Help! Prolapsed uterus!

[Mombo1]

I had a first timer prolapse her entire uterus tonight after lambing a single.  I was able to get everything cleaned, shrunk, and put back in after several tries of having her push it back out.  I am hoping it will stay put with the prolapse harness I put on her.  I put a uterine bolus in, but what else should I be doing?  How long do they usually continue trying to push it back out? 

[Mombo1]

Uterus was back out this morning.  Guess I didn't get it back how it needed to be... I once again got it all in and am hoping it stays.  She hasn't been trying to push it out, but any advise from someone who's been there done that would be awesome.

[Mombo1]

It's been about 5 1/2 hours since I put the uterus back in the last time and she hasn't tried to push it out.  So far she's had a uterine bolus, 7cc of pen g, and 2cc of banamine.  She's been up eating and drinking and her lamb is active. 

[EmsoffLambs]

Prolapses uterus is my lambing nightmare. Great job getting it back in. Now preventing infection will be the challenge. I would keep her on hefty doses of penicillin for a few days. 1 cc per 10 lbs. The most important thing to keep them from pushing it back out is to make sure it is totally right side out. This means going in arm deep after you get it back in. Then I have had success putting a harness on the ewe to keep it in. Adjust it really tight so she cannot strain hard. After 24 hours the cervix should close and the danger will be gone. For future reference, a dose of oxytocin as soon as you find the ewe prolapsed will help to start shrinking the uterus. Then hooking her legs over a fence so she is basically upside-down will make putting the uterus back in MUCH easier.

Sometimes this occurs just randomly. However, if you have anymore, evaluate your feeding program. We had a lot of problems a several years ago with some ewes prolapsing and others not pushing at all. We narrowed it down to a calcium/phosphorus imbalance in our gestation ration. We corrected that by adding more calcium and had no more issues.

[Mombo1]

Thank you for the advice Crystal, I am definitely going to get some oxytocin to have on hand, although I hope I never have need of it.  The first time I got it back in last night I did not make sure it was in there completely right side out.  She was still straining when I got the prolapse harness on her, and when I checked her 4 hours later she had pushed it out again.   I realized my mistake, and made sure I got them both in place the next time before putting in the bolus.  I'm glad you mentioned the hefty dose of penicillin, it looks like I gave her a lot less than I should have.

[sheepherder007]

No less than 20 cc of pen on mature ewe and follow up with long acting tetracycline.  I use Norimycin 300

[EmsoffLambs]

Rex, I have read that oxytetracycline will interfere with penicillin so you should not use them at the same time.

"Since bacteriostatic drugs may interfere with the bactericidal action of penicillin, it is advisable to avoid giving Liquamycin LA-200 in conjunction with penicillin." About half way down the page under Precautions.

https://www.drugs.com/vet/liquamycin-la-200.html

[sheepherder007]

Right, I probably should have said said next week as is our practice.  Pen is for short term and tetras long term