Possible bottle jaw ewe lamb

[StockDogLovr]

I have a Kat/Barb ewe lamb that is around 6 mo old. I have the sheep for herding but my working dog was injured so we hadn't been practicing in a month. While I was away for Christmas, my friends who were watching the sheep said the one was sort of a loner. I thought they were talking about the mom who is rather a cocky girl who does what she likes so didn't think much of it. When I came back from vacation, I noticed the lamb did seem pretty "calm." I had sold her brother the week before Christmas and thought maybe she was just acting differently without him.

Today I started working my dog again and yes, the little one is sick. She didn't want to keep up with the flock, walked, and then laid down! I thought she had died right there! I picked her up and brought her to the barn. Under her thick hair coat she was a little thin. No discharge/diarrhea/coughing, no swelling under the throat/jaw. Her eyelids and gums do seem pale. Her tongue is pink, though, and I saw her pee.

I treated her right off with Valbazen. Later, I went back and treated her with vitamin b complex and gave her a dose of Probios paste. I also gave her 10 cc of karo syrup for energy since she wasn't going at the hay with the others. I would have given her electrolyte paste except that it was at home.

I was reading up on barber pole/bottle jaw posts and I know you shouldn't drench with wormer daily, but should I give her another dose of wormer just to be sure? I've also read of people giving daily vit b injections when they are sick; would that be prudent here? Are there other illnesses that could cause the anemia? They are not grained, get grass hay, and their home area is pretty much a dry lot due to no rain, so I don't think there's any dietary indiscretion involved here.

I feel badly that I hadn't wormed these guys because I was going by the "only as needed" philosophy but seem to have dropped the ball on noting the "as needed" part. I am going to check everyone over tomorrow, worm anyone who appears more pale, and worm the pregnant ewes as well as vaccinate them.

Any other advice on the lamb?

Thanks! I hope I got this in time. She's up and moving around, though not like a normal Barb x lamb would be!

[Ross]

Valbazan should do the trick, I'm more familiar with Safeguard and with it you can spread out the treatment. You should give the lamb the support you are giving, but you could add an iron shot and even calcium. There's a bit of danger you'll turn the poor thing into a pin cushion!!

Don't think you should use Valbazen on pregnant ewes though, check that out!!

[StockDogLovr]

Good catch, Ross. I'll use ivermectin on the pregnant girls.