# Sick sheep... maggots... Kereeeeen!!! =]



## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

WARNING

before you proceed... these photos are GRAPHIC!!!

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I'm going to upload photos of a sick sheep... I got home yesterday and went into the field to check on the sheep. I have been away from home for 2 weeks and they have been "looked after" in my absence by my friend.

The first thing I noticed was that there was pretty much no grass left in the paddock. All the lambs hadn't put on any weight - if anything they had lost it, and some of the sheep were pretty thin.

Second thing I noticed was that my friend hadn't done what I had asked him - which was to get the last 3 sheep sheared. It is now fly season.

The third thing I noticed was that one of the still-woolly sheep was just lying down. When approached she got to her feet but simply stood there with her head down, and didn't really try to run away - although she did lope when chased.

So I brought all the sheep in - I wanted to wean all the lambs, so they all came in. I separated off the lambs and then I caught the sick ewe and had a look at her. I checked her feet - fine, mouth - fine, udder - fine, limbs - fine, eyes - pink eyelids but it looked as though she was quite dehydrated. I noticed a wet patch on her woolly stomach - ok, it is wet and muddy outside. I should have thought maggots but she was NOT a mucky sheep - like, no muck for the flies to lay their eggs in, no eggs, no maggots, right? WRONG... anyway.

I put the 3 woolly sheep in the barn with their 5 lambs (together not apiece!) so that they didnt get wet overnight, so that my neighbour could shear them today. I figured the ewe would wait the night and he could see her and see if he could figure out the problem...

He came today, and he sheared them. We did her last, and I pointed out how thin (him: it's probably starvation, they are so thin... etc) she was... and then he started to shear... hundreds of maggots pouring out of her wool...

We washed her down under the tap, disinfected it, etc. and I gave her some Pen-Strep.

The patches you see in these photos are raw skin - some places the skin is eaten down several layers - and I have put a veterinary tar (Stockholm tar) on it to try to help it heal and keep the flies off...

She will not drink. She will not eat. I have drenched her with an electrolyte solution which I plan to do again tonight. She is standing in her pen hunched up, head down, her muscles rippling and trembling as though in spasms. You can see how skeletal she is in the picture. She has month-old twin lambs on her.

Does ANYONE (maybe Keren?) have any suggestions of things I haven't done that I could do? I feel absolutely awful beyond belief, i cannot believe that an animal on my farm could have been left to get into that condition. Surely they would have noticed that she was sick, no? SURELY... nooo?

her "good" side... ie only a thin line of maggot wound...









top view, see how skeletal she is...









the really bad side...

















she was not dipped 2 weeks ago with the other ewes as she was not yet shorn. :hair:

HELP i dont want her to die... she is 4 years old, she is a good ewe and has good lambs. And plus I feel really bad about this so she CAN'T die...
LW


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Oh gosh... I am so very sorry. :hug: I wish I could help, but I haven't had sheep long and haven't had experience with something like this. Poor little ewe. I would just try and get a vet out and see what they can do. So what happened to her?? Did I miss that part? Again...so very sorry and hope you can get her all healed up. :hug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

KW the maggots ate her skin.

I would give her supportive therapy and try and wean those lambs as soon as possible.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Vitamin B injections, vitamins - like nutri drench or something like that, let it air out, but make sure and keep it really really clean. 

What is her temp?

Can you give her some yogurt or oatmeal?


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

wow. i thought i'd seen everything. sorry you came home to this!

yeah i'd get the lambs off her to relieve some stress of making milk :hug:


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

Take her lambs away so that she doesn't have anybody else needs to meet but her own, if you have high quality hay put some in front of her, I would also do molasses water and get some probiotics of some sort and B complex into her. For the wound, if you have the homeopathic remedy Hypericum, that is for tissue damage and will help her to heal, if not, if you have Arnica that will help. Also, if the wounds are not infected, calendula salve, oil or tincture will help her to heal fast.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Oh man, weevil I am SO SORRY I didnt see this earlier 

Okay what you've done so far is good, getting the fleece off and getting those wounds exposed to the air - thats probably the biggest thing for flystrike.

I'm going to go against advice here and say DO NOT WEAN THE LAMBS! It is so easy for a ewe to give up if she doesnt have any lambs to care for, and its amazing what they will pull through to take care of their babies. So leave bubs with mum.

You have done good shearing, cleaning, disinfecting, pen-strep etc.

