This time of year we seem to get call after call about pregnant ewes losing appetite and slowing down or sometimes going down. These fall under a broad category, “Pregnancy Disease” much like cattle get Shipping Fever. There are a lot of causes, parasitism, flukes and stomach worms, injury and sometimes multiple or dead fetuses and just too much weight or hydrops where the uterus is filled with excess fluid and chronic or acute disease conditions. In true pregnancy disease ewes are generally too fat in the fall, which restricts intake along with the developing fetuses resulting in the excessive break down of fat that results in a toxic reaction and can also involve a fatty liver. I don’t think calcium is a factor like it is in dairy cows. The other conditions can result in the same mechanism and result. So where do we start? If I could punt, I would do that.
Need to attempt to make a diagnosis and direct treatment at correcting cause when possible. Obviously, if ewes were allowed to get too fat in the fall that is a problem for next year’s management. I would start out any treatment process with Banamine, antibiotics and fortified Vit B complex. Supportive therapy with propylene glycol and intravenous dextrose and electrolytes may be helpful and continue to determine the cause.
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By: Dr. G.F. Kennedy
