# Dexamethasone inducement question (aka why wont she just go!!!)



## tomjones (Dec 22, 2007)

We had a three year old CVM ewe last week that came down with sysmptoms of pregnancy toxemia last week two days after shearing. After dosing her with propylene glycol, molasses and upping her feed for two days of no improvement, I got with the vet Saturday night and he thought we ought to look at milk fever as an alternative as she was not responding and had cold ears (circulatory issues) We also talked about giving her a shot of dexamethasone to get the lambs out as she should be within 2 weeks of delivery. She was never down and unable to stand, just completely zoned out, standing and grinding her teeth and looking like a stoner. 

Anyway, we decided that we would give her the calcium oral dose and if she did not respond by Sunday Morning I would give her the the dex to push things along and get the nutritional stressor (she looks like she could easily have triplets in her) out. Before I left for church i looked at her, dosed her with a second dose of calcium, decided she was not improving and gave her the dex. 

Since then she has steadily improved, until she is about 80% of normal now. But it has now been about 110 hours since the dex when everything I read says she should have lambed in 48-72. I am thinking it would not be the end of the world if she did not lamb for a week yet if I can keep her in this condition, but am wondering about complications or if a second dose should be given even if she is feeling better. Looking for folks experiences with dex and any suggestions.

We did have our first ever CVM Lamb today, a single ram lamb out of a ewe lamb. Take a peak...










Thanks.

Tom


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Dexamethasone is a steroid and has lots of uses. I know it's supposed to induce labour but it's a fickle thing used like that. Great for polio and it also speeds metabolism so that's likely why your ewe improved. Not sure what dose your using but if you're comitted to her lambing now then after 24 hours the first dose should be out and a second might just do the trick. Or not. I can't see your ewe and it sounds like you have a good vet to ask. So I would ask that good vet. I'm no fan of inducing labour especially if the ewe isn't ready. If the sheep is that weak she should void the lambs, then ask about a C section.


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## VA Shepherd (Dec 26, 2010)

Cute lambs!

I had one toxemia experience that included a dex attempt, don't know if it will help, but:

We had a Polypay/East Friesian ewe, a consistent tripleter and our best milker by far, close to term. She hurt her foot (sprained ankle), and it put her off her feed. She developed toxemia almost immediately, so we isolated her and gave her grain, alfalfa, all the good stuff, but she wouldn't eat on her own. The vet recommended a high calorie 'smoothie' of dissolved alfalfa pellets, molasses, glycol, vit. B, oatmeal, and enough water to make it the right consistency. We put that mess in her several times a day, hoping to kick start her plumbing, but she still wouldn't eat. Then she developed pregnancy induced diabetes. That was fun. We tried to regulate her blood sugar but we did a terrible job of it, so that stressed her even more. Finally after a week of this (a looong week), the vet recommended inducing her. Unfortunately my boss didn't know when she was actually due, so even though she was as big as a house, we weren't sure how close she really was. Ultimately, we knew that she couldn't survive much longer as she was, so even if the babies were premature, we wanted to save the ewe. The vet administered the dex, and we waited. Nothing. She gave her another dose, and tried cervical massage. For an hour and a half. No go, she was not letting those babies out. Finally, we left her alone, we knew we could only force things so much. She died that night, it had all been too much for her. :Bawling: We slit her belly open when we found her in the morning, and it turned out she was carrying quads, at least three weeks from full term. The four of them had just been too much for her, and her body knew that they weren't ready, so the dex only took her so far. 

Based on that experience, I would say three things:

Don't push her too hard. If she's eating, and she seems better, let her be unless something else happens. She knows more about this than you, and if she's not ready, forcing it will just stress her out.

Our vet calls dex the 'happy drug.' She says it makes them feel really good, so that may be why she suddenly improved. But again, if she's not ready, she's not ready.

And on a side note, the smoothie thing is actually a really good trick. We have used it in other situations since, and it's a great way of pulling them through situations where they won't eat enough on their own to keep their strength up.

I hope your story ends better than mine; sorry if it alarmed you! That was an extreme case, where several things went wrong. I hate learning the hard way, at another critter's expense, but sometimes, that's all we can do. Good luck!

This is Plenty, in happier times:










This my boss; Plenty used to walk up behind her, put her head between her legs and flip her right up onto her back. They were buddies!


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## tomjones (Dec 22, 2007)

Just did a csection on her. Pulled three ewe lambs out of her. Vet cant figure why but one of them crashed after about 5 minutes and we lost her. But there are two in good shape. Thats two more than I have been thinking we would have. Pictures soon.....


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

How is the ewe or did you lose her too? Best of luck to all of you.

Peg


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Lots of reasons to lose a new born, a C section just has different stresses on them. Glad you got two though. Hows mum?


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## tomjones (Dec 22, 2007)

So far so good. She is up and around. Not giving much milk but she did mother them a bit. They both got cold enough though that I brought them to the house to feed and warm. Lucky I have another ewe to steal some colostrum and a goat we are milking for fresh milk. One is having trouble staying warm even with the heat lamp but we are gaining.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I'd dry of mum she's done enough. Your cold lamb could use some B vitamins provided its passing stool. If its not passing stool, that's probably why its cold. Drooly mouth is another symptom its constipated.


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