# Does Prolapse Look Like Intestines ?



## CountryFried (Dec 22, 2003)

My ewe has had some problems with swelling of her backside, blood from her rectum. Now it looks as if intestines are hanging out of her vagina. I have heard of a prolapsed uterus, but it is described as a big red grapefruit-sized mass. This just looks like small grey-blue ropey intestines. Any ideas ?


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Your description certainly sounds like intestines. A friend wrote me a year or 2 ago saying she had walked out into the barn one AM and found a ewe, dead, with her intestines pushed out. This ewe had been heavily pregnant, and had been under a vet's care while prolapsing vaginally. 
Has she been straining? Is she pregnant? What else is going on? 
The only other thing I could imagine you are describing would be a placenta. That normally comes within a hour or so after the birth of a lamb. 
If its truely her intestines, she needs to be humanely put down immediately. Please, please call a vet on this, or put her down yourself.

Let us know what is happening! 

Lisa at Somerhill


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

It is possible for a vaginal wall to rupture as the result of labor and for intestines to be exposed. If you are willing to pay for a vet visit this sort of injury can be repaired.


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

suburbanite said:


> It is possible for a vaginal wall to rupture as the result of labor and for intestines to be exposed. If you are willing to pay for a vet visit this sort of injury can be repaired.



I don't know about critters but what you descibe does (rarely) occur in humans.


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## CountryFried (Dec 22, 2003)

I treated it as a prolapse,and elevated her hind quarters, then pushed the mass back inside her, used twine (as book said), and put a harness over the ewe and braced the vaginal area with it. I gave her a shot of PenG afterward. She is pregnant, and had twins last year. Her bag is pretty full, so not sure if lambing is imminant. She was straining for the last 2 days. I posted under " Ewe bleeding from rectum" earlier this week. As the blood came from that area first. Usually my sheep have mud under their bellies, but this one had it covered over her back and down her side, earlier this week, and I wondered if a dog or coyote may have gotten after her, and she rolled or something, thereby causing the trauma. Thanks.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I think suburbanite has it right. Quick guess a vet can confirm but I suspect she'll need a C section to birth those lambs or risk even more serious damage/death.


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Surely wish you had told us in the first post that she was straining, it would have been a simple diagnosis of what was wrong and what to do. She had mud on her back from straining and pushing so hard she was rolling over on her side and onto her back. 
Now she has been straining for a few days, and in misery. There's a good chance that the lamb(s) are dead, having detached the placenta from all the pushing. You can't just shove her intestines back in and hope everything will be ok. If she does not die from bloodloss and shock, her intestines may twist and a section die, killing her slower with septicemia along with great pain and suffering. 
If she does make it to lambing time, she's just going to push everything out all over again. 
This is a time that you need to either call a vet in to tell you exactly what you are dealing with and if there are any possible options to save this ewe, or to do the kind, decent thing and end her suffering now. 
I don't mean to sound rude, and I know that I am - but I just cannot stand the idea of what this animal must be going through. 

Lisa at Somerhill


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

She may also be experiencing what is called "ringwomb" in that her cervix will not dilate. If so, then the lambs have been dead for 2-3 days, and she is still trying deperately to deliver them. 
Lisa


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## CountryFried (Dec 22, 2003)

Not everyone is as intellegent as Somerhill in dealing with sheep issues. As she mentioned in another post, she has lost her share of lambs through inexperience. I do not neglect my sheep, nor am I hardhearted to their problems. I never "shoved" the intestines back in, but gently tried to manipulate them, thinking it was a prolapse. Intially, she didn't appear to be straining. I had heard some dogs the nite previous, so I assumed she may have been chased and injured. I surely will hesitant about being open and honest and asking for help,  knowing Somerhill will be answering. Everyone else has always been so kind. I DO APPRECIATE the information.


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

I am very sorry that I hurt and embarassed you - it was not intended. I am just focused on the sheep at this point, and desperately wanting you to look at the situation as an emergency, and not a wait and see situation. 

I also apologize the the rest of the people reading this thread that I have come across as rude and a know-it-all. I've made more than my share of mistakes and I'm sure I'll continue to do so. :shrug: 

I hope the rest of your lambing season goes really well, and please don't hesitate to ask more questions. There are lots of other folks on the forum who can answer your questions - I'll just refrain. 

Lisa at Somerhill


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## CountryFried (Dec 22, 2003)

Sorry to come back at you. I DO think you have alot of valuable information to offer. It's just frustrating to not know what you are looking at. And to try and guess if it is a prolapse, (not having ever dealt with one), then finding out that " Yes, you were an idiot after all" is tough. I grieve for the ewe. AND the vet after he arrives to see the mess.


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## Somerhill (Dec 13, 2005)

Its OK. I know that this has to be terrible for you. I've lost ewes, too, and its very sad and frustrating, and you always wonder if there wasn't something else you could have done, or seen sooner, or....on and on! 
The only comfort we can take is that we always seem to learn the most from the bad things that happen. 
Best
Lisa


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## tim1253 (Oct 4, 2002)

Let me say that I know Countryfried personally and I can assure anyone on this list that she would never be neglectful of her shee!. With that said, I urge us to continue to offer constructive ideas, etc. because we all learn more from each others problems that our successes most of the time.

Tim
Knoxville, TN


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## LMonty (Jul 31, 2006)

> This just looks like small grey-blue ropey intestines.


I'm curious- what does a ovine umbilical cord look like?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I didn't see where Somerhill accused the initial poster of being neglectful. Somerhill gave a forthright answer without all the frills. I don't think that should stop anyone from posting a question. I know some of my posts (on other forums) may come off at 'know-it-all", but it is not meant to. Sharing knowlege (especially if it is concerning a sick animal) is what this board is all about. I know Somerhill gave her answer specifically to this situation, but folks search the boards all the time and her information may be used at some future date for someone else's similar problem. Don't ever be afraid to ask.


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