Also "A" shot of penicillin will do no good at all, except further kill any good bacteria he has in his rumen. If he needs antibiotics for fever, for upper respiratory (pnemonia) than use an antibiotic correctly and for the whole perscribed time. Being anemic he will have grey gums and the inside of his eyelids will be pale and not pink. With a load of wool this time of the year, he could also be harboring lice, mites etc etc. At the very least take a fecal into the vet, or take him into the vet, not only a physical exam but a blood test will quickly help reveal the problems. There are times like this that guessing is all that this list can do, and I hope that somebody can guess right for you. This could be menengial worm, enterotoxemia (especially with the grinding teeth) cocci, worms, the list goes on and on. Free animals like this can be a great asset to the farm if you stick some money in them with either prevention meds or a vet farm call. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 19, 2001.

I did call the vet actually. He came out this afternoon and said the prognosis isn't good. He took blood samples and the blood seemed quite thin. He gave him vitamin shots, left some for me to give, was glad we started the penicillin and said to keep it up for 3 to 5 days (and also showed me the right spot to give the shots)since there are certain bacterium that I can't pronounce that can cause anemia. He seems to think it could be copper related and if thats the case theres not much we can do since Willie is so very weak already. Hard to bring them back from copper toxicity. After I got off the computer I went out to him again and he had moved and later was eating some and standing a bit. Thanks for your input, Vicki. You are so right that he could be quite an asset to us if he lives. But even if he wasn't we would still try our best to help him. Regarding penicillin, I think you misread me. I gave him a shot today (6 ccs actually) and will continue this for the next few days. As for waiting for him to be at deaths door..what could I do? He wasn't here until last night and until I had him he was still under his previous owners care (personally I think the vet should have been called on Sunday but that was not yet my call.). My hands were a little tied. :o( A friend who shears called today so I finally have someone to shear Willie and Violet. It will stress Wills but by the same token its not good for him in the heat (6 of one half dozen of the other) so the vet said go for it. Thats our bit of good news for the day. As it stands right now, I will be trying to get every bit of nutrition into my big woolly guy that I can. Molasses, kelp meal, vitamin shots, really good sheep hay from a breeder nearby... Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to build this big boy back up?

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 19, 2001.

Give him Probios, especially if he's on antibiotics. This will at least give his rumen something to work with so he doesn't just starve to death while waiting to recover from whatever's got him down. And I'm glad you called the vet. An accurate diagnosis can really save the animal. A friend of mine (very new at goats) last week asked me out to have a look at her doeling. She said this kid had been having diarrhea for a week and was looking very bad. She had been giving antibiotics, cocci treatment and electrolyte solutions, force-feeding toward the last, thinking it was cocci. When I got there, the kid had almost NO blood, capillary refill took forever. She took the kid to the vet, and it died a couple of hours later. Extreme anemia from the parasite load, made worse by diluting the blood by forcing electrolyte solution. It was the right treatment for the wrong problem. Best of luck with your ram.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), July 19, 2001.

Shearing ASAP is a good move. A fleece can weigh a lot, and if he's weak already that weight can make the difference between him being able to get up and move around easily, or even at all.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), July 19, 2001.

You can also give him a transfusion, either completely sacrificing another animal, some folks keep wethers for vets to be used for this, or if you use a couple of animals you can just pull blood from them like you do humans. This will increase his red blood cells, if your vet thinks this is anemia. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 20, 2001.

There is a product red cell for horses that I use for cows and goats to .I am not sure if it would be ok for sheep , you might want to ask someone at the feed store .Its all vitamins and such .Hand feed grain and hay if you have to .Hope he pulls threw for you ~Patty

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 20, 2001.

I am really glad I called a vet too. I am giving Willie injections of New Cell as well as the penicillin. Its a B complex with iron. I asked the vet about a transfusion since his blood count is only 4 (yesterday)but he didn't think it was worthwhile (???!) so I am kinda on my own. He recommended getting more protein into him so I will be going to buy some soy meal. He will call back Monday or Tuesday. There are some immature red bloodcells in there so his body is trying to generate new ones on its own. This takes 3 weeks though. At this point with his cells so low the vet rethought the shearing plan and wants to hold off..the stress may kill him. He was alive this morning and on his feet so he has gotten enough strength back to get up and down on his own and last evening he walked! :o) Is Probiotic the same thing as Culbac? He's really fussy in his eating ...I have been gatherinmg fresh grass and clover for him, he has gorgeous hay , he's turning his nose up at the grain mixed with molasses but took a mouthful of plain this morning. Terri (you may know of her..she comes here too) brought us some comfrey but he only ate one leaf and left the rest. I was thinking about getting some alfalfa horse feed for him..its got lots of vitamins in it and maybe he'd take it. sorry to bore you all with poor Willie's troubles but I am just so grateful for a community of like minded folk who can offer up some ideas. Thank you all so much!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 20, 2001.

Did you check his belly for screw worms? Shear his belly and around his private parts, check for maggots there. Hydrogen peroxide will flush them out and then spray with screw worm spray (permethrin).

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), July 20, 2001.

Thanks Jean. His belly seems clean. We had him sheared on Saturday and were checking him all over. He is so emaciated! We are working on getting him eatting well to try and boost him up. My niece and husband (vet and feedman) suggested alfalfa cubes since he only wants easy to dugest food..not touching his grain...and some Probiotic and/or livestock yeast. Off to the feedstore I go again! But Willie is still with us so thats hopeful!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 23, 2001.

