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Leddi
Joined: 31 Mar 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Aberystwyth
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Posted: Sat Apr 27, 13 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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If the rumen puncture worked, it was free-gas bloat. It is pretty smelly, isn't it! Satisfying to hear all that gas whooshing out, though. With a bit of luck the pressure didn't do too much internal damage and the lamb will be fine. I would probably give it an antibiotic, though, just to cover the puncture wound (and possibly some metacam if it seems sore).
There is, however, another type of bloat - frothy bloat - which isn't quite so straightforward to treat. If the rumen puncture doesn't really work (if only a little gas comes out, and/or some frothy white stuff), get some vegetable oil into the lamb's stomach (syringe, or tube) - it works as an antifoaming agent. Try to keep the lamb moving to encourage it to fart and burp away the gas (sheep burp all the time - mine do, at least... usually in my face), and keep an eye on it to see whether the treatment has been successful - it may need to be repeated.
I begin training as a vet in September (as a mature student), and as part of my vet school application process I spent a few months helping out with the lambing at a local farm. I adopted a group of swci lambs (don't know what you call them in English - they're the orphaned & rejected lambs) so I spent a lot of time in the shed where all the swcis were kept (there must've been about 60-odd). I encountered a lot of bloat, since powdered milk, especially suckled ad-lib from a machine, makes them more prone to it. I've also read that it can be caused by hay, and that it's better to give lambs straw. Very lush grass can also be a cause in sheep of any age.
Anyway, I now have a flock of twenty two year olds, (none of which will be going anywhere near a dinner plate), who are teaching me a lot about sheepy matters.
I hope the little one stays happy and healthy. |
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maryanned
Joined: 14 Apr 2013 Posts: 16
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Cathryn
Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Posts: 19856 Location: Ceredigion
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Leddi
Joined: 31 Mar 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Aberystwyth
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Cathryn
Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Posts: 19856 Location: Ceredigion
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maryanned
Joined: 14 Apr 2013 Posts: 16
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bathsheeba
Joined: 07 May 2024 Posts: 1
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 46218 Location: yes
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