Lambing Period and Neonatal Disease

Question 1

Name 6 common problems at lambing time

Answer 1

Dystocia, prolapses, metritis, mastitis, metabolic disease, abortion

Question 2

What is ringwomb?

Answer 2

failure of cervix to dilate >5cm w/in 2 hours of onset of 2nd stage of labor

Question 3

Causes of ringwomb?

Answer 3

Prematurity (abortion?), disturbance during 1st stage of labor, malpresentation, Ca deficiency, exogenous estrogens

Question 4

Tx of ringwomb?

Answer 4

Manual dilation, hormonal, C-section

Question 5

How do you tx uterine torsion?

Answer 5

Try casting and rolling ewe to correct - then allow time for cervix to dilate

c-section may be required

Question 6

You have a old ewe in late pregnancy, with swelling of lower left abdomen (cranial to pubis), extensive ventral edema, and it has difficulty moving / feeding - what do is your diagnosis?

Answer 6

Prepubic tendon rupture

Question 7

What are ewes with prepubic tendon rupture prone to getting?

Answer 7

pregnancy toxemia

Question 8

When is c-section indicated in a ewe?

Answer 8

Relative fetal oversize, large pure-bred lambs in posterior presentation, incomplete cervical dilation

Question 9

describe L block technique of LA for c-section

Answer 9

inverted L-block

50-60 ml 2% procaine (max)

Question 10

Describe C-section in the ewe

Answer 10

1) Restrain
2) procaine penicillin & flunixin
3) prepare site (L flank)
4) vertical incision midway b/w last rib and wing of ilium
5) open abd muscles using scissors
6) locate uterine horn, exteriorize
7) incision in body of uterus - deliver lamb
8) check for lambs in other horn - remove fetal membranes
9) close incision
10) continuous sutures peritoneum & muscles
11) skin incision (simple interupted or cruciate w. 6.0 monofilament)
12) continue penicillin inj 3d after surgery

Question 11

When are vaginal prolapses most likely to occur?

Answer 11

during last 4 weeks of pregnancy

Question 12

Risk factors for vaginal prolapse?

Answer 12

Certain breeds, multiple fetuses, older ewes, bulky feed, high BCS, lack of exercise, steep sloping fields, short docking

Question 13

Tx of vaginal prolapse?

Answer 13

Retention devices / harnesses
Surgery
cull

Question 14

Tx of uterine prolapse?

Answer 14

position ewe w/ frog legs
replacement = as for vaginal
Abx for 3-5 days, NSAIDs, Calcium

no need to cull, unlikely to recurr

Question 15

name 2 most common causes of mastitis in sheep

Answer 15

Mannheimia hemolytica, Staphylococcus aureus

Question 16

CS of metritis

Answer 16

depression
inappetance
congested MM
vulval swelling / discharge
decreased milk production (hungry lambs)

Question 17

Tx of metritis

Answer 17

Parenteral abx + NSAIDs

Question 18

4 less common causes of mastitis

Answer 18

Streptococcus spp
E. coli
Leptospira interogans var. hardjo
Maedi-visna virus (indurative mastitis)

Question 19

CS of mastitis

Answer 19

inappetant, often initially lame in one hind limb, noisy / hungry lambs, udder is swollen/hard/painful may become purple/cold due to necrosis
Ewes often die - in survivors, udder can slough
Less severe cases: abscesses, poor lamb growth, hard swellings w/in udder

Question 20

Tx of mastitis

Answer 20

Tilmicosin
NSAIDs (pain and endotoxic)
Gangrenous cases - euthanasia

Question 21

How do you tx hypothermia? (5hrs old)

Answer 21

If temp 5hr old = give glucose IP, then continue with other protocol

If moderately hypothermic (37-39) - dry off, give colostrum by stomach tube

Always return to ewe and monitor carefully

Question 22

What causes Watery mouth? (path)

Answer 22

non-enterotoxigenic E. coli ingested and multiplied in intestines -> endotoxemia (+ bacteremia)

Question 23

CS of watery mouth?

