# Lamb breathing fast: pneumonia?



## frazzlehead

One of the ewe lambs (born in February, bottle raised, gaining well) seems to be breathing very fast.

We took her temp tonight: 103.3, so in normal range or close to it. She seems to be breathing quickly, but not quite panting. She is eating and drinking and seems fairly normal, maybe a bit lethargic.

Pneumonia? Something else?

There is selenium in the mineral they get (and they eat plenty of it, we mix it with molasses and chop). Water is fresh and readily available. They are penned presently and there is some short little new grass (this is Alberta - we had frost this morning), they get hay, and an alfalfa pellet/grain mix (trying to get the ewes back in condition after lambing).

Thoughts?


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## floramum

How Experienced Are You With Sheep? Me- None. But If It Were A Beef Calf I Would Have A Shot Of La-200 Or Such On Hand And Watch It Carefully. At Least Until More People Post On This Thread.

Sure Hope They Do And That The Baby Is Ok.

Mum


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## frazzlehead

I, too, was considering starting her on antibiotics if she was still looking the same today, so I guess we think alike on that!

This morning we noticed that she's scouring so I am thinking it's probably related to the belly upset ... I've dosed her with scour meds and will see if that sorts her out some.

We put her in an isolation pen so she doesn't share her germs, with a bucket of water spiked with apple cider vinegar (which is just generally good for critters), some clean hay, and she seemed perfectly content. Her breathing actually seemed a bit better, and she's got no cough or nasal discharge, so I'm gonna guess that what we were seeing was related to the belly upset ... but we'll keep watching her.


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## Starsmom

I would act quickly. I had one that did that for a couple days, I watched him and he seemed fine otherwise. This morning he seemed a bit lethargic (7am) I let him out and he followed me around, seemed slow but interested. Within 15 minutes he was wobbly. I took him in the house, he had a temp of 105, called vet told him about the breathing and he said to start on nuflour and cortisone. Did that. Within an hour he was breathing rapidly. Loaded him in the car and took to the vet. He was very lethargic by them and the breathing was horrible. Vet said he wouldn't make it much longer. He did give a shot of recover to help with the breathing. Put him in the car and took home. He died on the way home. Unfortunately, he wasn't one of the slaughter lambs, he was the one my son chose to be him breeding ram and he was very attached. I got about 30 minutes before I have to break it to my son.

Oh yeah, he began to scour last night, 12 hours before he went down hill. I too thought it was a belly upset (maybe bloat) and treated that way.

Advice...don't wait. When it hits, it hits HARD and FAST!


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## Starsmom

Frazzlehead, how is the lamb doing?


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