# Possible broken leg



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

My friend called this morning in a panic due to her ewe lamb's leg. I ran over to look - not that I know a thing. It's swollen horribly between hoof and ankle. I saw no injury between the toes but the swelling extends to between them. The leg twists to the back and also the side. From the side it doesn't look bad...it's from the front that the twisting is apparent and it seems to twist one way and then the other - all below the knee, but I pretty am sure the large bone isn't broken at least not that we could feel that it was. It's more the smaller bones in the 'ankle' above the hoof. I really need to learn these sheep terms!!! The little ewe isn't putting any weight on it. She's a corriedale X finn. She doesn't have the tiny feet and legs of a finn but instead is rather hefty.

What are the chances of a break verses a sprain? Can sheep simply pull tendons? I see no ther explanation for the twist in the leg. They have no idea how she did this- she is not housed with anyone other than her mom and sister. They do graze around farm equipment. They are housed in a barn at night. I didn't get a picture. What are the chances of a break verses a sprain. I have a ewe that has sprained her foot before. She still put some weight down on it. In a few days she was as good as new. I am not sure this injury is going away any time soon.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Well they can get sprains or dislocations and of course breaks. You need a vet but so long as its on t he lower leg it's usually a fairly easy fix.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

its on the lower leg...I didn't think about dislocation....perhaps taht's it. I am going to get a picture of the structure of a lamb's foot too! I feel like we're working in the dark. 

One ewe lamb isn't worth the vet call to the house- sadly.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Every vet call is a learning experience, its how I learned to set a leg.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I was reading on pipestone vets website that broken legs can be set. Hurray. They have horses so it can't be that much different.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Of course they can. I doubt I can describe it well enough but here goes. You have to stretch the muscle and tendons slowly by applying constant pressure. They will be tight. Then locate the break, and line up the bones. Release the pressure wrap in cotton snuggly then brace the leg in place with wood splints. Then wrap it with duct tape up on to the wool and down to the bottom off the cotton to the lower leg. Make a cast outa duct tape is all I\m saying.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

I've sat a couple of goat's legs. It's probably worth the vet's fee to see it done the first time.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I don't think the large bone is broken...it's more likely something in the ankle. The large bone was still in tact and there wasn't any pain until we moved the ankle. I assume it's pretty much the same process though- splint it above and below the break. I have a ton of vet wrap- we bought it when DS broken arm last month. I also have some casting materials in my first aid box. It's easy to use- It's like a roll of newspaper. You get it wet, form it to the limb, let it dry for a few minutes and then wrap it up tight. Maybe we can do what the DR did with DS- hard cast it on one side and soft on the other - vet wrap/duct tape over all of it. I think we can form a little shoe that will go under the hoof so the leg will be held straight from above the knee to the hoof. I think both sides stiff would work better on second thought.

Do we need to wait until the swelling goes down?


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Bones in a young animal are still growing quickly so I would say you need to act as fast as possible. Ice and a steroid as there are likely broken blood vessles????


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

mary said:


> It's probably worth the vet's fee to see it done the first time.


I really emphasize what was said both Mary and Ross, about a vet.

Is it possible that she got hung up on a panel, sounds like an injury from that ?


~Deb


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

No idea what she did. She is known to put her feet on a small tree in the pasture. It's possible she got it caught in the fork of a limb or something. There aren't fence panels where she is currently - it's tube fencing. 

I've told them what everyone here has said so it's up to them to call the vet or not. Mostly they do their own.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

Ross said:


> Every vet call is a learning experience, its how I learned to set a leg.


I couldn't agree more:grin: I've never learnt how to set a leg never having had an animal with this problem but man, have I gained some useful knowledge in other departments. The first vet call may have cost but I've saved untold dollars because of it.

Without seeing the leg I wouldn't want to offer an opinion and go with what the others have said - get the vet and get some learning. Both the lamb and your friends will benefit.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Not sure I've ever owned a sheep worth a vet call but as a flock health expense and a learning opportunity I've never regretted callign a vet. First few years were brutal for cost then less and less and now I really don't need a vet very often. Mostly because what you learn is how to avoid the problems in the first place! Weird we never had a broken leg then he next year after our first we must have had 8, then a few sporadic occurances then nearly none. I'm guessing getting preditors under control helped alot as they no longer get chased across the fields.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

My stupid goats have broken legs in more frivolous ways than running from predators. The first time, it was a doeling following me into the feed room, which had a concrete floor. In a flash she jumped onto the feed can and bounced back down onto the concrete.

The next one broke his leg jumping over a fence to eat another goat's feed.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I'd call the vet if it was my sheep- or better yet, what's easier to toss in the back of a car and TAKE to the vet? My vet is great to teach me what I need to do since he really doesn't like to make all the house calls. But...it's not my ewe or money.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Said friend just called. THe little ewe is better today. She is putting the leg down on the ground, but not putting weight on it yet. The swelling is down to about 1/2 what is was. The leg is not as crooked to the inside as it was yesterday either. They are taking her to the vet because they are pretty sure she can still be a productive ewe for them. Hurray! thanks for your comments. I forwarded them on to her and I am sure it helped.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Didn't mean for it to sound like we were after you particularly, sorry if it sounded like that! There's always third party reading to consider too!


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Great to hear, also nice of you to be such a caring friend and sheep caregiver 

~Deb


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Ross- didn't take it that way. It was a hard call for anyone and her sheep are mostly pets anyway. I'd have taken MY sheep in as soon as I saw it. The friend did bring up a good point that the injury could have been made worse by transporting. Their vet charges $100 for a house call + the doctoring. Mine is only $50.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

For future reference , I've found something that makes a super splint for goat/sheep legs. Take a plastic bottle, like what iodine or contact lens solution comes in - about 6" tall, not too big around. Cut off the top and bottom, then slit it down the full length. You now have a tube that you can adjust and cut to the needed length. Set the broken leg, wrap it with cotton batting, or similar, then wrap with vetwrap - once you have a layer of vetwrap, take the plastic tube and adjust it onto the leg, then continue wrapping with the vetwrap. It's cheap, it's adjustable and it works really well - re-usable too!

My good Saanen buck broke his _hind_ leg just before breeding season last year :grump: and I used this on him. He healed up and was able to breed with no problems at all!


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I am so glad to hear that others have experienced this and things have been okay. Whew!!! It's good to know that recycling works in vet work too! When we though DS's arm was broken and had to wait 2 weeks to find out.....they put a hard cast on the inside of his wrist to the elbow and then soft-sided on the backside. It was wrapped in an ace bandage. We all know what happens to ace bandages and boys. My DGS had broken his arm and the DR wrapped it with colored water-proof wrap. I had seen something like it but didn't know where until I was buying feed at the farm store. Vet wrap!!! In TONS of colors too! DS was happy as a clam to have a different color every couple of days.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

Glad to hear the little lamb is getting better. I've never had a broken leg around here, ~knock on wood~just a twisted one. From a monster= (a ram stuck in a chair running) scaring the rest of them.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I was out of town for a couple of days. They ended up taking her to the vet. There are bone fragments in there. The leg was wrapped and she is in a very small pen to keep her from moving about with her mom and sister. She is putting weight on it now a bit too. She's supposed to fully recover.


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