The stockholm tar is also good - BUT - here's the thing. The tremors and spasms I've always associated with maggots under the skin - and when they get internal its bad, really bad. A lot of the time once the maggots go internal they migrate to the spinal cord and paralyse the sheep. And the stockholm tar I think is not going to get rid of your internal maggots.

I would get on the phone to the vet and ask him if you have any products similar to these:

Extinosad Wound Dressing (liquid) - 25g/L Spinosad
WSD Wound Dressing (powder) - 15g/kg Diazinon, 0.8g/kg Piperonyl Butoxide, 1g/kg Pyrethrins
*Coopers Blowfly and Lice Jetting Fluid - 16g/L ivermectin * This is probably your best bet.

These are specifically for maggots. I think an ivermectin equivalent might be the easiest thing for you to get - and I would treat the raw wounds with that first, and then continue with the stockholm tar.

And then just supportive therapy - fluids, temp regulation, temping food etc. I would at this stage probably give her IV fluids or SQ if you cant find a vein, a SQ electrolyte and then some SQ glucose to keep her going while she fights this off.

Good luck :hug: I'm crossing my fingers for you and her.

Some resources -

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets ... wounds.pdf

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 349AA6liBs


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I'm going to go against advice here and say DO NOT WEAN THE LAMBS!


 You know keren..you are right . :thumbup:


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

didnt think of it like that. :greengrin:


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

thanks guys for all the replies. I've just woken up and I'm about to grab some coffee and head over to the barn to care for her. I couldn't see any wounds that actually went internal with maggots in them. I saw layers of skin gone but no... holes, if that makes sense. (I've seen a lamb die from actual HOLES a few years ago)

I will get some more electrolytes into her, I gave her oramec which is ivermectin, will that help? I can give her ivomec too but I don't want to overdose her on ivermectin! I will go right ahead and give her some Vit B complex as it's definitely not gonna hurt her...

What to do in the way of SQ fluids? I have nothing injectable for that kind of thing... I will see how she is this morning if she is still all trembling like that I will see about calling the vet. The only problem being I don't have a car  I will do my best though!!!

I wasn't going to wean the lambs anyway, they are only a month old and would be far too stubborn to take a bottle - plus I'm not here to rear them and plus I know sheep only live for their babies (strange one isnt it?)

Thanks guys I'll let you know how she is just now.
LW


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

LW, the oramec only gets internal parasites, not external parasites, and honestly I still think those wounds need treating with some sort of external parasite spray ... 

how is she acting? eating, drinking etc? any improvement?


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

bug ... some products you might use for her ...

http://www.farmrite.co.uk/product.ds2?p=104059

http://www.farmrite.co.uk/product.ds2?p=105215

http://www.farmrite.co.uk/product.ds2?p=105278

http://www.farmrite.co.uk/product.ds2?p=5035104017710


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

OK I have spoken to a friend who agrees that she needs to get some treatment in case there are internal maggots. Although, she did say that if she has maggots in her internal organs then she probably won't make it  She says there is an injection I can get which will kill them. I will try to phone my neighbour and see if he has any, if he hasn't I will try to pick up some from the vet on my way to the airport this afternoon and get my brother to give it to her when he gets home. Basically it goes straight into the bloodstream and kills the maggots immediately. I don't know what it's called. But I will do my very best to get it. 

I could get a bucket of dip off my neighbour to put on her but that stuff is so... strong and horrible, I am afraid that it will hurt her badly with all of that raw skin even though it will kill any maggots that are left. So if I can get the injection that will be my first choice. I poured diluted Jeyes fluid on the wound which should help to kill the maggots although it is not as strong as the dip. I pulled off and killed every single maggot I could see - but that doesn't help if there are any underneath  

I gave her B complex injection. She ate a couple of leaves. Looked at the grass. Sat down and stared sadly at the floor. Poor ewe I feel so bad for her.

I forgot to mention she is scouring like water. She was wormed 3 weeks ago and I wormed her again yesterday just in case she didn't get the full dose or something. Her scour was SLIGHTLY thicker this morning. I got a good 400ml of electrolytes into her this morning too.

I have her out on the grass now, it is raining so there shouldn't be many flies, and the lambs need to get some grass even if she won't eat it. i am also going to offer them grain (and her).

