Ewe on her Back - should i get her put down?

razor8

I have a ewe that i found on her back nearly two weeks ago, she was possibly on it for 2 or 3 days

she hasnt got up since, the vet prescribed me nuflor and a steriod but she still isnt on her feet

i have been balancing her accross the forks of the front loader once a day and she can stand for a short period and is eating and drinking, but eating less and less as the days go on

she is fat as a snail and sitting up bright and ends up on her side from trying to get up. im thinking il have to get her put down but i thought id post first and see had anyone any idea's first

any suggestions?

mallethead

keep at her , you might need to lift her more than once a day . the more you get her on her feet the better
try and proper her up so she can't get tossed use straw

snowman707

most likely brain damage


if you can't get her going in a couple of more days, I would put her down on welfare grounds.

Manoffeeling

snowman707 wrote: »

most likely brain damage


if you can't get her going in a couple of more days, I would put her down on welfare grounds.

+1

norrie rugger

snowman707 wrote: »

most likely brain damage


if you can't get her going in a couple of more days, I would put her down on welfare grounds.

Would you not think that the vet might have mentioned it?

OP maybe leave it to the animal medical expert that you pay to help you, with these things.

Arrow in the Knee

Never heard of a ewe on her back for 2 or 3 days and still alive.

Always thought a ewe on her back for only a few hours would unfortunately die.

Best of luck Razor8!!!

reilig

norrie rugger wrote: »

Would you not think that the vet might have mentioned it?

OP maybe leave it to the animal medical expert that you pay to help you, with these things.

Sometimes the cost of having a vet out a couple of times with an animal is far greater than the value of the animal after the treatments. As a farmer, you are left with a dilema, should I spend the money on an animal that probably isn't going to make it, or is it the best welfare for that animal to be put down - saving that animal from suffering and saving you for a loss.

At the end of the day, the vet made a diagnosos at the start and prescribed medical treatment for the animal. If this hasn't worked, then is is often in best interest to prevent the animal from suffering.

norrie rugger

reilig wrote: »

Sometimes the cost of having a vet out a couple of times with an animal is far greater than the value of the animal after the treatments. As a farmer, you are left with a dilema, should I spend the money on an animal that probably isn't going to make it, or is it the best welfare for that animal to be put down - saving that animal from suffering and saving you for a loss.

At the end of the day, the vet made a diagnosos at the start and prescribed medical treatment for the animal. If this hasn't worked, then is is often in best interest to prevent the animal from suffering.

Totally agreed but if the vet has said it is X and will work through then take their advice, otherwise it is not worth calling them out at all. If the treatment comes to an end and has not worked and further treatment costs more than the animal then of course putting it down is the option.

I love the medical practitioners, of this country (Vets and Medical Doctors). They are able to get their diagnosis wrong and charge you AGAIN to rediagnose you.

snowman707

norrie rugger wrote: »

Would you not think that the vet might have mentioned it?

OP maybe leave it to the animal medical expert that you pay to help you, with these things.

maybe you should return to your play station

norrie rugger

snowman707 wrote: »

maybe you should return to your play station

I prefer the PC gaming experience tbh but what has that got to do with anything?
You made an ill-informed diagnosis, over the internet, that could cost the OP livestock and I called you up on it.

redzerologhlen

Reilig is right on this one I think and there is no point getting personal about it. If you think there is a chance stick with her op, if not then thats your decision. None of us can see her over the internet so we cant really make a call. Have put down a few things here over the years but we were always sure there was no hope for them and it was just to prevent suffering at the stage we did it.

reilig

norrie rugger wrote: »

You made an ill-informed diagnosis, over the internet, that could cost the OP livestock and I called you up on it.

No he didn't!!

The op already informed us that the Vet made the diagnosis of this animal and prescribed medicine.

As an experienced sheep farmer, Snowman is entitled to give his experience of an animal based on similar experience. His post stated that when the sheep did not recover within a specified period, then it is likely that she will not recover and that instead of having her suffer, it may be better to put her out of her misery.

norrie rugger

reilig wrote: »

No he didn't!!

The op already informed us that the Vet made the diagnosis of this animal and prescribed medicine.

As an experienced sheep farmer, Snowman is entitled to give his experience of an animal based on similar experience. His post stated that when the sheep did not recover within a specified period, then it is likely that she will not recover and that instead of having her suffer, it may be better to put her out of her misery.

The post said brain damage. Does he have a trans internet MRI to determine brain function?
He also said a couple of days. Is that 2 more days? Does he know how long is left in the treatment, from the vet? Just because things sound similar does not mean that they are the same.

