Lamb Shallow Breathing

[Tom8]

We have hand reared a couple of orphan lambs. One has breathing issues. Took to agri vet to check and she has fluid in lungs but says there is no treatment. Seems a bit odd to me but I am no vet or doctor. Vet is foreign and limited English so not entirely clear on her thinking.

Anyone know better who can offer advice? The lambs are now pets so we will do what we need to look after her.

Thanks!

[Batleyred]

Sounds about right, will probably lead to pneumonia. If you've been bottle feeding this will be the cause i'm afraid. If you have, how big is the hole in the teet ? This could be the problem.

[Tom8]

Yes we have bottle fed. I did read that nudging of other lams can cause milk to go down windpipe. We have antibiotic jabs that seem to have given her a lift. Not sure how effective lamb coughing is at removing liquid. Also wondered if you can drain lamb lungs like people with collapsed lungs?

[Thevet]

Way too earlyto say bottle feed is problem! Age of lamb? Temperature? Nasal discharge?
Probably pneumonia so antibiotics and anti-inflammatories required. Get Agri vet to give you Synulox injection 1cc per 10kg give into muscle, also meloxicam 20mg/ml 0.5cc per 20kg under skin. Keep fluid intake going even if just fluids.

[Batleyred]

Thevet said:

Way too earlyto say bottle feed is problem! Age of lamb? Temperature? Nasal discharge?
Probably pneumonia so antibiotics and anti-inflammatories required. Get Agri vet to give you Synulox injection 1cc per 10kg give into muscle, also meloxicam 20mg/ml 0.5cc per 20kg under skin. Keep fluid intake going even if just fluids.

You are right but chances are it will be down to that from past experience, i doubt many vets will see a young lamb for fluid on lungs from a farmers perceptive but as these are pets to the OP poster you will be far more help than me on this one.

Hows the lamb doing today ?

[Thevet]

Update?

[bexVN]

Bit late to this but would coupage be useful, we use it on dogs oth pneumonia successfully, can't see hy it wouldn't help.

[johnnywgk]

Just a thought, damaged my ribs a while back and hospital told me to breathe fully no matter how much it hurt or I could get pneumonia.

To get your lamb breathing fuller, get it to chase you round the garden for its bottle.

Like I said, just a thought. Vets?

[Tom8]

Hi All

Thanks for responses, very kind, sorry not been online over the weekend. Lamb is about 3 months, weighing in at bit over 20kg. Diet is mixed pellet, milk and grass (plus everything else she tries to eat!). Nose is clean, moist like a dog's, no discharge. She scratches her sides with hind legs which is a sign of fluid. Temperature is normal we did a course of antibiotics, 1x 10ml jabs for four days.

Re exercise, yes agree! We do that with her try to get her running around which she does do. She coughs also but not sure how effective lamb coughing is at removing fluid. She is well generally.

[Tom8]

Thevet said:

Way too earlyto say bottle feed is problem! Age of lamb? Temperature? Nasal discharge?
Probably pneumonia so antibiotics and anti-inflammatories required. Get Agri vet to give you Synulox injection 1cc per 10kg give into muscle, also meloxicam 20mg/ml 0.5cc per 20kg under skin. Keep fluid intake going even if just fluids.

Thanks for this. In my mind she is ok as she does everything her sister lamb does but there is the cough and scratching her sides. Antibiotic course finished on Friday so seeing how she is now without them.

[Thevet]

Given the possibility of pneumonia, DO NOT chase the lamb around, potentially death inducing! If it is not pneumonia, then it could be ok to force exercise, but given I am on my 7th busted rib over the years, I have never heard of pneumonia as a result of rest with a broken rib, so that sounds like a stupid piece of advice and should be ignored. Hopefully given the age of the lamb it is not connected to bottle feeding, and anyway, if still giving milk, there is a chance of abomasal or stomach problems so I would suggest weaning soon. HTH

[johnnywgk]

Cheers the clearing that up.

I've damaged my ribs twice and gone hospital, both times have been told to breathe fully.
Only saying what I was told.

[bexVN]

johnnywgk said:

Cheers the clearing that up.

I've damaged my ribs twice and gone hospital, both times have been told to breathe fully.
Only saying what I was told.

But you didn't have pneumonia, I think that is the big difference here.(maybe to prevent it? But not once you have it)

I recently had bacterial pneumonia as was really ill, I was advised strict rest for a couple of weeks.

So yes I would be cautious about forcing exercise esp if infection is suspected. Especially as an animal can't really tell how they are feeling (unless they collapse!) I do think coupage that loosens mucus etc would be the best way to help.

Edited by bexVN on Thursday 20th June 15:20

[Thevet]

Having post-mortemed numerous sheep with pneumonia, handled sheep and calves with pneumonia and have them die in my hands, I absolutely would say anyone recommending exercise with pneumonia should have to undergo it personally first before being allowed to recommend it to others. If you only have 20-30% lung working, why would you run up oxygen debt unnecessarily. Pneumonia in sheep kills like you wouldn't believe, It kills because so much of the lung no longer works. Exercise causes extra demand on the cardio-resp system...... Loosening mucus is probably not of any import as the sheep will either have sucumbed to Pasteurella or recovered and effectively show no further signs.
Broken ribs will not cause any increase in death rate when exercise is brought on, unless there are sharp edges to rib ends causing air leakage/pneumothorax.

[johnnywgk]

Fair points there, I will try to keep my unqualified suggestions to myself. 🙂

[Thevet]

Interestingly, you're from the medway towns.....I grew up there, long long ago

[johnnywgk]

Where abouts

[Thevet]

Strood, Knights Place estate, just off A2 before Three Cruches Pub.....which may not be there any more, not looked since I left in 81

[johnnywgk]

Think it's still there. Chatham myself.


Op, how's the lamb doing?

[Thevet]

johnnywgk said:

Op, how's the lamb doing?

Good question