RoseAmy Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Well two weeks past dog attack I though we had it made. Wounds were healing, ram was up walking around--a little crippled on the tore up leg-but he was getting around good-he was going out to graze etc. Then 2 days ago things started to go down hill.. He was having trouble with his other back leg..the hock seems to have frozen up on him, also the one front knee appears swollen and he has trouble with that leg too. I put him back on banimine and antibiotics but things aren't turning around. I think's its time to call it quits BUT he is more alert then ever, eating like a pig...he's fighting me when I give the shots..something he didn't do the first go around. Before I make that final call anyone have any other ideas of what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I would be consulting with my vet discussing what the ram has been given, med wise, to determine if he needs a longer treatment period or a different antibiotic. I think your at the point where the ram can't be used for much with the meds you put on board so as opposed to incurring a total loss I would look a bit further antibiotic wise, especially if he is eating and alert. I know at some point you have to cut your losses, but I guess I figure that once I start trying to save them I want to go the full course, other wise I'm better off butchering and saving what I can as soon as the animal settles after the initial trauma. Deb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseAmy Posted February 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Deb thanks for the reply. The problem that I have is 1. the vets around here know nothing about sheep in fact they ask me for advice. LOL huh! 2. I don't want to sound cheap but a vet visit would at the very least run over $100. At this point he has had so many drugs not sure I would even want to give him to the dogss. Anyone else got an idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 What has he had and for what duration? No sense having a vet out that is uncertain how to treat sheep...as I'm counting my blessing for having one that has quite a few sheep clients. If I had your situation and called my vet I would anticipate that he would ask me what the ram has been treated with and then suggest a different antibiotic. Deb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covelo Dogs Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I have had to treat up to six weeks with meds, after a dog attack. I also was unable to get a Vet to come out. They feel that it is not worth their time. I was able to call and get advice though. Especially when I thought that continuing treatment was futile. Do you have a Vet teaching hospital in your state? You can always email pictures and progress. My experience was that I would finish a series of meds then the issues would come back. As long as they were eating and moving around I just continued to treat. I had three ewes that this happened to. How large is the pen he is in? In my experience they do need to be able to move around this seems to help the swelling. I know how frustrating this is and how you just want to give up. Go with your gut feeling. But if alert and eating you may just want to continue treatment. Also, I would not feed the ram to dogs unless it has been awhile since meds. Good luck, Suki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 You can call Pipestone. It cost the price of a long distance phonecall, cause it's not their 800 # that you use. THey've helped me numerous times when the local vet wasn't available or didn't know what to tell me. They even walked me through a surgery for a ram, it was either euth.(wasn't able to butcher cause of meds.) or try the surgery at home. It worked and we all did the happy dance, even the vets I'd been talking to on the phone were celebrating with me. They even broke down a bag of supplements cause it was not cost effective for me to have them ship me 50#'s of stuff when I only needed a small amount. They are great! The phone # and info is in their catalogue or look it up on their website. Good luck. I'd give you my opinion but I really feel I'd have to be there to see what's going on. If I had that long into saving him, I keep trying. the outcome will either be good or bad but won't be any worse than if you throw in the towel now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Sheep seem to have a good ability to wall off infection in a joint, but it can take several weeks. I would give him a little longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura L Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 I'd say keep treating him too. What kind of antibiotics are you giving him? Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMSBORDERCOLLIES Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Sheep seem to have a good ability to wall off infection in a joint, but it can take several weeks. I would give him a little longer. I agree totally Eileen. This has been a very severe injury and he's going to be extremely stiff while healing. It's kind of like having surgery by an alligator, not very clean or neat. Give him a chance to recover over a loooonnnng period of time. You're probably not using him right now anyway. Give him lots of clean straw for bedding and lots of water and most importantly, time. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseAmy Posted February 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Thanks everyone..you're just what the dr. errr vet ordered. I talked to Pipestone..great idea. And we have changed the antibiotics. Just don't want him to suffer. But he's eating and trying to evade me, very alert and went nuts when I took a ewe in there. So as long as he's fighting to stay alive Iwill fight with him. Bob's right this ram was ripped and punctured from one end to the other. In fact the neighbor had dug a hole for him before he came and told me, he was that sure that he was dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Just curious, What antibiotic did you switch to? So glad you called them, they seem to work miracles and give you the same outlook which is you can do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Watch his feed as well, eating too much protein can cause pain in joints but usually the sheep will be running a high temperature as well. Just a thought as with all sick things we want to see them eating again but could overdo it and you did say he was eating like a pig. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseAmy Posted February 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 We put him on baytrl (sp). Seems the reason his hock appeared to be frozen up is that apparently he had a tooth punture on the inside of his thigh on that leg. It must of abscessed and blew out cause now he has a HUGE hole there. Dog vet suggested we flush it with ringers solution. Good news is he back trucking around even if he's still dragging his rear legs some. He's getting harder to medicate and fights me...which I take as a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 My friend had a ewe that survived a bad dog attack. The ewe eventually got better, but she never quite used her one front leg the same. The ewe moved in to the pasture at my house along with some "bad" sheep (long story), and she even busted a fence to get in with the ram & lambed the next spring. All on three legs! So even if he's gimpy forever, hopefully your ram makes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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