# Newborn Lamb with Raspy Breathing



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

I had a single ewe lamb born yesterday morning that seems to have aspirated a little birthing fluid. She was fine all day. Last night, she was very raspy, and her temp was up to 104, so I gave her .5cc Nuflor, and a little Banamine. She is still very raspy today, but eating well, and moving around; just not as active as I would like.

I heard that OTC guaifenesin would help clear her lungs a bit, but my local feed store does not carry it. I have Mucinex tablets here. They are 600 mg. Does anyone know if I dissolved one, what the dosage would be for a 10 lb lamb?

Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

If it was my lamb, I'd wait a couple days to see if it cleared up on it's own. I've noticed many times the raspy breathing goes away within a day or two. Plus, you already gave antibiotics.


----------



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

MDKatie said:


> If it was my lamb, I'd wait a couple days to see if it cleared up on it's own. I've noticed many times the raspy breathing goes away within a day or two. Plus, you already gave antibiotics.


Thank you. Usually, the Nuflor works pretty fast, but he does not seem any better, and he shakes his head a little when he eats, but he is eating. I put him out in the lamb pasture next to the house to get some fresh air and sunshine. Hopefully that will also help


----------



## grandma12703 (Jan 13, 2011)

I would give the three days of antibiotics especially with a temperature. Keep us up to date on the lamb.


----------



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

grandma12703 said:


> I would give the three days of antibiotics especially with a temperature. Keep us up to date on the lamb.


Thank you, I will.


----------



## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

We had a lamb like that. You could hear her breathing from across the barn sometimes. We gave her antibiotics for 5 days, and she was breathing normally at 7 days old or so. I have a feeling the antibiotics were unnecessary but we'll never know. She is very healthy now. Good luck.


----------



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

That is encouraging! I could hear him from 30 feet away this morning, but I just checked him, and while his breathing is still rapid, it is not as raspy. He seems to have a full belly, and was walking a bit. Mostly he just lays in the sun though. 

Did you use Nuflor for 5 days, or something else?


----------



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

So, I am still a little guarded, but the little ewe actually was trying to hop around. She was a little wobbly, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I cannot hear her breathing from far away anymore either.


----------



## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

It was Noromycin LA 200. I think that is oxytetracycline but I am not sure.


----------



## klcardella (Mar 26, 2014)

tree-farmer said:


> It was Noromycin LA 200. I think that is oxytetracycline but I am not sure.


Thanks. I am still using the Nuflor. She got 2 doses, and was better, but then her temp went up again day before yesterday, and I gave her a third dose, along with banamine. She was up and around yesterday, but not quite as active as the other lambs. Her breathing is much better.

I noticed her more lethargic again today, so I took her temp, and it's back up, but only to 103.4. I gave her a little banamine, and another dose of Nuflor. Hopefully this will clear it up. 

She is much better overall, but I won't rest easy until I see her jumping around with the others.

I barely saved a lamb from pneumonia 2 years ago. She was very, very sick for weeks, but managed to pull through. She is big and healthy now, but there was permanent damage to her lungs. She will cough when she really exerts herself, but otherwise is normal. The vet said she will always have the cough; kind of like asthma.


----------

