Desperately need help after lambing, overesting disease, 1st delivery moms

Tina's LucyGraycee

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Good morning all, I have been off grid for awhile. I apologize if this post is done incorrectly. I truly couldnt remember if i was supposed to post each issue im needing help with individually. I didnt have time to ck into it with emergencies i have in hand right now.

I have this enormous task of so many babies being born at same time, 1st time momas that i thought i was prepared for but definitely am not!!

I got through barber pole worm. Moms all healthy. Good weight. Now all babies are born momas are getting drained fast loosing weight. I increased their feed to drastically for fear they wouldn't make enough milk for babies. 9 ewes had twins. 1 had triplets. 6 had singles. 1 I truly don't know what's going on with her. I now have 3 ewes nursing twins, I think are suffering from overeating disease. I FEEL HORRIBLE DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO! U all know my situation as far as affording a vet for emergency treatment of any sort. I can't stand to watch her die. It's awful to witness what takes place. Is that how it works? We just let disease take its course on its own & we do nothing? This has been going on now for almost 3 days. Could I be wrong about what's wrong? I thought she probably just ate somethg she shouldn't have but she has all symptoms described. She has 6 day old twins. They have to push straight up pretty hard from behind her to get milk from her utters but does get some. They are hungry though. They aren't getting what they need. Should I remove them from her if she's truly dieing & bottle feed them? There is no grass to speak of. All they've been fed is corn, Bermuda hay, coastal hay, alfalfa hay, 14% pellets. No green grass whatsoever. Would green grass help? She was nibbling around few minutes ago so i was going to cut some (small amt) green grass for her cuz she kinda acts like she hungry. How long do I wait to start bottle feeding twins whether moma lives or dies if their crying from being hungry?

I have 2 more a little latheragic but barely. They also nursing twins.


Next issue is 1st time mom. I wasn't around when she gave birth but judging by the amount of blood on her back legs it wasn't an easy birth. She hasn't bounced back yet. She barely walks around but does. She has single baby that does nurse but doesn't seem that strong & has characteristics of white muscle disease. Moma won't hardly eat. Haven't seen her drink water but I'm not out ther every minute with them. Pretty depressed. Won't take up for her baby against others coming close. She's loosing weight. Doesn't have much of a milk bag but baby seems to be getting some but still crys more than I've heard others. Her baby is 3 days old. I never noticed any after birth or anything until today. I call it a birthing bag. Not sure correct term for it but it was a bag with other pieces inside it. Like if baby was underdeveloped in a bag not regular after birth. I'm probably not making that very plain with my description. I'm pretty sure it was from her since she was last moma to delivery. Could that have been what was making her sick & drained? Will passing that be considered cleaning her out? Is there somethg else that could be affecting her to cause these symptoms? What can I do to possibly help?


Next ewe was supposed to deliver in middle of Dec. She was 2nd worst of all sheep when I got them back. She was dieing of starvation. She's always had twins but I figured they would be underdeveloped from lack of nourishment. I got her back on her feet, gain weight, began making milk to good size milk bag but no baby. I haven't missed delivery date on any of sheep. Been within 2 or 3 days on every delivery but I began to think I missed hers. U could tell she was carrying twins. Middle of Jan still no babies. Then 1 day I see her going back in forth to this 1 spot. After ckn spot there was 1 of what I call birthing bag & I could actually see partically developed baby inside it. So I scooped it up & buried it. Days go by nothing else happens. Still big & pregnant with milk. Almost 2 wks have past her sides have caved in like delivery is coming very soon. Still no baby. I fear she may have a dead baby inside of her. Is it possible for a sheep to false pregnancy after loosing/miscarrying? When will that change since she still has milk? I'm assuming she's still producing it since she eats & drinks good. Moves very slowly. Gets up & down with effort. Very depressed. Belly hangs very low. Her vulva has never swelled out. She had clear sticky looking substance hanging out yesterday. Is this serious or no?

Next I have a 3 wk old lamb twin. Ist twins born. Thriving great! Being a normal healthy baby. Babies always watch me & courteous as to what I'm doing. I strictly enforce anyone or anythg coming into baby lot since I have it baby proofed. Me being so exhausted i got careless & made a very bad mistake of hanging a plant hook on side of a wire dog kennel I use to put rams in till I can move them with others. My ears are toned to every sheep's sounds & crys & what they need. Little Bit never voices out very often. When she does somethg is very wrong with babies or her. Fannie her lamb wouldn't come to her so I put my stuf down to go look. When I came around pen I was working on there Fannie hung on that damn plant hook. She was evidently trying to chew on it & when moma called she pulled back end of hook went up into roof of her mouth. She was bleeding out her nose & mouth. I picked her & hook up at same time tilted them different directions & got her free. I went to set hook down to look closer at her she jumped out of my hand took off to moma. She giggled, blew blood out of her nose all night. Next day she had trouble chewing but did. Everythg she eats seems to come out her nose. Affects her breathing at times. Little harder to nurse but still does. Does she have a whole in roof of her mouth? If so will it ever close? Now she blows green kinda snot like stuf out of her nose when she eats hay or pellets. She goes drinks water her nose is all clear no other discharge. I don't know if infection to wound can show like that or just what eating causes? When she runs plays she stops several times sounds like she's coughing, choking, sneezing & snorting all at 1 time. Is that possible? At this point there's not anything I can do but watch her, correct?