The OP mentioned that the animal is bright (here I am assuming that he means alert but here goes), so how is Snowman to know that the medication is not working, or that the animal is suffering.

depending on if the vet has been out more than once, or is due back, your comment regarding the cost benefit is correct.

Manoffeeling

norrie rugger wrote: »

The post said brain damage. Does he have a trans internet MRI to determine brain function?
He also said a couple of days. Is that 2 more days? Does he know how long is left in the treatment, from the vet? Just because things sound similar does not mean that they are the same.

The OP mentioned that the animal is bright (here I am assuming that he means alert but here goes), so how is Snowman to know that the medication is not working, or that the animal is suffering.

depending on if the vet has been out more than once, or is due back, your comment regarding the cost benefit is correct.

If a ewe gets on her back for a prolonged length of time, she will suffer from brain damage. Forget the smart stupid comments about MRI.

reilig

norrie rugger wrote: »

The post said brain damage. Does he have a trans internet MRI to determine brain function?
He also said a couple of days. Is that 2 more days? Does he know how long is left in the treatment, from the vet? Just because things sound similar does not mean that they are the same.

The OP mentioned that the animal is bright (here I am assuming that he means alert but here goes), so how is Snowman to know that the medication is not working, or that the animal is suffering.

depending on if the vet has been out more than once, or is due back, your comment regarding the cost benefit is correct.

As I said to you already, the Op has to weigh up cost of treatment vs value of animal. The op told us that the vet prescribed nuflor and a steroid. Nuflor is normally administered twice, 2 days apart, and steroids for approximately 5 days maximum. Therefore, we assume that when the op tells us that the sheep was on her back nearly 2 weeks ago, that she is finished the treatment that the vet prescribed. Also the fact that she is eating less and less each day means that she is failing instead of improving - even after the veterinary treatment.

As an experienced Sheep farmer, Snowman knows that prolonged periods on the back can mean only one thing for a sheep - brain damage. The op came on here asking advice. He already saught veterinary treatment and this lead to no improvement. Snowman told him what his opinion is based on his experience and advised him what he would do in a similar situation.

Please stop making a mountain out of a mole hill!!!!

norrie rugger

So I make a comment about him listening to the vet's advice, accepting your comments about vet Vs animal worth (more than once, even though you seem to think that I am disagreeing with you here), then get a derogaroty (and stupid, Manoffeeling) comment about a playstation and I am the bad guy.

I would have asked the question, of the OP, if the vet said "after x period of time there should be improvment" or "it will take some time after treatment before you see any sign of improvement" before saying that euthanising was the best course of action.

Username John

razor8 wrote: »

I have a ewe that i found on her back nearly two weeks ago, she was possibly on it for 2 or 3 days

she hasnt got up since, the vet prescribed me nuflor and a steriod but she still isnt on her feet

i have been balancing her accross the forks of the front loader once a day and she can stand for a short period and is eating and drinking, but eating less and less as the days go on

she is fat as a snail and sitting up bright and ends up on her side from trying to get up. im thinking il have to get her put down but i thought id post first and see had anyone any idea's first

any suggestions?

As Arrow in the Knee said - I would be surprised that a ewe, esp a fat one could survive for 2 -3 days on her back. I would have thought they would have suffocated after a day or less?

Hard to call tho - I would say stick with it for a another while, altho 2 weeks if a good bit too...

I would get her up a few times a day, try to allow her to put a bit of weight onto her legs for a bit, if she can.
You say she is eating less and less? Throw in a bit of ivy to her, she might pick away at that. Also maybe giver her a tonic or something for a few days, to try to ger her energy levels up. Then , if things still aren't improving, then maybe its time to put her out of her misery...

whelan1

sit her over a small square bale of straw a few times a day, good luck with her

Man of Aran

I'd say stick to your plan for another while. It might be just an ear canal/balance thing from being up-ended for so long that gives her that stunned look or (re)action.
Move her a few times daily as other psoters said and use bales or a overhead sling for support.
Is she aware of you approaching or a sheep dog barking ... it might be shock still ?
Feed her warm watery gruel from a bottle and a drop of the poteen might not go astray either!

Good luck with her.

reilig

norrie rugger wrote: »

So I make a comment about him listening to the vet's advice, accepting your comments about vet Vs animal worth (more than once, even though you seem to think that I am disagreeing with you here), then get a derogaroty (and stupid, Manoffeeling) comment about a playstation and I am the bad guy.