LW


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

I am looking at the links you gave me, I can probably order it to my IOM address but I won't be able to get it for a good week, and by that time it will be too late for her. The only stuff I can get in my local suppliers costs over €100 and I honestly can't afford it  

LW


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

LW, please dont beat yourself up about this  we all do the best we can afford to do, and if you cant get the other stuff then you cant. simple as that, you tried your best. 

the injection sounds good, and honestly if you cant get that, I'd use the dip from the neighbour. I have the same concerns as you, about it being so strong. But the bottom line is, wounds that big she is almost certain to have maggots inside, and without it she will die. 

The scouring is from the toxins produced by the maggots. 

Poor ewe, and poor you :hug: Its not a fun situation to have. 

I'd keep up with the electrolytes, and I'd really try to get some glucose into her, orally if you like, just a treatment for preg tox will be fine, or even some honey to try and boost her energy levels


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

I phoned the feed merchants place and asked what the price of Spot-On would be. They said Butox was the same and did the same thing... and that it was cheaper. (still €80!) I got off the phone... and then suddenly realised that I had a pot of Butox up in the shed! It says it is for lice on sheep and fly strike and lice on cattle... the butox website says it is for blowfly strike so that should work. It's a 10cc application along the spinal column under the wool. So i did that. Hopefully it works!!! The vet is on holiday and the other vet is out but I'll phone him again at lunch time just to check that Butox WILL work against blowfly strike.

LW


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

that sounds good ... but you need to check whether it is for PREVENTION of flystrike or TREATMENT of fly strike ... or both. the application sounds like prevention ... usually treatment it is applied straight to the wound. 

but its good :greengrin:


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

I am now officially Not At Home. i have left instructions for her to be given molasses in water if she continues to refuse to eat. I phoned the vet, sadly he was on holiday. Phoned my old vet who said Butox should work. Praying that it does work.

I'll let you knows whenever I have more news

LW


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am praying.... that she makes it......good luck LW... :hug: ray:


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

how's she doing, LW?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

how is she today? :worried:


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

Email from my friend:
************
I was going to give her some water with the gun and I tried to corner her. I couldn't catch her by myself, which I had found quite easy up till then so she's got some energy back! She's also eating a considerable amount of grass. I also saw her drink from the water bucket (it looked like it anyway, I'll see what happens to the water level). Her droppings are also small, round and fairly solid. They still clump together a bit though. So that's all the good news. However, she's still trembling, so we'll see...
************

so that's good news about the scour clearing up and beginning to eat. My friend's mum gave her a 20% chance *grimaces*
we'll see

LW


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well I hope she makes a full recovery - you are doing the best you can for her and I am sure the trama of it all is still there so she could be shaking just from the lack of eating - I know when I am not feeling good I shake and especialy if I havent eaten in a while. Lets hope thats it ray:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> she's still trembling


 I agree.... with Stacey....

also... it could be from pain...is there anything you could give her?


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

how's she doing, weevil?


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I know SWAT was something that always worked for us when the wounds would show up. I hope that helps?

I am so sorry and give you a lot of credit. I would be making the keeper pay for all this if I could keep myself from killing him.

I am sure you have your reasons for NOT killing him. Anyway, keep us posted and I hope things get better for your girls. For so long hear I thought maggots just kept wonds clean as they eat dead flesh. Maybe I was wrong?


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

no this type of maggots actually eat the live flesh... they eat pretty much everything they can reach :roll: 

I arrived home last night. I was just coming to update this thread and saw you guys were asking, so a good thing i came to update it :greengrin: 

The ewe is doing really well. She isn't 100% out of the woods yet but her wounds are healing. Instead of the whole patch being raw about half of it has healed completely and is new pink skin, the other half is still scabby and partly raw. I daubed tar over the surface again as much of it has washed off. She is eating plenty of grass although she doesn't really eat the grain. her two lambs are both doing well too - although a bit wormy so I dosed them - and they seem to be getting enough milk.

Hopefully she will continue to improve!!

LW


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

thats great to hear. :thumb:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

wonderful news..... :thumbup: Glad to here that.... :greengrin:


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## tremayne (Feb 8, 2008)

So glad to hear that your ewe is doing better. She must be a strong sheep to go through all that. Keep doing all the good things you're doing. It sounds like they're working. :thumbup: 

Anna


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Amen, that is wonderful news. Keep the good news coming. :thumbup: ray: :hug:


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

awesome :greengrin:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

oh thats real good to hear. Hoping she makes a full recovery for you especialy after all this effort


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