These guys are all scheduled to be transported to new & better things through local auction Fri 16th. Now I'm not sure if there will be much of them living at rate I'm going. I'll be mortified if after all this care I've give them that I'm 1 that may have killed some.

Any info is always appreciated & valued greatly!
Thank u
 

Mini Horses

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Wow. Call your vet and get them there now. It's really tough not being there to judge movement & condition. They can IV some things to help but this, as you can see, is a very serious situation.

Bermuda & coastal Bay is little more than filler.

From what you say, they have stripped their own bodies to form fetus, now milk -- a bigger draw.

I'm sorry for your situation but these girls need a vet, IMO.
 

farmerjan

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You have 2 days to the auction... there is little that you can do to fix all that in 2 days. The ewes need some propylene glycol for energy to help combat the overeating disease as their bodies recover. But you are not going to get them back to healthy status in less than 2 days.
Give the lambs some supplemental bottles and leave with the ewes and they will gain some strength, ewes will get a little respite from the constant demand and get them get sold and maybe someone else with more experience can correct the problems.
 

Tina's LucyGraycee

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Thank you. I totally agree but that's what I was saying about situation I'm in. Unfortunately a Vet isn't an option. I have done so much with so little. These sheep don't belong to me. I'm just who stepped in to stop their abuse but very limited on how much & how far I can go. I hate that more than anything. Believe me I'm trying to figure out everyway to make that happen. I'm lucky I got this far with them knowing so very little. I was very concerned how I was gona make it through having all these babies. I feel so helpless. They just look at me for help but I'm lost at this point. I know I can't help them. Vet can. I'll calling around to see what I can manage. 1st set of twins I said moma overeating disease, lamb is constantly crying I have to go them & try to feed them. I can't stand not trying. I have yet to be successful getn babies to take bottles. Any suggestions I could try starting out hoping they take to bottle. Moma is all way down now. These babies are 6 days old. They haven't ate in awhile. I'm afraid they won't last much longer if I don't. There's another 3 day old baby that's moma is almost down. I think she must b going into shock or something by the way she's shaking all over & keeps putting her head sideways over her withers. I just really need Good Lord to step in here & give me a hand. Any kinda help!

So correct in feeding twins? What kinda schedule? All I have is milk replacer powder. If they don't like that whatever can I do?
 

Tina's LucyGraycee

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You have 2 days to the auction... there is little that you can do to fix all that in 2 days. The ewes need some propylene glycol for energy to help combat the overeating disease as their bodies recover. But you are not going to get them back to healthy status in less than 2 days.
Give the lambs some supplemental bottles and leave with the ewes and they will gain some strength, ewes will get a little respite from the constant demand and get them get sold and maybe someone else with more experience can correct the problems.
Can I get propylene glycol at my feed store?
 

Tina's LucyGraycee

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I'm gona try to postpone auction 1 wk to get them on their feet at least to be able to make trip but I'm not sure if I'm asking for more problems.
 

Mini Horses

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Ohhh. Nope 2 days no help.

Feed those lambs! Every 3-4 hrs offer bottles for those new ones. Best you can do now. Offer olders couple times a day. Feed store for prop-glycol.

Believe your the lady with these, they got moved, returned to you, an "owner" helped with feed -- no one would take them away.....😞🙏
 

farmerjan

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I would not postpone auction, I would get them sold to people who can afford a vet and do what they need to, for the health of the ewes. Feed the lambs several times a day to get them some energy and strength.
Yes prop-glycol at feed store... Electrolyte water would even help, a little, but it is not going to get better in a day.
 

SageHill

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Do the auction. Two days you can’t do much. One week may start to help some but is no guarantee it will help and others could develop problems or the current ones with trouble could get worse.
Know that you’ve given them your best and that’s more than they had before you.
Auction time before you have to deal with more or worse.
 

Tina's LucyGraycee

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Ohhh. Nope 2 days no help.

Feed those lambs! Every 3-4 hrs offer bottles for those new ones. Best you can do now. Offer olders couple times a day. Feed store for prop-glycol.

Believe your the lady with these, they got moved, returned to you, an "owner" helped with feed -- no one would take them away.....😞🙏
For the most part. Thanks for advice.
 
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