Answer 23

depression / lethargy, anorexia, profuse salivation, abdominal distension, +/- hypothermia

Question 24

When do you commonly see watery mouth? (what age)

Answer 24

1-3 day old lambs

triplets more affected than single/twin lambs

Question 25

Prevention of watery mouth?

Answer 25

colostrum early, hygiene, prophylactic oral abx w/in 15 min of birth?

Question 26

What are 4 main cause of neonatal lamb diarrhea?

Answer 26

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Cryptosporidiosis, Salmonella, Enteric viruses

Question 27

CS (and what age) and Tx for Enterotoxigenic e. coli

Answer 27

CS = <48 hours old; severe watery brown diarrhea Tx = prompt fluid therapy, abx

Question 28

CS for crypto | and what age

Answer 28

lambs 2-20 days old | profuse, watery diarrhea (+/- blood tinged), dehydration, inappetence, lethargy

Question 29

what are the two main salmonella subtypes that cause diarrhea in lambs?

Answer 29

typhimurium and dublin

Question 30

CS of salmonella

Answer 30

severe intestinal inflammation, bacteremia, endotoxemia = profuse/bloody/fetid-smelling diarrhea, depression, +/- pyrexia, dehydration, dyspnoea, rapid progression to recumbency / death

Question 31

What causes lamb dysentery?

Answer 31

Clostridium perfringens type B (b and e toxins)

Question 32

When do you see lamb dysentery?

Answer 32

<3 weeks (commonly 1-3 days initially)

Question 33

CS of lamb dysentery

Answer 33

``` Sudden death (of strong, single lambs) 2-3 weeks old lambs = acute abdominal pain, +/- nervous signs, +/- dysentery (semi-fluid, blood stained feces) ```

Question 34

Diagnosis of lamb dysentery

Answer 34

Hx, CS, necropsy findings Gram + rods ELISA of beta and e toxins

Question 35

4 syndromes of neonatal bacteremias

Answer 35

Joint ill, spinal abcesses, navel ill, meningitis

Question 36

CS of joint ill (and when do you see it)

Answer 36

2-3 week old lambs | sudden onset lameness, not suckling, ill thrift

Question 37

Strep dysgalactiae, tick pyemia, and erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae can cause what in lambs?

Answer 37

arthritis fyi - tick pyemia is caused by staph arthritis

Question 38

Where on the spine do spinal abscesses commonly occur in sheep? also, what is the characteristic posture?

Answer 38

b/w T2 & L3 "dog sitting" posture (spastic paralysis of hindlimbs)

Question 39

you see a lamb that isn't sucking, w/ episcleral congestion, dorsal strabismus, weakness and ataxia which has progressed into depression/stupor, hyperaesthesia, seizures, and pyrexia. What is your diagnosis?

Answer 39

Meningitis

Question 40

I HATE SHEEP

Answer 40

THIS IS NOT A JOKE

Question 41

CS of lambs with border disease?

Answer 41

Low birth weights / weakness Limb abnormaities - long, fine bones, immobile joints Narrow head, short mandible, domed skull Nervous signs - tremor, ataxia, hypermetria Hairy and abnormally pigmented fleece ="HAIRY SHAKERS"

Question 42

What are 4 common trace element deficiencies in lambs?

Answer 42

iodine, copper, selenium, cobalt

Question 43

What management practices can be done to prevent neonatal losses?

Answer 43

skilled manpower, easy accessed lambing pens, good lighting, compact lambing period, good hygiene, stocking rates (no more than 1 ewe / 1.1m2 - individ pens at least 3m2) (1 pen/8 housed ewes), dip navels in iodine, appropriate genetics, appropriate nutrition

Question 44

how much colostrum does a 5kg lamb require? and when?

Answer 44

1 L in first 18-24 hours of life

Question 45

what can be substituted if a ewe's colostrum sucks?

Answer 45

frozen excess colostrum from other ewes, cow colostrum, powdered colostrum

Question 46

What can happen if you use cow colostrum for lambs?

Answer 46

Cow colostrum-induced anemia | contain Ab to sheep RBC