I forgot to mention that whenever we have a goat or sheep that's not right we give them Goat or Sheep Nutri-Drench orally. This perks them up while we figure out what's wrong. Caprine Supply, Hoeggers and feed stores have it. Both formulas are the same. We always keep some on hand.

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), July 23, 2001.

Alison, did you get the tests back? How is he ?

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), July 24, 2001.

The only results we have are his blood count. Had a scare on Sunday when he bloated but he seems fine since. He is still awful thin and weak but he is brazing and chewing cud and I haven't heard the teeth grinding so maybe he has no more pain. He is eager for his apples and carrots so when he sees you coming he moseys up to the paddock gate for his petting and treats. If there's no treats he goes back to his shelter to rest or waits for someone to pick him some goodies out of the yard. Thanks for asking! We are growing very fond of him and though he's not out of the woods yet we have high hopes.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 26, 2001.

I'm new here but I'd love to hear if you Ram is doing better. Was he not well looked after where he came from? Or did he just get unlucky and pick something up?

-- Jen (jennifer.nepton@airways.co.nz), July 31, 2001.

Willie is still alive and very interested in grazing but no interest in his grain so he is still thin as can be and his mucous mebranes (gums, around his eyes etc) are still very pale. I am tethering him a little each day to get some good grass and clover into him (plus apples). He won't eat the alfalfa cubes I bought him. He seems to be a little more lively and gives the occassional soft "baa" but he seems shakey on his pins yet . I haven't noticed him grinding his teeth in over a week. I am still giving him New Cell shots and dosing him with a homeopathic treatment a friend concocted for him. He has a couple of bald spots on his back..about the size of a quarter or so. The wool just peeled off. Wierd. No progression on that at all and no other signs of skin problems. Maybe thats where the previous owner gave him his Ivomec injections? He loves being rubbed down from head to tail and actually leans against me during his scratching sessions. I imagine he has bug bites from the flies etc and that its a bit of a treat to have them scratched. Thanks for all your interest in my big boy. He really is a sweetie pie and I am eager for him to get well. Its a long hard wait.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 02, 2001.

Goat and sheep can't really eat the alfalfa cubes very well. At the Livestock show we had does tossing them around into the isles! Try the pellets instead. If his rumen is sluggish he won't eat grain. Get some probios into him which puts beneficial bacteria into his rumen to help him break down the grain and cud better. This will then stimulate his appetite. Make sure the concoction your friend made for him isn't doing more damage to his rumen! In this weakend condition you will need to keep uptodate on his worming and cocci prevention, ever 21 days would not be to often! It may take him quite along time to perk back up, I would make sure he is getting enough vitamins and minerals by using goat nutradrench or something similar with lots of b vitamins and iron in it. Though grass will keep him alive, he is going to need calories to gain his strength. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 02, 2001.

Sounds like you've made friends! Have you tried feeding him anything with Molasses in it? It takes them a little while to get used to but they come to love it. Perhaps even just give him molasses diluted in some water. It's full of vitamins and surely packed with calories to help his energy levels. (you could always feed him some via a drenching!) I could be wrong but I believe I've read somewhere that it is not unusual for sheep that have had infections/fevers to get patchy wool. I don't believe it ever goes away from what I remember :) But who needs all that wool anyway.. I'm assuming he's not a show animal (I guess you just have to watch for sunburn!) Keep us posted. Sounds like he's lucky to have ended up in a good home!

-- jen (jennifer.nepton@airways.co.nz), August 04, 2001.

Well, that Willie never ceases to amaze! He is that perky the last couple of days and eating grain!! All this pampering and sooking of him must be paying off. He has started baaing and butting more too... must be feeling better! He is eager for grass and cleaning out his feed bucket every day now for 2 days straight (first time since we got him). With this new rich diet he is a bit loose but I am thinking that will clear up soon. He has had a lot of yeast, rumen booster, and acidophilus in his diet (mixed with his apples and carrots twice a day since that was about all he'd eat) so maybe his rumen is finally kicking in fully. I tried him with beet pulp too but he ate none of that(good for his rumen) and I had tried molasses in his feed but he was not having any of it. Now that he has decided to eat again he has more energy and I am getting soybean meal and kelp meal into him too since I mix it in with his feed. Should be putting some weight back on soon I hope. His mucous membranes are still very pale and his hind legs are still somewhat weakened. That wool problem has gotten worse so I dusted him with sulfur and DE in the hopes that if it is common scab mite it will check it. If its just the result of poor health maybe he will grow new wool back in those patches. They aren't scabby or irritated looking patches although he relishes a good, long body scratch ..just clean pinky white skin patches in his shorn wool. I thank you all for letting me blather about my sweet Willie and his woes. All your experienced information is valuable to me too!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 06, 2001.

Just thought I would let you know that Willie is making leaps and bounds in his recovery at this point and is no longer sweet. He is actually kind of mean! He butted me so hard last night I thought my arm was broken so we are no longer planning to keep him forever and ever (as long as he lives that is). I know he is just being himself but himself is getting kinda dangerous for this family! lol Thanks again for all your help. It seems to have worked.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 09, 2001.