# UPDATED Feels like a never ending battle :(



## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

it feels like i get one thing better for this little lamb and then something else happens  . he was limping this morning on a front leg and also when he was having a bowel movement he was making noise like it hurt. it is not solid it is sticky. now i wonder if it has to do with the atropine ointment the vet gave for his eye. the vet said it can cause colic in horses but wasnt sure if it would have any side effects on babies. i dont think i am going to put any in today to see if i can get him better. i'll put a little more water in his formula bottle before i go to work at 8. this also worries me as nobody is home today until 1 so i am going to worry all day while im at work  . we still have him in the basement in a dog crate with blankets and he sleeps alot but then again he is only a week old. i did check for grinding teeth as i felt his legs and he didnt grind them in pain like he does when i try to put the medicine in his eye. i still have a month until allis kids and then casey is due to kid two weeks later, is this all to get me ready for some easy babies???? :GAAH:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

oh poor guy

I would call up the vet and describe his symptoms and find out his opinion of the situation. Colic is not good poor thing I hope he isnt in discomfort from the meds.

Did you give him any shots in the leg he is limping on?


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## elaine (Feb 20, 2010)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

Poor little guy, hope hes ok x


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

I agree with Stacey.....did you give a shot in that leg?

Also ...if you are keeping the little one in a crate...alot....it doesn't allow the lamb to move around and get the innards working good..... :hug:


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

i did put a call into the vet waiting for him to call back. i havent given any shots in the leg, he is not really limping as much right now. i leave him out of the dog crate when i am home, so he does get up and walk all around and then lays down then gets back up and walks around and this continues for awhile until he decides he wants to be back in his crate and sleep. the crate is large that he can get up and walk around in it also. it is for extra large dogs, not a plastic kennel, metal wire kind. i know it isnt a whole lot of room, but he does have room to move about. i will keep an eye on him i did just feed him so we'll see in a little bit how it comes out. should i give some nutri drench or should i wait and see how his tummy is? also should i make him get up and walk rather than let him lay down?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

It won't hurt to give nutra drench it is full of vitamins ... If he has tummy problems it is best ...to make him move around as much as possible...it gets things working better.... :wink: :hug: I am praying for the little guy... ray:


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

i am rubbing his tummy as his leg is sore, the knee joint in the front left is puffy. i dont feel any heat coming from it and he can bend it. he does walk a few steps and then just lays down. he does grind his teeth when he takes steps so i just think it better to keep him where he is comfortable and keep rubbing his tummy. he does get up , move around and then lay back down in another spot. no bowel movement yet but he still has his appetite. will keep you posted and hopefully the vet will give a call back soon. or maybe this has all been developing and i just wasnt aware, am afraid that if he goes down, it will be hard to recover.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

It almost sounds like Joint Ill. Did you dip his navel in Iodine when he was born?


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

the owner of the ewe that had the lambs did not dip the cord. it is dried out and i want to clip it but i am not sure how short i should. is there something to do for this? he didnt make any noise his last bowel movement and i wonder if it was sore from having his temp taken as he tried to move when the vet was taking it. vet did call and said not to give the atropine ointment which i already was not going to use. didnt say much about the leg just to let him rest and as long as he is trying to use it and is able to move it to give it time to heal.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Feels like a never ending battle *

Poor little guy, and hugs to you because I know that you too are feeling pain :hug:

It does sound as though he could have navel ill...or Joint Ill due to the conditions he was born in. Antibiotic treatment may be something to discuss with the vet, the little guy has alot going on and it must be difficult to treat just one thing at a time let alone trying to treat everything.

You can trim the dried cord, I've done it on kids, just use a pair of sharp scissors that have been dipped in rubbing alcohol, leave 1/2 inch on his belly and dip in iodine even though it is dry...just to reassure that you are catching any bacteria.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

i believe it is joint ill as now most of the legs are affected however he is trying to walk, i am going to call the vet when they open this morning and take him in and see if this is treatable. if not, i will have to make that heartbreaking decision but do not want him in pain and suffer. :sigh: i know we have tried our best to get this little guy to thrive and give him a chance at surviving but i know that sometimes there is just nothing that can be done. the thought of letting this little guy go just brings tears to my eyes.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

awe I am so sorry -- that certainly sounds like the problem. :hug: :tears:


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

. :hug:


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

after struggling this morning with what would be best for the little guy that my girls named teddy, i made the phone call and asked the vet if i could bring him in the afternoon because of what was going on. i dreaded leaving work and having to take him. got him to the vet and he examined him. he looked at me and said, its not joint ill, there is no fluid and very little swelling that it was more like a tight tendon that maybe he injured it somehow. he said he wouldnt give up on him yet that he was not in pain and was not suffering but maybe a little discomforted. he gave him a shot of banamine and sent me home with three syringes of penicillin to give him .75 cc's twice a day. got home and put him in his kennel as i knew he was stressed from the trip. my daughter went down to keep him company and said mom come quick look at teddy! so i panicked and went downstairs to see him acting like the older lambs outside throwing his head around trying to run! he was frolicking around the basement in spurts as if i was crazy that there was something wrong lol. so we will fight the battle a little longer. this vet is the original vet that saw him the first time and he looked at his eye too and cant quite figure out what happened but said the penicillin may help it also. thank you all for your kind words and encouragement, it really does mean alot especially when i feel so lost :grouphug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

oh thats great to hear :hug: what a roller coaster ride its been for you


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

It sure sounds like little Teddy is a fighter....I bet that the banamine relieved the pain he was feeling enough thst he could be a normal lambie :hug: 

I pray that he continues in his recovery ray:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Praise God. I will keep praying that he continues to improve.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

stacey is right on with it being a roller coaster! i gave him a dose of penicillin and in the morning i think i may give another dose of nutra drench. he is laying down but is up more than he has been the past few days. he only is grinding his teeth when i try to put the cream in the bad eye so i held off on it because he was squirming, i'll try later when its time for his next feeding. we're taking it day by day and still realize he can go down at anytime but if he is fighting we are going to help him try to win this battle. its going to be a busy weekend and am rearranging a few things so that there will be someone home and he wont be left alone. i forgot to mention the looks on my girls face when they came home and said there day was sad because they kept thinking about teddy and i said well, why dont you go see him and they looked at me like i was out of my mind! i said he is resting in his kennel and they looked at me like i had three heads then looked at each other and started running for the basement door when i had to remind them to go quietly. they came back up with tears in their eyes saying how they had both said prayers during the day to please find a way to fix teddy that they werent ready for him to go to heaven yet and we all ended up on the couch crying what a sight we must have been!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

That brought tears to my eyes!

I know it's a roller coaster, but with the Love that Teddy has from each of you, he will fight and do his best to be well enough to play with your girls. :hug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I am glad to hear the girls love him so much but they also know he may not make it as tough as it will be its good to be realistic until he is out of the woods. :hug:


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

the girls are very aware that there is a very good chance he will not make it. the vet said there are underlying things that we dont know about and there are probably congenital defects but until they really show their ugliness we won't know. so, it is day by day and the fact that all the ligaments could tighten up and if that does happen he wont be able to get up and then i know it is time to let him go. for now, we are focusing on what we do know and i am so very glad i was able to bring him home. the vet asked about his eating and i said he is eating 12 ounces every six hours and i have started to introduce water. he asked about the good eye and i said his vision must be very good because he can see everything, he never runs into anything and when you call him he turns his head right towards you as well as if you are sitting down he will walk right over to you. he had his bedtime feeding and is tucked into his crate for the night. if all goes well in six hours i will hear the "mommy im hungry!" wake up call. we will continue to keep him in the basement, he is doing well and it is not cold and not draughty hardly. its about 45-50 degrees so he is nice and comfy.


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## farmergal (Jun 19, 2009)

It is so wonderful that you and your girls are taking such good care of this little guy. I would absolutely do the same thing, but still it just warms my heart to hear your story. It brought tears to my eyes.

I ray: for you, your family, and your little lamb that he will pull through and become a healthy happy pet sheep! And God Bless you for trying so hard to help him out!!


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

How is he doing. Praying for good news.


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## 3pygmymom (Nov 17, 2009)

It has been very busy around here, sorry I haven't updated but I do have good news! He is now running or should i say sheep galloping lol around the basement and throwing a few ninja jumps in :leap: . I know this does not mean the battle is over however. I am still doing the penicillin injections i think we have three more shots to go but he sure knows what is coming and hates it. i have put a bowl in the crate that attaches to the side to get him going on drinking out of a bucket eventually. he is VERY vocal and eats like a piglet. we are going to put up fencing where he will be moving to for the next while. we have a small barn that is half shed and the other half is like a small barn. im not sure what was kept in there but it has come in very handy! right now the bikes are in there for winter storage but we are going to swap and put them in the basement and the lamb out there. i need to figure out a ramp of sorts because there is a step up into the barn and i dont want to reinjure the leg if he isnt sure of the step out and falls. he will be close to the house but he is getting into everything and he needs to be outside. unfortunately i dont have a little friend for him but he will get plenty of visits from us. if it gets cold at night we will bring him into the basement but daytime he will be out in his own pasture lol. i am going to start introducing grain and then in a week hay. i will be having surgery on the 15 so i really need to get this move done and him out near the other sheep. i am not sure if he will be able to go with them until he is bigger, i am afraid he will be pushed around and i really dont need any more injuries. thank you for thinking of us! i am getting all the things together as i have one pygmy due the last week in march and another due second week in april :dance:


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## farmgirl42 (Jan 3, 2010)

So glad to hear the good news! :leap: And, wow, it sounds like you have alot of irons in the fire! :shocked: 
Will be praying ray: for you and your family during this busy time!


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