Skip to main content

Eye Diseases in Lambs


Pinkeye

Pinkeye in lambs is caused by chlamydia and mycoplasma bacteria.
Pinkeye is contagious and infected lambs should be removed from the flock until they have recovered.
The infection may last a few days to several weeks.
Moderate to severe infections require antibiotics. Mild infections may clear up by themselves. The first sign of pinkeye infection is the reddening and swelling of the lining of the eye. There will be a discharge with tearing and matted eyes.The eyes will be sensitive to light and will tear up. The lamb may close its eyes when exposed to sunlight.The lamb suffers pain when infected with pinkeye. The eye may cloud over and develop a painful ulcer. The severe infections will cause the eyes to rupture and lead to blindness.
It cannot be transferred from lambs to humans. It is transmitted by flies, dust and other nasty things that are living in your lambing shed.
The best prevention of pinkeye is good clean husbandry of your stock.


General Eye Infection

The lamb may suffer a bacterial eye infection due to an irritant. If a foreign objects such as dust, stone or seed get lodged in the lambs eye it can lead to a bacterial infection. A discharge from the eye will be a sign of infection. Topical antibiotics may be required to clear the infection.


Entropian

This is when the lambs eyelid is turned in.
This problem is found in all breeds of sheep male and female.
Its most commonly found in the lower eyelid.
The  cornea may be  damaged which can lead to blindness.
This condition needs to be treated as soon as possible.
The lamb suffers pain with this condition.
The turned in eyelids lashes will irritate the eye causing ulcerations.
It is a congenital disease that  is thought to be inherited but this fact has not been proven.
First sign of the problem  is a weepy eye. The cornea may be cloudy
Topical antibiotics should be used to avoid infections.
A lamb with this problem should not be selected for breeding.

Treatment of Entropian

Treatment involves the injecting of 1ml of slowly absorbed antibiotic under the skin of the lower lid with a thin tipped needle.

Saline can be injected into the bottom eyelid to create a bubble. A small amount of saline is used. This method streches out the eyelid.

In very mild cases manual eversion may work. Eyelids should be dried and a fold of skin close to the eyelid margin should be pressed briefly and firmly between the finger and thumb.This eversion should be repeated several times a day. A topical lubricant should be applied to protect the cornea. You are basicly rolling the eyelid out.

The younger the lamb the more successful these types of treatments are. As the younger lambs lids are softer and more pliable.

In more advanced cases the surgical removal of an elliptical piece of skin with suturing will be required.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Electrolyte For Sick Lambs

Electrolytes are responsible for keeping the body hydrated so that the muscles and nerves can function properly. Electrolyte solutions help restore electrolytes lost by the lamb during sickness due to dehydration. Its best to feed electrolytes 30 minutes before or after feeding as electrolytes slow down the digestion of milk. You can purchase electrolyte tablets and solutions from your vet or you can try home made electrolyte. Commercial electrolyte solutions are preferred over homemade. A well made fluid electrolyte will be able to replace the fluid and electrolytes lost during scouring. It will prevent excessive dehydration which is a leading cause of death in sick lambs. A dehydrated lamb is an almost dead lamb. Home Made Electrolyte Recipe 1 Quart Water 2 Ounces of Dextrose(corn syrup) 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda Before you give the lamb the electrolyte ensure that that the lamb is not chilled. Mix the electrolyte with warm water. Try to g
44 comments
Read more

Bloat In Lambs

The main cause of bloat is thought to be a bacteria sarcina ventriculi. Warm milk entering the stomach creates perfect substrate for fermentation. From the fermentation of the bacteria excess gas is produced causing the expanding of the stomach. This aggressive bacteria lives on lactose. This bug is everywhere and is easily picked up by the lambs. The bloated stomach of the lamb can rupture killing the lamb. The other organs can also be crushed. Abdominal bloat in young lambs is clinically diagnosed by dissension abdomen especially the right side. Bloat can also be caused due to a lack of colostrum and over feeding.   Prevention You should really try to prevent this terrible loss by good farm management. Most farmers seem to loose their bummer lambs to bloat when they are 4 weeks old. Don't feed the lamb too quickly every 10 seconds you should stop and resume feed. The hole in the teat should not be too big. The strong sucking of t
72 comments
Read more

Sheep Lambing Signs

In the hours before the ewe gives birth there are some noticeable signs that she is in labour. The ewe will be uneasy and show signs of sickness. No two ewes show the exact signs but there are many common traits. Its vital that you are aware of the signs so that if there is need for intervention you are on site. Check your ewes every four hours so that if a ewe is having difficulty she is not left to struggle too long on her own. Some ewes can be quite dramatic in the hours up to the birth and some can be quiet relaxed. I have seen a ewe that every year would clear the rest of the ewes out of the shed while she was in the process of lambing.   Signs of Lambing   The ewes udder will be bagged out a few days or a week before she is about to give birth. It becomes bigger and harder the closer to birth. The teats will stand out about a day before lambing. The belly sinks also around the day before birth. The vulva will get pinker and more swelled. Hollow area a
2 comments
Read more