# What should go in a sheep first aid kit?



## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

What should I put in a sheep first aid kit? I am very new to sheep and thought this might be something good to have around. What would be good for cuts, banadaging, emergency vitamins or shots? I've been reading a lot of the posts here and it seems like there are a lot of shots and treatments. It would probably be good if they had a shelf life of at least 6 months. Also should any of it be refridgerated?


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## Jen H (Jun 16, 2004)

Some of the things I keep on hand are:

Kaolin - for scours. This helps to firm stools up
Probios - "good" bacteria to get their tummies back in shape after they've been scouring for any reason
Iodine - to disinfect cuts or raw spots
Vet wrap - for bandaging
Gauze pads - I like the telfa-pads because they won't stick to a wound.
Blue coat - wound disinfectant and anti-fungal
Vit B complex - this is injectable, I keep it in the fridge
Epinephrine - to treat anaphylactic shock, kept in fridge
Oxytetracycline - this is the broad spectrum anti-biotic I keep on hand.
Nutri drench - a concentrated energy, vitamin source I use if any of the critters is looking a bit ragged.
Kopertox - to use for foot infections.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I'll tell you what I keep on hand but I have upwards of 500 animals on hand so it will be over kill for a small flock. I'll try to put a * beside the essentials

Thermometer ***
Various lengths of rubber and vynal tubing*
Funnels to fit the larger sizes*
60,20,12, and 6 cc syrynges Lur lock on the bigger ones straight tiped for smaller ones * {the 60 is optional}
14gx2inch or longer, 18gx1.5, 20x1 needles*
Trocar
Balling gun
Scalple
Hoof shears*
Cattle rectal exam gloves
Electric sheep shears * {or easy access to a set}
Grooming stand with a head cradle
Duct tape {The good stuff}*
Roll of cotton*
Cling free gauze bandage 
Sutures
heat bags {home made with whole grains like wheat}*
Lifting sling {I don't have one but its next after reading advice from here}
Elastrator and bands
Pure soap (Ivory flakes or a bar or home made)
Mineral oil*
Iodine*
Rubbing alcohol
Coppertox* {or a zinc substitute}
Boroform {Blue Spray is the same I think}
V lites {or a suitable oral electrolite}*
Pepto Bismol * 
Baking Soda*
Veg Oil
Bloat Aid *
Probias *{ real stomach contents from a butchered healthy lamb kept frozen is great, just don't mistake it for spinich}
Vitamn AD and Oral water aditive* {just get injectable}
Vitamin B Complex*
VitE/Selenium BOSE {ask your vet first}
Thiamin* {if you can get a couple of doses at least}
Dexamethasone* {Ditto above}
Pen G* 
Oxytetracycline* {I use a low pain version LA200 is a type too}
Trivetrin/Borgal 
Sulfamethazine* {or equiv sulfa cocci treatment}
Injectable Calcium*
Cal Mag Phos
Injectable Dextrose* {too cheap and too useful must be 30% or less to inject 50% is common and must be cut with sterial water}
Oxytocin* {at least a couple of doses if you lamb more than 10 ewes}
IV sodium Chloride
Lactated Ringers
Ivomec
Safeguard

I think that's it but I'll check and add some reasons from some of the*'d items


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Tasvax8 * {too cheap IMO}
ASA *
Albryn {a sanitizing moisturizer for sponging and lamb extraction}
Bag Balm
Guiefensesan {expectorant}
Antihistamine {benadryl}
Dextrose {for making beer but we're not in this case}
Ear tagger and tags

Oh and {dumb me}, a pad of paper and pen to write down what I did to who and why and the max withdrawl date for marketing!!!!!*************!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Some reasons.
A thermometer should indicate a fever or low body temp and tell you if you have an infection or heat stroke or low energy, it can be a little subjective but still 103 on a cold day is a fever 101 on a hot day is defiately low energy.

Tubing is cheap lasts for decades and lets you feed little ones (aquarium tubing) drench adults and vent gas. Soft rubber tubing makes a good enema.

Funnels let you add the bloat aid or feed, so to the 60 or 20 cc syringes for smaller beasts

A range of syringe sizes saves loading syringes but the 6cc size is the most commonly used. If you have to subQ a dextrose injection the 60 is nice if you can handle it comfortably even if it needs several sites to inject it all.

The big 14 guage needle is for venting gas in a lamb only. I use an 18 for Vitamin AD which is oil based and thick, on ewes. I'll fight it through a 20 for lambs. 18's can be good for subQ injections too. The 20x1 is my most used needle.

