# Little lamb with a bad leg



## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

I have a tiny lamb who is finally eating great and now she has a bum leg! Front one. I thought it was the knee area, maybe dislocated, but she is bending it to lay on, she just wont stand. It does look a littel swollen, she doesn't make noise if I feel around at it. Then I thought maybe it was her shoulder area, but again no noise and does't "look" different. She litterally is skin stretched over a skeleton she's so tiny, I've had her a week, not exactly sure when she was born but sometime the week before I'm guessing. Could it be possible that she just "tweaked" it a bit? She is in with 9 other bottle lams, under heat lamps, it's still really cold here so don't want to take her out into her own pen. Pen is good sized. I'm sure she got stepped on or something by the bigger ones, but they are all about the same age. She seems to try to stand on it a little more, but not a lot. I was going to splint it, but then wasn't sure if I should since she was trying to use it and she was bending the knee. Should I at least wrap a little with some vet wrap? I thought for sure it was broke because it seemed "flimsy" yesterday when we first saw it (was fine when I fed at 5, next time we went out it was like this). But now I'm not sure if it is or not.. She is still eating great, so that's good at least. TIA


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Have you taken her temperature? It's possible it's joint ill. Did her umbilical cord get dipped in 7% iodine when she was born? If she has a fever, I'd start her on antibiotics immediately. If there's no fever, she could have injured it. If she gets jostled around by the other lambs, I'd separate her so she won't get hurt.


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

I will check her temp when I go out to feed shortly. What should it be? Whatever joint ill is, maybe it could be... I'm guessing her cord did? The guy I got her from has had sheep for years and years, and the other ones are all healthy and he seems to know his stuff when I ask him questions. He's been very helpful. I had to tube her for the first couple days because she wouldn't drink, she would just suck for a minute maybe and then was too tired to suck anymore. My son got her to drink finally and she's been drinking great since. Yesterday I thought I would have to give her penicilin because she sounded really wheezy and was breathing faster, but then the next time I went out, she sounded fine again and breathing was normal, so I thought maybe it was just pain and held off. We banded, docked, and gave cd&t on saturday, so I was told I should wait a couple days to do the penicillin.

ETA: Her other front leg looks "goofy" too, almost knocked knee or something, and for a minute I thought maybe she was favoring the other too, but hard to tell.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Normal temp is around 102*. Do you know if the dams were vaccinated with CD/T a month before lambing? If not, tetanus could possibly be a risk since you banded her this past weekend. It may be worth it to call the breeder and ask what he did for management. It may help solve the mystery.


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

could tetanus show up that fast? I only did it this past saturday and the next day she showed up like this?? like 24 hours to the minute almost when we noticed it?? I am not 100% sure if they did or not, I can call and find out though. if it is tetanus, will the cd&t kick in and help her? I was going to wait with her tail too because she was small, but thought it would hurt her less if she was younger, so got it out of the way.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I'm not sure, this website says 4-10 days. It wouldn't hurt to give her a tetanus antitoxin (not toxoid at this point) vaccine if the breeder did not vaccinate the dams. That website also has some other signs to look for. Probably not tetanus, but it's something to keep in mind.


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Doesn't sound like it would be, her joints are not stiff, she bends them, just sore and a little swollen. from the reading I have done, sounds more like it could be joint ill. I guess I could call my vet. Hate to take her in as the vet bill will be more than I want to put into a lamb that could die - had that happen last year. I know that sounds bad, but when you pay so little for them and the market isn't the best (although better than last year here), milk replacer is expensive, etc., you need to keep your costs down as much as you can to make any kind of a profit  I know I won't get rich on bum lambs, but....


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Just talked to the guy I got her from; ewes didn't get the CD&T before lambing. He did give me some suggestions, though and will be bringing me 4 more bums. I have officially lost my mind. :run:


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I'd give tetanus antitoxin to all lambs when you dock. Then, at 4 weeks you can give the CD/T vaccine, and a booster 3-4 weeks later. 

If you suspect it's joint ill, you can administer antibiotics on your own, unless you wanted to take her to the vet. I understand not wanting to spend the money on a bummer lamb. 

Just curious, how many ewes does this guy have? That's a lot of bummer lambs, unless he has a very large flock.


