# floppy baby lamb



## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

I searched the forum, but couldn't find an answer for this....

Had 2 Katadhin lambs born yesterday to a veteran ewe. (Thursday am). Both appeared rather floppy (legs spread out, couldn't get their legs under them or support their weight). Brought them and the mama into a heated building with cement floor---probably 75 degrees in the building. Watched them all day, but no improvement. So last night (about12-14 hours after birth) put mom in a head chute and had the babies get their first milk. Mom's milk supply came in well. This morning (24 hours later) no improvement, so I repeated the process. The lambs have a good suck, and they nurse well but I have to hold their head right up to the teat the whole time.

Gonna go to my local big animal vet this morning if he is in......any suggestions?


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

You really needed to help them suck as soon as you saw they were unable, not 12-14 hours later. The digestability immunity factors in colostrum decreases with the time after birth. Lambs also need fed more often than once a day. No spaddled legs try tapeing around the lower leg they across and leaving about 6inches of tape between legs tape aroung the other leg. that will keep legs from splaying. Don't tape so tight to restrict blood flow to hooves.


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## Goatsandsheep (Jun 7, 2006)

Sounds like white muscle. They need bo-se you'll need to get it from your vet and tell you the amount needed. One sub-q shot should be all you need. Lambs should be stand within an hour. G&G


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Thanks.....that is what my vet said too. Gave them a shot of BoSe about 20 minutes ago.......can't wait to see it work!


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## Shoupie (Mar 21, 2009)

Yep make sure you have a bottle on hand for the rest of your flock. You can give the ewes 1-2cc when you give your cd&t to prevent it next year.


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

How big are they?

We had a pre-mee kat born this year (probably weighed about 3.5lbs) , that could barely stand up at all and could not walk for nearly a week.

She fly around the house like a rocket now.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Is the lamb improving? Any other symptoms? Cool mouth, drooling ? It has passed stool black first followed by yellow? Give the Bose injected IM; sub Q absorption is just too slow.


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Well, I gave the shot around 2pm or so. Gave 1/2 cc to each lamb. The female was not as floppy to begin with, but she would not stand. Now she is standing on her own, walking some and trying to nurse. The ram lamb was floppier to begin with. He is now sitting normally and trying to get up but no successful yet. 

I gave the BOSE subcutaneousle...did not know that IM was quicker, and the package insert didn't give a preference....

BUT they are improving!!! Slowly, but they are!!


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Very disappointing!!! This morning the weaker lamb is no better. Still unable to stand. I thought it may be the flooring (concrete, with loose hay on top) because it seems their feet have no traction to get under them. However, when I stand him up he can't support his weight, and just falls back down. The stronger lamb isn't 100% yet, but she is able to get herself up and the mama is gentle enough to walk over and let her eat.

Any other thoughts? Shoud I repeat the BOSE shot but give it IM instead? 
I tied taping the legs so he doesn't spraddle as much, but then he just lays there with his front legs way out in front and his back legs way behind him. Almost seems like he has no muscle tone (although he can hold his head up).

I have been getting the mama in the milking stand about every 4 hours and holding the baby so he can eat, although she hates it and being >100 pounds it is a little challenging. I am a little tempted to start feeding him milk replacer instead as this would be alot easier.

Sure hope it is just that he is slow to develop and will eventually outgrow this....


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I know there are supplimental doses on the bottle but therapudic doses are larger. Thing is Selenium is toxic in high doses so you need a vet to get it right. I would say suppliment milk now and see what happens.


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

You also have to remember that severe selenium deficiency can also affect the heart muscle, so I'd keep an eye out for those symptoms too, like shortness of breath and any frothing. Even selenium injections don't reverse the heart damage, so if nothing else, you'd know if you were wasting your time and money.


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## Goatsandsheep (Jun 7, 2006)

If you end up bottle feed him I would milk mom. If he get strong enough then mom will still let him nurse (hopefully). Have both pass the meconium (the black tar poop).


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

What is the difference between giving a lamb milk replacer vs buying goat milk from walmart dairy section?


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Homoginization? I'm not sure if it wouldn't work but I'd go with replacer just because of cost.


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## Shoupie (Mar 21, 2009)

It has no probiotics and all the good flora have been killed. Milking mom is the best option. Have your vet show you how to tube feed. It saves lives, sheep can be stupid and will sometimes decide to give up. You should bring the boy in and put him under a heat lamp, and start tube feeding him every few hours. Sometimes it can't be reversed especially since these guys didn't get colostrum in them right away. I'd give him another cc but if he doesn't get better after that it might be something else or the WMD might have been to severe.


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Thanks Shoupie. I have the mama and both lambs in a heated building. The weaker lamb is taking milk---I give him a mixture of buttermilk, raw cows milk and evaporated milk--a recipe I found online. His poops are yellow green, and formed, just like his sister's who is only getting mama's milk. 

My wife gave him another 1/2 cc of BOSE yesterday morning, but no significant improvement. I may try another cc, and give him an additional 48 hours. If his muscle strength does not improve at all, despite feeding adequately (18-20 ounces per day, divided about every 4 hours to be 3-4 ounces per feed), then what? Do I give up then, or try something else? 

Thursday it will be a week old.....this is all a little depressing...

I don't mind tube feeding if needed, but I don't think it is necessary at this time....


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> If his muscle strength does not improve at all, despite feeding adequately (18-20 ounces per day, divided about every 4 hours to be 3-4 ounces per feed), then what? Do I give up then, or try something else?


I'd think that if he cant stand after a week, he probably won't.


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## BetsyK in Mich (May 14, 2002)

Makes me wonder if he had a spinal injury during birth. If there isn't any improvement for this long I would think it will not happen. Does he move his legs by himself at all? Sometimes something happens during pregnancy that can't be explained.


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Well, thanks for all the advice. Both baby lambs died this morning. My wife and I did our best, including tube feeding when all else failed, but everything failed. Its reassuring to know that God is still in control.....


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I'd think that if he cant stand after a week, he probably won't.


We had a pre-mee, who could barely stand for about 2 seconds for the first 10 days. She now at nearly 4 weeks, walks and runs normal, although she is still a little small.


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

uarelovedbygod said:


> Well, thanks for all the advice. Both baby lambs died this morning. My wife and I did our best, including tube feeding when all else failed, but everything failed. Its reassuring to know that God is still in control.....


Sorry you had lost the lambs.

Just curious. Any idea on about these lambs weighed at birth? Did you move to tube feeding them, after they were both sucking good?


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## uarelovedbygod (Nov 1, 2003)

Katadhin lambs, both around 5 pounds at birth. Both had a fairly good suck their entire lives, up to the end. One day after birth I started bottle feeding the male who could not stand to reach his mama. The other one was nursing well on Sunday night. Monday morning I went to work--work 33 hours straight--and came home to have my children tell me that they had not seen the healthier one nurse in quite some time, and all she had been doing was sleeping. I tried to get her to stand and she could not. Gave her another 1/2 cc of selenium and then started tubing her last night. This morning whenI awoke neither goat was alert or had much of a suck at all. Tubed them both this morning before leaving for work. They died about 1.5-2 hours later...

No i don't think the male had a spinal cord injury. He could stand for short periods of time (5-10 seconds) within 12 hours of each selenium shot, but this didn't last long....


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Sorry to hear you lost them.
Sadly that's a part of raising any animals


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## Goatsandsheep (Jun 7, 2006)

Sorry you lost them. Shelly


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