Sick Sheep

Leslie · #1 09/22/06, 06:16 PM

I have a sheep problem that I thought someone could help me on. I have a 2 year old ewe. She has always been in good health .....until recently. I noticed she had lost some condtioning about 4 days ago .I wormed her thinking that perhaps with our wetter weather she had a worm load (she had been wormed 3 weeks before so I used a different wormer) She began to graze on her elbows and she walks like an old woman and lays down alot. Yesterday I gave her b12 and BO SE. There has been no change. I REALLY like this ewe. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank-Leslie

**Ross** · #2 09/22/06, 06:52 PM

Foot rot? I'd check and soak her feet with coopertox (or a zinc foot bath solution) and give her LA 200 or an LAPenG. No other feed changes?

Leslie · #3 09/22/06, 08:23 PM

Does greener pasture count? No runny stools though.

Leslie · #4 09/22/06, 08:51 PM

I checked and her feet look and smell good. The rapid weight loss has me mystified. She had enough pluck tonight to give me a run for my money while I was trying to look at her feet. That gives me some hope. Do you happen to know if White Muscle Disease causes wasting? Thanks-Leslie

**Ross** · #5 09/22/06, 09:03 PM

Eventually yes but not rapid so far as I know. Coccidia after worming (even without visual evidence) is a possibility. If she's bouncing back I'd chalk it up to worms and stay on course with what you're doing. Maybe a short coarse of an oral sulfa drug (sulfamethazine ) would be an option (if she lost alot of condition) but if that's where she is (very thin) I'd ask a vet to check her out and about the sulfa suggestion.

Leslie · #6 09/22/06, 10:03 PM

Hey I think we have it! We have tons of Western Bitterweed in our pasture. I've never noticed any of the animals eating it but the symptoms of poisoning are rapid weight loss, lagging behind the flock, and irregular gait. We had a DRY summer and our grass mostly died but the Bitterweed thrived. We feed hay during the drought but I suspect she has been munching the stuff a bit here and a bit there. It is really terrible stuff. When you pull it up gross bitter stuff gets on your hands. I can't imagine an animal eating it but it looks like she probably did. I think she's got a shot if we keep her in for about 10 days. If you're interested I found all of this on the www.ARS.USDA.gov. Just search BITTERWEED and the 1st hit is the right one. I'll update you if you would find that helpful. Thanks for your help.-Leslie