# Odd behaviour in Ewe



## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

One of my ewes started doing something funny today and I'm not quite sure what's going on with her. 

First off she came in covered in mud like she had rolled around. Secondly, she is walking fine but she will stop every 10 steps or so and lean forward and stretch both of her back legs way out behind her, then she'll walk or graze some more and repeat. She doesn't look bloated; has a single month old lamb and has been fine until this. When she does the stretch motion she looks like she is going to go down at any moment but then continues on. 

Any ideas of what's going on?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Any ideas of what's going on?


More detail would help, such as age, is she expecting, diet, etc....

The stretching could be due to stomach pains
If she is falling over or having trouble balancing, it could be Listeriosis, as well as some other things

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/2002/neurological/listeriosis.htm

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<H2>Clinical Signs 

Click to expand...

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> The animal can show signs of confusion, walking in circles "circling", *uncoordinated movements*, inability to eat or drink, fever, and depression. You may also see drooping of the ears, protrusion of the tongue, holding of the head to one side of the body, and possible excessive salivation. When animals begin to show these clinical signs and symptoms *death can occur within a couple of days*. In sheep, listeriosis often times causes abortion at 12 weeks or later, encephalitis, and retained placentas.


</H2>


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

She has a month old lamb at her side and is just walking, grazing normally except for the stretching motion. It's rained the last couple of days and the flock has been in a pasture that they haven't been in for about 3 weeks. We keep loose mineral out for them. What else - they are given hay each evening. The ewe is around 1.5 years old. She's not uncoordinated or wobbly at all but has laid down (normal, not on her side) and gotten back up a couple of times. 

Could she be bloated from the recent rainy pastures and the stretching is to relieve it? She doesn't look it and the mud all over her is odd as no one else is as muddy as her.....I'll try to get a video of her and post it.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Get your hands on her and take her temp. Smell her breathe and see if she can swallow a few handfuls of grain. Check her udder, look for scarring or mastitis, listen to her stomach. More info is needed


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Ross, my husband is out putting her up now so we can check her out. He took a quick video of what she is doing. It's the one titled Odd Ewe Behavior

https://vimeo.com/lock8farm/videos
https://secure-b.vimeocdn.com/ts/266/276/266276620_295.jpg


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

YES!!! .........thats odd. sorry. If there's nothing else notable about her fever or whatever, I'd be tempted to giver her 20-30 cc's of Pepto and maybe a vit B shot. Look for signs of bloat though.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Oh she doesn't look anything like the sheep we had with Listeria, who were desperately sick spinning in tight circles and falling down slobbering and with almost stroke like features in their face. Treatable though if your up to the work.


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Ross, we ended up calling the vet because she seemed to be getting agitated and we could not find anything wrong with her. He thinks she has "gorged" on something that is causing her distress. She doesn't seem bloated but he said she did not sound right when he listened to her stomach. 

He medicated her intravenously with a pain killer as he said that was what the stretching was about. Not sure what else he gave her, I'll have to check the invoice. I really appreciate all the help!


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Ross said:


> YES!!! .........thats odd. sorry. If there's nothing else notable about her fever or whatever, I'd be tempted to giver her 20-30 cc's of Pepto and maybe a vit B shot. Look for signs of bloat though.


_And_ baking soda ? Is she getting any grain ? Sure looks like a belly ache. Glad you contacted the vet and he gave her something. I'd try the above too and maybe the combo will do the trick, while the pain reliever is still in her system. I wonder if he gave her some DSS solution for bloat, that stuff works miraculously well !

Deb


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## kirsten (Aug 29, 2005)

I think she has a back problem, a kink or something, that would cause rolling around trying to stretch the back and also the stretching stance. We also roll around to stretch our backs and we don't even have 4 feet. First green grass bloat should be accompanied by panting. 4 footed creatures rarely have back problems so no one would ever really see what symptoms that has. It seems to me that stomach problems make one go back or hunch, more curl up, not stretch out. Acidosis makes a ewe lay out, head flat on the ground. When we get kinks, we make odd gestures trying to work it out too. Did the pain killers help?


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

We bought a market ewe who ended up having hardware disease one time. She walked funny too, and stretched a bit as yours is doing, but she made a funny grunting sound when she walked sometimes as well. She was reluctant to eat too though, and you say yours is not. Let us know how she does.


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## Waiting Falcon (Nov 25, 2010)

have you seen her chewing her cud?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Is there an adult Ram in with her?

She could have an injury from a headbutt


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

She's better today and grazing like normal. The vet thought it was a certain type weed she might have eaten. He said most sheep leave it alone but sometimes it gets mixed in on their normal grazing. He didn't know the name but found a some to show us and it looks like carrot tops growing. 

It wasn't bloat but more like abdominal cramps. The ewe would stretch and shake like a wet dog; our vet said both movements were due to the pain.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Glad to hear it turned out OK.


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Good news, glad she is doing better !

Deb


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I'm glad she is recovered. I, too, was thinking she might have gotten a bad head butt and her spine was out of alignment.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

The carrot top weed sounds like poison hemlock. They usually avoid it unless it is the only thing around to eat, but if they eat a little it won't kill them - they have to eat a lot of it, I think.


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## J.T.M. (Mar 2, 2008)

I have seen this before ,She ate something she shouldn't have .


Edit: OPPS.....I should of read all the reply's before I posted.


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