I would have asked the question, of the OP, if the vet said "after x period of time there should be improvment" or "it will take some time after treatment before you see any sign of improvement" before saying that euthanising was the best course of action.

You accused him of making an ill formed diagnosis without knowing anything about him. I happen to know that he is an experienced sheep farmer, and any advice that he gives here is based on sound knowledge and experience. As I said to you already, the op did the correct thing by getting his vet to diagnose and treat first. However, the op wanted the opinion of people here because he saw no improvement with the vet's treatment. Snowman is entitled to give his opinion when asked - yet you think otherwise!!

norrie rugger

I never said that he could not give advice. I said that he should follow his vets call, nothing more. Then he decided to have a pop at me

Arrow in the Knee

Ding Ding

Round Two

Manoffeeling

norrie rugger wrote: »

I never said that he could not give advice. I said that he should follow his vets call, nothing more. Then he decided to have a pop at me

To be honest, vets don't know everything. We had a bull that hurt his mouth and the vet said he had a stroke. I told him he was probably right. He said that the grazing actions would be his physio!!!! The same vet left a calf in a cow after a section. She was caring twins. I told him I was struggling to hold the calf bed as he stitched. He said its ok.

Man of Aran

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Ding Ding

Round Two

+1

Lighten up there lads, is it a good time to crack my "Ewe'll never walk alone" one liner " ?

norrie rugger

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Ding Ding

Round Two

I was going to ask if she was playing Skyrim and took an arrow to the knee(but I actually do own that on the playstation:D)

razor8

mallethead wrote: »

keep at her , you might need to lift her more than once a day . the more you get her on her feet the better
try and proper her up so she can't get tossed use straw

was afraid to lift her too much in case it was hurting her, she obviously must of got a hurt or trapped nerve or something so my theory was to give her time to heel

razor8

snowman707 wrote: »

most likely brain damage


if you can't get her going in a couple of more days, I would put her down on welfare grounds.

id say there could be a bit of brain damage all right from trying to get up, above her eye was sore looking

She is still sitting up but her eyes are very glassy, going blind but not totally which isnt helping her. im still in a dilemma to but her down or not, she doesnt look in any pain to me, she's nibblin away at nuts but probably not eating enough, she didnt chance the ivy either!

razor8

Arrow in the Knee wrote: »

Never heard of a ewe on her back for 2 or 3 days and still alive.

Always thought a ewe on her back for only a few hours would unfortunately die.

Best of luck Razor8!!!

have seen it a few times, thats the joys of part time farming, if they are facing the right way ie head up again a hill i would imaging they could survive for up to a week

razor8

norrie rugger wrote: »

Totally agreed but if the vet has said it is X and will work through then take their advice, otherwise it is not worth calling them out at all. If the treatment comes to an end and has not worked and further treatment costs more than the animal then of course putting it down is the option.

I love the medical practitioners, of this country (Vets and Medical Doctors). They are able to get their diagnosis wrong and charge you AGAIN to rediagnose you.

even vets arn't going to be right all the time. i think my case is very unusual, im farming 20 years and i havent seen it before

razor8

norrie rugger wrote: »

So I make a comment about him listening to the vet's advice, accepting your comments about vet Vs animal worth (more than once, even though you seem to think that I am disagreeing with you here), then get a derogaroty (and stupid, Manoffeeling) comment about a playstation and I am the bad guy.

I would have asked the question, of the OP, if the vet said "after x period of time there should be improvment" or "it will take some time after treatment before you see any sign of improvement" before saying that euthanising was the best course of action.

calm dowm calm down, i just wondered had anyone experienced something similar and found a cure/solution but obviously not

Man of Aran

So ,,, how is she now Razor8? Hope got back on her feet again.

Conmaicne Mara

razor8 wrote: »

id say there could be a bit of brain damage all right from trying to get up, above her eye was sore looking

She is still sitting up but her eyes are very glassy, going blind but not totally which isnt helping her. im still in a dilemma to but her down or not, she doesnt look in any pain to me, she's nibblin away at nuts but probably not eating enough, she didnt chance the ivy either!

A man I know had a ewe down a long time, four months. He got a fish box and cut leg holes in it and a hole for her to dung and to pass water, kept her in the shed. He put four legs on it and fed her meal and hay and had a bucket with water for her as well. She got going again in the end and had a lamb this year. Another thing I have heard of people doing is using a trawl net but, that was usually for cattle.

The glassy eyes don't sound great.