I am a new sheep owner, so I could use your input. My romney got into the chicken grain yesterday (which is usually inaccessible for fear of bloat) and overate. She has clearly been having diarreha and is a little stand-offish. This morning when I put out hay for the other sheep, she started eating it but I am concerned that she may have rumen problems as a result of the overeating and diarreha. Should I treat her as though she has bloat? How much vegetable oil or baking soda should I give her and how should I administer it? All input welcome!

Kathy

-- Kathy Lambert (thelamberts@valley.net), January 26, 2002

Answers

Response to diarreha

Probably not technically correct but I'd mix about half a litre of hot water and 1/2 a cup of baking soda, and drench her with that. I'd also give her a B complex injection. Repeat am/pm for a couple of days. Off grain, just hay for two or three days then back on to her grain slowly over 7-10 days. Salt and mioneral too. You could add some baking soda to her water too, but only a little it does put them off drinking it. She's bloating or not? If she's eating I'd guess not. The baking soda and B are for acidosis and to corrrect any loss of B production in the rumin.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 26, 2002.

Response to diarreha

I would rather that she has the runs than bloat.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 26, 2002.

Response to diarreha

yes, I would think that runs would be good sign. You could put some baking soda out, free choice, sure wouldn't hurt anyone. If she is eating, I would observe before doing anything.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.

Response to diarreha

Thank you all very much! I am keeping a close eye on her, providing baking soda and looking into the B complex. What does "drench her" mean? (Sorry for the uneducated questions).

Kathy

-- Kathy Lambert (thelamberts@valley.net), January 26, 2002.

Response to diarreha

Sorry drench her means put it in a bottle and pour it into her mouth. Watch for her to breathe in first then give her a good swig! :^)

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 26, 2002.

Response to diarreha

I would also want to see her have diarrhea for awhile. If a ruminent overeats grain of any kind, it will either impact the rumen, making a non-movable mass which will kill the animal. Or...will produce so much acid the rumen, gas grows and grows the animal dies of bloat. Grass hay only until her poop returns to normal, and after a day of bloat guard/bloat release or oil, then start working on getting the rumen back in order with probios and baking soda. No grain until she is doing better. Obviously containers for all animal grains need to be made with the idea of just how smart sheep and goats can be! A rule of thumb is if it is easy and convienent to access for you, than its to easy for the goats and sheep. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 26, 2002.

Just thought you might like an update on my romeny with diarreha. I drenched her with a baking soda/water mix, washed and trimmed her rear to both keep her clean and make it easier to see if the problem was on-going,and put her on hay and water only. I can only find B complex for horses and I wasn't sure if the dosage would be okay, so I haven't given her any. She seems to be better. She has a good disposition and the diarreha has passed. I'm thinking now of making sure her rumen is in good shape. I have heard some people say that giving the sheep yogurt with active live culture can help. Anyone have experience with this or other treatments?

Thanks - and, happy January thaw!

Kathy

-- Kathy Lambert (thelamberts@valley.net), January 29, 2002.

The amount of bacteria, lactobacillicus, is minute` in yogurt, compared to the commercial Probios products, which are much easier to give. They have lots of different bacteria in them and work quickly to reinnoculate the gut. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

If you can find a commercial rumin booster it's much better than yogurt or beer etc. Pretty hard to overdose B does your horse stuff have doseages or strengths? Just build her back up onto her regular grain slowly, over a week or 10 days. Glad she's doing well.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 29, 2002.