Duct tape is a simple so much better at all weather holding tape than any medical tape I've used. Its great for making a "cast" for a broken leg too

Cotton is a simple absorbant wrap, KIS is my rule and it serves well. Also used for broken legs.

Heat bags (you could freeze them too) warm up lambs well. Any reheating of live animals takes care not to over heat the extremeties. I'll often use a warm enema too.

Mineral Oil use a universal lubricant for extractng dead lambs or a laxitive. lasts forever. I also keep Metamucil onhand as its a bit easier on lambs.

Oral electrolites are whjat most people use and they work fine. In smaller flocks you probably can note everyones condition better than me. I keep injectable electrolites to make up for lost time. Pepto has worked very well for my lambs and ewes that need it. A bit pricey but it earns its keep. Veg oil isn't a listed essential but it is a decent subsitute for bloat aid a bit of a laxitive.

Vit AD, sheep lose A fast under stress, and I use it on all new lambs. Sheep need D to absorb calcium for milk fever too. B Complex replaces lost thiamin somewhat, and stressed lambs especially need B to metabolize energy. E selenium in selenium poor areas is a given but ask your vet. They need E to absorb selenium. Thiamin is listed seperately and is used with Dexamethasone to treat polio of a thiamin deficency condition brought on by rapid feed changes of type or amount or just because your ruminant critter afflicted decided to have a problem. Thiamin is produced in the animal's rumin. 

PenG is used for dirty wound infections, aspirated pnuemonia, foot rot, mastitis, rotten dead lambs after they are extracted......... and a host of others. Oxytetracycline is the first line fo defence against Pasteurella Pnuemonia, Pink eye, and a few others. There are stronger broad spectrum antibiotics. Trivetrin or Borgal and it goes by other names too is an injectable sulfa drug useful for some pnuemonias, foot rot, and other PEN G type infections. Sulfa methazine is an oral cocidiosis treatment, simple and fast acting. 

Injectable Calcium is used to treat milk fever, or a calcium deficency. First time lambers and older ewes get this too commonly not to have fast access to it. You need a Vit AD shot too for the D to absorb the Cal. Cal Mag Phos is used to treat grass tetny although if you start sheep on fresh grass slowly you won't likely need it. Injectable dextrose is often 50% strength. I cut it with boiled water to 30%. 50% is too strong and will cause an inflamation and stinging/stress at the injection site. Full strength I use it to give struggling new borns a quick oral dose of energy.

Oxytocin is used to assist lambing if the ewe is fully dialated and is not pushing in a timely fasion. It is subjective and pulling the lamb is often a better option. Its also used in half doses for milk let down.

Tasvax8 or a similar 8 way cattle vaccine will likely save you sick/dead lambs and sheep. Its very cheap insurance.

ASA {asprin} lowers fevers, reduces pain just like in people. Get a vet to explain the dosages, as they are very much higher for sheep.

I forgot Iron injectable for anemic worm infestation survivors. helps rebuild the red blood supply. Optional. 

The pad of paper and Pen acknowleges that we all forget things and a record saves trouble at every step. Trouble that could cost you more than a sick or dead sheep.

HTH


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

:worship: Thank you so much!!! I am printing all this info off and starting me a Sheep Emergency notebook. As I said before I am new to sheep so your info is exactly what I needed. :haha: I am shopping Jeffers right now for most of the stuff you listed (I have a little of it now). Once again thank you for the time you spent to reply!!


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## quailkeeper (Aug 18, 2004)

Oh, one more question. I ordered the covexin 8 vaccine also and was wondering how to give a sheep a shot. Where is a good place? I have never even given my dog its rabies shot, I just took them to the vet and let him do it. Unfortunately there is not vet within two counties who will deal with anything but horses, dogs, or cats. So its time for me to learn.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Hmm Covexin hasn't got dosage instrutions for sheep? I know Tasvax is 4 ml for the first injection and 2ml for the subsiquent. Again Tasvax is a subcutanious injection (under the skin) Really this can go about anywhere but avoid areas that will rub as the injection site can swell. Typically I inject just behind the shoulder high on the flank. Pull the skin up, push the needle into the area you made, drop the skin, draw back to look for blood and if there's none, inject. I use an auto dosing syringe so the drawback is omited (it's less critical on subQ injections anyhow) For IM (into the muscle or intramuscular) use the muscle on the top of the neck ahead of the shoulders and be sur to draw back and look for blood. If its there try another spot. New needles for each injection and never use a used needle into the container of product.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

This thread is locked for replies as it is linked to a more recent similar topic HERE


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