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

I guess I thought the CD&T was a tetanus antitoxin, I thought that's what the T was? He has lots, that's what he raises for a living. If I'd have to guess, I'd say 200??? His flock looked about like my brother's size and that's what my brother has. I know the one he is bringing was from a twin and the mom wouldn't feed the one. 2 of mine came from one other guy that I got 9 from last year (had one die - never name a sheep Lucky)


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

The "t" in the vaccine is tetanus toxoid, which is for long-term protection. For immediate protection, like you need when docking an un-vaccinated lamb, give the antitoxin. Then you follow up with the CD/T later.


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Gotcha. I did call my vet because and he said tetanus shouldn't come on that fast. He said that joint ill is a possibility and since she is sounding wheezing, had to give antibiotics anyway. My pen-g was frozen (lovely), but I had Neuflor on hand (which I didn't think I could give but he said I could) he gave me the dose and I went back out and gave it to her. She is now acting like her back leg is "locked" up and her fronts are not as bad, she is standing sort of on them. It's strange. Poor little thing. She only ate 2 ounces instead of her normal 10, so hopefully the guy bringing me the lambs will bring me a little drench to gice her since I dont have any on hand - cound't find it at Runnings yesterday. Now, we just cross our fingers. She is so small. I actually put one of my son's stuffed animal sweatshirts on her the other day to help keep her warm (fits her perfectly without even moving hardly on her, so no chance of choking or getting tangled) It's supposed to warm up this week so that will help too, I'm sure being chilled doesn't help. I have a calf in the barn now so an extra body to help generate heat, 2 heat lamps on them, and will put her in with the new, hopefully smaller, lambs when they get here. The other guy that I got 2 from sent me a message that he has 3-4 for me too. No sleep for me I guess.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Good luck with her! Sounds like you're going to have your hands full!


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Gave her some drench last night and this morning (8 hours apart). I also put her in in a tub by herself in the pen, close to the heat lamp. I have come to the conclusion that she probably was getting trampled  She is so small and the others seem to have grown 3 times as much as she has in the past week. So, I hope that she just needs some rest, good nutrients and TLC. My son will be heartbroke if she doesn't make it, so will I. She sounds better as far as the wheezing and rattling so that is great news! She is eating okay, Logan can get her to finish a bottle - I can't. I think she just likes to snuggle with him.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I hope with the extra TLC she'll do better for you, especially since Logan is so attached!


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

So far I think she is getting better. Her back leg seems to be better and she is eating great. She doesn't sound rattly either anymore. Not sure I even need the second dose of nuflor. Changed her sweater today as she was almost outgrowing it. Front leg she still is favoring quite a bit. Enjoying her little tub in the pen and her stuffed animal my son thought she should have so she wouldn't be lonely.
View attachment 25791


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Well little teeny is growing and drinking well. Her back leg has come out of it pretty much but now her other front is bothering her. I have the right one wrapped and we will change that tonight to allow for her growth and I think I'll wrap the other too for some support. Poor baby!! I am also thinking I'll give her another dose if nitro drench and another shot of nuflor. She doesn't sound rattly but seems to breathe faster than the others, which could be pain, but just in case it's a joint infection or something thought the nuflor couldn't hurt. Can I give her Tylenol? Lol just kidding


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

After I posted I went out to feed and give her the stuff I mentioned. As I was feeding her I noticed she no longer would straighten her front legs fully. The left would not go past 45 and the right not too much further than that. She had to walk on her knees . I called my vet and we decided it probably was joint ill and the knees were ankylosing. He said she would just be in constant pain and never get better. We made the choice to euthanize her. Heartbroken and my son even more so. He loved that lol girl so much. He just cried and cried. That hurt more than losing teeny. I hate this part of loving animals. Teeny and Logan
View attachment 26318


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Aww, I'm so sorry. :Bawling: Please tell Logan how lucky she was to have such a great caretaker!


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## Dfreddie (Mar 24, 2014)

Thank you. It was a bad day yesterday. We lost 2 calves and her. Of course the calves are out in the pasture so he's not attached to them like he is with the lambs and our bottle calf. Just sucks.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Very sorry for your loss of the lamb and the calves. Having a farm can be tough on the humans.


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm so sorry.


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