Wobbly Lamb

[Honey Tree]

I have a 4 month old lamb that walks like he's drunk.  This started over a month ago and has gotten progressively worse.  He has a great appetite and travels everywhere with the rest of the lambs.  He doesn't have any problems getting up after laying down but if he gets knocked over, which happens frequently because he's always underfoot, he struggles to get up and thrashes.  If I roll him onto his belly, he'll get right up. 

I raised him on a bottle because he couldn't stand for the first three day.  After three days he was able to get up and walk without any issues.  This wobbly stuff just came about recently.

Any thoughts as to what might be wrong?

[EmsoffLambs]

White muscle disease and polio typically come on faster than a month, but those are the two possibilities that come to mind. You can give one does of BoSe and see if it helps. And also treat with a couple doses of B complex. It may more may not help but won't hurt.

[Honey Tree]

I'll give them both a try.  I've had lambs that have been selenium deficient but this share any similarities.  He has no trouble rising from a laying position, only when knocked over on his side.  He doesn't have a strength issue, but rather a balance issue.  What dosage on the B?

[Honey Tree]

I gave him BoSe and B-Complex then straight Thiamine at the recommendation of the vet.  About a week ago he could no longer get to his feet and wouldn't stand even when I helped him.  He developed a cough and chest congestion which I'm sure is pneumonia.  I was sure he was a goner at this point but gave him Nuflor.  We've had several other lambs develop a cough that I'm sure is due to our weather.  Nuflor has helped all of them including this lamb. 

He still has a great appetite and has been trying harder to get up but can't seem to get his hind legs to push him up.  When I lift him into a standing position, he is now holding himself up.  He can stay up for about 5 minutes before his hind legs give out.

I'm hoping with more time he'll continue to improve. 

[Honey Tree]

Well, last night I found him up and eating.  His ability to get up depends upon his laying position.  Sometimes he gets up rather quickly and other times he thrashes to get his legs under him.  He can stand from 30 seconds to a few minutes before he sinks down. 

[EmsoffLambs]

How strange, but glad he is improving!

[HeartP]

We had a ewe lamb that had a similar issue; the vet said to treat her with LA200 (2CC every couple of days). She's fairly normal, has a hard time gett up at times and is a little stiff,  just hasn't really grown well enough even to make her a butcher lamb. Good Luck!

[Don Drewry]

We had one last year that seemed paralyzed on the left side.  Started out wobbly, got worse, I would drench with to keep it with calories and fill it full of antibiotics.  Eventually it recovered.  It was one of oldest lambs born in January and was sent to slaughter with the last load of lambs born in late April/May and was the lightest one.  I would have lost way less if it would have just died on me right away. 

[Honey Tree]

If he doesn't go backwards again, he'll still never be a money magnet .  As soon as he passes the time period for the medications he's been on (Nuflor is about a month) I'll be sending him to the sale.  One of those happy-sad days.

[Honey Tree]

A couple of weeks ago he started having trouble rising again.  The cough and chest congestion came back and I treated him several times with Nuflor.  He just couldn't seem to conquer the pneumonia.  He never lost his appetite or appeared as though he didn't feel well and he wasn't able to hold his own weight up.  Still, he was an eating machine!  He died on Sunday afternoon. 

[EmsoffLambs]

Too bad. You gave it your best shot. Sometimes sheep get mystery illnesses. I imagine we have all been there.