sore foot, placenta, udder?

[tami]

How is that for a broad group of questions?
These are the this and thats that I am wondering about.

First I have one ewe that seems to have injured her foot. The tip of the her hoof is broken off. I trimmed the hard part back that was loose. It is very tender and she will not step on it. It doesnt have an bad smell so I thinking that it is not foot rot, but injured. I have been putting DR Naylor's Foot Med on it 2x day. It has been a couple days and no improvement as far as her putting weight on it. Is there something else that I should be putting on it?

Last night the last of my ewes lambed. I had to pull the lamb at about 2am, she was not dialated and not pushing. I waited until 3am and no other lamb. This really surprised me, I really expected twins. So I reached in and didnt feel anything, at least into about 5-6". I waited another hour and she had a bag with dark fluid hanging out and finally some tissue with the "spagetti" string. I take that as a sign that all is done. When I went out today I see no sign of afterbirth, but nothing is "hanging out". Do I assume that she cleaned and ate it? Also for future reference, after one lamb is born and I am checking to see if there is another should I feel some body part within the 5-6" that I reached in?

Finally, I have one ewe that bagged up over 2 weeks before lambing and she was quite large! She has milked down, but to look at her udder (which is lumpy looking, but soft and doesnt appear sore) there is the normal udder, and then in front a large lump the size of an orange that is sort of udder but sort of belly. I dont think I am describing it very well, but it is not as soft as the udder and it is covered with wool, unlike the udder. I just dont know if this is just her shape. I dont recall anything like this last year. Speculations?

Thanks again for all the help, it brings a great deal of peace of mind.

[Ross]

I imagine the sore foot ewe will improve with time. Unless you're willing to treat daily with some ASA banamine or a steriod I'm not sure what else you could do. Pen her and keep feed and water close so she doesn't have to walk?
Checking within 5 or 6 inches isn't going to give you a conclusive check if there is any other lambs. Depending on the size of the ewe you can reach your entire arm in some! If fact if you're replacing the uterus from a prolapse you should be reaching that far and even then you might want to have a short bottle or something to push everything back where it belongs. Beer comes in short bottles!
Your lumpy ewe would need a look by someone qualified to differentiate a hernia from an abcess, or a lump of whatever type from nothing at all. If it's not causing her greif then wait for the next vet call and double your return on the fee.

[tami]

Upon further checking I think that actually the part of the foot that is bothering her is not the hoof but the gland between the toes. I have another ewe that is limping around also and think it looks like the same problem. Each spring I will have 3 or 4 lambs that this happens to, never the ewes before. Is this caused by mud and yuck? I have the one in a pen and treating with Naylors, the other I caught a couple times, tonight she drug me around a bit and I told her to hobble around if she wanted to be that way. I guess I will have to pen her back up too.
Thanks

[mawalla]

Yes, mud and crud can get between the sheeps toes and clog the gland. If she will let you, just clean it out and massage it a bit and she should improve.