sheep lame/down approach

History

·    How long been down for?

·    Has she moved around at all, tried to stand up?

·    Was she lame before?

·    Pregnant? Recently lambed? – late preg = hypo Mg, late preg + twin = pregnancy toxaemia, just lambed = hypoMg

·    Recent management/diet changes? – moved onto fresh pasture = hypoMg, silage issues = listeria

·    Any other clinical signs?

o  Itching? – scrapie

o  Neurological signs? – head tilt = listeria

o  Salivation? – listeria

Investigations

Clinical exam:

·    TPR

·    Any bloating? – hypoCa

·    BCS/weight loss?

·    Neuro signs?

·    Look in mouth – if teeth coming through then easier access for listeria

·    Can they see? – blindness = preg tox

Further investigations:

·    Take jugular blood sample – check Ca level and glucose

·    If pruritic/evidence of itching – skin scrape for Psoroptes ovis

Management

·    Hypocalcaemia – 40ml IV Ca borogluconate 40%

o  Eructate, stand, urinate and defecate soon after treatment

o  Risks – old/thin ewes, multiple foetuses, stress

·    Hypomagnesaemia

o  If seizing – sedate

o  SC magnesium, or IV Ca with Mg added

o  Prevention – feed high fibre diet (increases gut transit time ® increased Mg absorption), routine soil analysis, don’t use K fertilisers (K decreases Mg absorption), regular supply of Mg in diet (e.g. access to free minerals)

·    Listeria – penicillin IM

·    Scrapie – OP dip, moxidectin injection – notifiable in scotland

Causes

·    Hypocalcaemia – weak, bloated, late pregnancy

·    Pregnancy toxaemia – anorexic, tremours, blindness, late pregnancy

·    Scrapie – see pruritis and neuro signs

·    Listeria – see neuro signs (droopy face, salivation)

·    Hypomagnesaemia

History

·    How many sheep affected?

·    Is it one foot or multiple?

·    Any recent diet/management changes?

·    Vaccination protocol

·    Do they routinely foot trim? = bad

·    Do they use footbaths?

·    Any previous incidences of infectious lameness?

·    Closed herd? Any recent new stock?

·    Current protocols for lameness?

Investigation

Clinical examination:

·    Look at feet

Management

·    Don’t routinely trim feet – delays healing

·    Foot rot,  CODD, white line disease – oxytetracycline

o  + poultice for white line disease

·    Scald – 10% zinc sulphate solution footbath, 12cm depth, 2 min contact time

·    Toe granuloma – cut off with torniquet, cauterise with hot iron under LA, cull

Prevention/control

5 point plan:

1.        Avoid (reduce disease challenge) – separate lame/lesion sheep, footbaths

2.        Treat (reduce disease challenge) – regularly inspect and treat with a/b as needed

3.        Quarantine (reduce disease challenge) -

4.        Vaccinate (establish immunity) – footvax – 2 doses at 4w, 6m then annual boosters

                                                                              i.        DON’T MIX WITH MOXIDECTIN

5.        Cull (build resilliance) – if lame >2x, don’t breed

Reducing CODD levels:

·    Maintain closed herd

·    Isolate any new arrivals, and any sheep that have travelled off farm and back

·    Don’t graze away from farm

·    Prevent sheep mixing with neighbouring flocks

·    Examine feet prior to purchase