# HELP!! possible bloat in a bottle lamb



## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I have a bottle lamb that is around 2 or 3 weeks old that was given to me a week ago, It was fine when I went down to feed it earlier it drank around 12oz of milk replacer and was looking for more. I just went down again and it was standing along the wall away from the other lambs, I walked over and it's sides where rounded out and when i tap on them it sounds hollow. Is it bloat? What can I do?? I am a total newbie to sheep.


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I doubt that it has anything to do with it but this lamb had it's tail banded and the tail fell off last night.


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## Hawkfamily (Jul 13, 2004)

Is it pooping?


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I saw it poop earlier today.. so yes


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Sounds like bloat. Keep it moving and try getting a tube down to release the gas. If you can get some gas out syringe in 10-20 cc's of veg oil (or preferably some sort of bloat aide.)


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## Hawkfamily (Jul 13, 2004)

Would baking soda or something like that help, Ross?


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## flannelberry (Jul 14, 2005)

The best remedy I have used is a drenching - with a drenching gun - of oil, b.soda and water followed by Milk of Mag about 15 min later. But, that's in an adult ewe. For her I rotated every 15 min until things were moving. Keep the lamb moving. The drenching gun will help to stimulate the gut as well as it's like a bit in the mouth. 

Good luck.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Yup baking soda certainly helps. Unless the lamb is eating solids well I'd guess the milk lamb is bloating because of a minor blockage (and it smore likely a free gas bloat not frothy bloat) the oil breaks the surface tension and helps the gas escape but also improves motility. If the "milk" is replacer you might want to make it a bit thinner with extra water, or even add a little oil (1cc) of veg oil to the bottle.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

This is a regular thing here (I mean NZ) but nobody really seems to know why it happens. I feed my lambs cows milk and have lost two to bloat so the milk replacer isn't the problem because it doesn't seem to matter what they're being fed. Teat hole size has been put forward as a reason but some have large holes, some have small holes and they still get bloated.

Last lambing my one and only orphan started to bloat and I immediately cut back on the amount I was feeding and fed more frequently. A bit of a pain but it worked and the bloating stopped. I suspect that we try to get a little animal that should have regular and small feeds, down to two bottles a day too quickly. After all, a lamb on it's mother will dive in and go suck, suck, suck for maybe a minute and an hour later come back and do the same thing. It probably only gets a couple of ounces, if that, but it's stomach isn't being overloaded in one hit. 

How many times a day are you feeding it? At that age it's still very little and I would be feeding it at least four times a day and possibly five.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I am feeding 4 times a day and this is the lamb that will always drink it no matter when i feed. 

She is doing Better today! Thank you for all your help! I gave her a little oil in her milk this morning because I hadn't checked on her since I had gotten up so she got a little oil and around 8 oz of milk.

Thaks Again!


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## flannelberry (Jul 14, 2005)

As I said on another thread - my Uncle told me he didn't lose them to bloat or have problems with scours if he diluted the replacer to start and built up to "full strength". It does mean more frequent feedings but if you keep the lamb well hydrated and well.. that's a worthwhile trade off.


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