You should call the vet as needed; however, some ruminant health concerns can be dealt with yourself. Sometimes, the first aid you offer immediately can make the vet’s job easier later and contribute to a better outcome for the animal.
Food Animal Concerns Trust recently hosted “First Aid Fundamentals for Livestock: Caring for Goats, Sheep & Cows” with Cathy Mittenson, veterinarian at Flat River Veterinary Hospital in Rougemont, NC.
For sheep and goats, call the emergency vet in case of an animal that is down and unable/unwilling to stand; not eating; exposed to large quantities of grain or azaleas; calling out, grinding teeth and arching their backs (males); cuts that go through the skin and deeper; fractures (especially if open); labor that has gone on for more than an hour; vaginal/uterine prolapse; kids/lambs not nursing; and eye problems.
“As prey animals, sheep and goats like to hide disease until they’re really sick,” Mittenson said. “Be really aware of the small changes in their health and behavior.”
Examples of things that can wait until the next business day include loose feces, superficial wounds, foot rot, foot abscess, lost horn, nasal or ocular discharge and cough.
Gastrointestinal issues comprise the majority of emergencies Mittenson sees. Parasites usually present with lethargy, weight loss, pale FAMACHA and diarrhea. The most common parasites, Haemonchus contortus and Coccidia, are diagnosed through fecal egg counts and other tests. Mittenson advocates for conservative use of dewormers to reduce risk of resistance. Blood transfusions may help.
Small ruminants with more than 500 eggs/gram of feces require treatment. She confirms what the farmer has already used in the animals to avoid repeating the same treatment product.
Vitamin B12 can increase appetite. Fluids are helpful to replenish the animal after experiencing diarrhea.
Urinary blockages typically present with the animal crying out and grinding teeth; arching the back with the appearance of constipation; and no urination. The predisposing factors include early castration, a grain-based diet, alfalfa hay and male gender. Diagnosis involves viewing the bladder with ultrasound, radiographs, increased urethral pulse and lack of urine production. Treatment can include amputation of urethral process, instillation of Wahlpole’s solution, systemic urine acidifiers and tube cystotomy.
Urinary blockages tend to happen in cold weather because male goats and sheep don’t drink as much. “They may think he’s constipated because he’s straining and arching his back. If you don’t see any peeing in an hour, that’s a problem … We can’t pass a catheter so it is an emergency if they can’t pass urine,” Mittenson said.
Animals can develop calcium carbonite stones when fed alfalfa hay. “They are really firm and look like BB pellets on radiograph,” Mittenson said. “That usually means surgery.”
In emergencies, solutions like Pedialyte work to rehydrate, but Nutri-Drench is preferred as a small ruminant solution.
“Try to get them to drink over the wintertime by providing warm water and offer them salt,” Mittenson said.
Birth issues also represent a big part of her work with small ruminants.
“Any female that’s been straining for more than 30 minutes, I would like a phone call,” Mittenson said. “If you’re comfortable going in there vaginally, you can try. Your comfort is based on how many cases you’ve seen.”
She continued, “If you see any body parts sticking out or the sack sticking out and nothing happens in an hour, you need to reach out to your veterinarian. It’s the same for cows. They tend to have more false labor but if you see anything coming out, that calf should be on the ground in an hour.”
Farmers should gradually introduce ruminants to lush pasture to avoid digestive issues. Photo by Deborah J. Sergeant
Farmers should also contact their vet if a newborn goat or sheep does not receive colostrum within the first 12 hours, is unable to stand and nurse, is too weak to absent suckle and has swollen umbilicus or joints. The treatment is typically tube feeding of colostrum, either powdered or frozen.
Tube feeding length depends on the species. For lambs and kids, measure from the nose to the stomach. For cows, larger, firmer tubes are helpful as their esophagus is much bigger.
Pregnancy toxemia can also be an issue. Clinical presentation is in the dam’s body condition in the last trimester. The animal appears depressed and is lying down.
“It can be caused by an energy imbalance if too obese or too thin,” Mittenson said, “or carrying multiple fetuses. It can be caused by sudden stressors like severe weather or a predator.
“Those already lying down have a much worse prognosis. If they have early signs, just a little dumpy and dull, we can supplement with propylene glycol. If that doesn’t work and they’re still having issues, getting rid of the source of the problem – the babies – will be the most beneficial for the mom. That typically requires a C-section.”
Animals experiencing retained placenta have not passed the placenta more than six hours after birthing.
“A retained placenta isn’t a problem we see a lot with goats and sheep,” Mittenson said. “These ruminants like to eat their placentas so if you’re not there for delivery, it can be challenging to know if they have retained it.”
Not all tissue hanging out of the animal is the placenta, so photographing it for the vet can be helpful.
“If it is [placenta], fill an exam glove and tie it to the material and slowly let gravity pull it out,” she said. “Never pull on it. You can cause bleeding, and some could be torn off inside. Keeping these in there for a long time can cause septic shock.”
A goat and sheep first aid kit should include treatments such as Banamine, vitamin B12, selenium/vitamin E gel, CMPK gel, propylene glycol and thiamine. Other items include a thermometer, Elastikon, vet wrap, rolled cotton, nonstick pads, SSD ointment, Aluspray, halter/restraint, towels, lubricant, long gloves, dystocia chains, high-quality colostrum powder/frozen colostrum, bottles, a feeding tube, a 60 cc syringe, iodine and foot trimmers.
Larger ruminants facing uterine prolapse present with tissue hanging from the vulva post-calving or if vaginal prolapse before or after calving.
Mittenson said, “Vaginal prolapses tend to have a genetic component. I typically recommend not breeding those cows again. They tend to prolapse again, especially prior to calving. A uterine prolapse tends to be from a prolonged delivery. Thinner cows are prone.”
Animals presenting with uterine prolapse should be seen the same day. Vaginal prolapse may be seen the next business day.
“Squeeze out as much fluid as you can to place it back in the vulva where it belongs,” Mittenson said. “Some producers are comfortable doing that themselves, but a vet can provide medication to make her more comfortable.”
Down cows need help. The causes of a down cow can include trauma or metabolic or neurologic reasons.
“Age can play a role,” Mittenson said. “Is she post-calving and has low calcium? Her vaccination status is important. Does she recognize we are there? Does she have deep pain responses?”
Using a lift, rotate the animal at least three times per day with their feet still touching the ground. If the cow is on its side for more than 24 hours, euthanasia is recommended.
Bloat is another issue Mittenson sees. Left untreated, it can lead to more severe stomach issues, like abomasa abatement.
“Alfalfa, clover or high-grain diets can cause a frothy bloat, especially if they’re not used to those diets,” she said. “It can happen during a pasture rotation or if they get into a bunch of grain. If transitioning them to pasture that’s lusher, give them some hay so they’re not gorging on the pasture. Or try to turn them out on more mature pasture that’s not growing super-fast.”
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