Why won't my sheep's pneumonia heal? | Sez the Vet

Dr Sez answers the common frustration "why won't my sheep's pneumonia heal?". Pneumonia is seen regularly in New Zealand and this question comes up regularly.
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Note the opinions expressed are those of the authors, and this informative episode is not intended to replace individual advice given by a medical professional, for your specific case
Attributions:
Endeavour Audio by Ron Gelinas, retrieved rom • Ron Gelinas - Endeavou... .

[@mudasirbutt4322]

I have an old ewe she is not gaining weight for a long time now the problem is she was bitten by a dog and after 2 weeks she breathes rapidly with noise I treated her with flunixin meglumine and enrofloxacin injections she is now ok after 2 weeks again same problem I am sure she has respiratory problem what to do please suggest and no lung worms (confirmed)

[@vetsoul539]

❤️🎈

[@SHANONisRegenerate]

Hey Sez really enjoyed your videos! Would Lungworm give a sheep alot of Mucus in the nose?

[@SeztheVet]

Hi Shanon, glad to hear you're enjoying them! Yes it can cause mucous in the nose, as can pneumonnia, allergies, nasal bot (so gross), and a host of wierd and wonderful things like nasal polyps. Certainly worth making sure they're covered with a drench that will kill nasal bot and lungworm though, to rule it out.

[@lianapalumbo8457]

This is very interesting. I had 2 of my rescued lambs come into my care with pneumonia and I have to say it was a very long process to get them cleared up. Granted I keep my babies inside until they're about 3-4 months and then outside only during the day gradually extending it to full time at 6 months. I also was told to keep them on a high dose of antibiotics for slightly longer than usual. It worked for my lambs but I had 2 kids that this unfortunately didn't work for. Do you think kids are slightly more delicate than lambs? Thank you for another informative upload 👍🏼

[@SeztheVet]

Hi Liana. No, I definitley wouldn't say that kids are more delicate that lambs. It's worth noting though, that for bottle reared babies, the likely cause of the pneumonia is quite different. In the case of your orphans it is very likely that they didnt recieve adequate colostrum from mum, and were immunocompromised, which led to picking up a simple bacterial or viral pneumonia from the environment, or very often from accidently aspirating milk while drinking (if they were weak at any point and/or had a poor suck reflex). With a lack of colostrum they will be immunocompromise for a good 6-8 weeks+, so probably a good thing you had them on ABs for a while longer, while they developed their own immune system. Becuase it's not the straight froward pneumonia we see in the field, but instead likely a mix of bacteria from inhaling milk or from the environment, it means that the antibiotic is not necessarilly a straight forward guess which one to use. It may be that your goat kids needed a different AB or had something else going on entirely, on the inside (whcih is very common when immunocompromised- to have 2 or more areas of infection). The fact they were both goat kids, I would guess, woudl be coincidental. Thanks for the interesting talking point :)

[@saintbeans]

How do you get rid of chronic snotty noses? I think its upper respiratory or pre-pneumonia? I've tried different antibiotics, drenched them, not stressed at all. Driving me mad 😩, love to get rid of it. What are the first signs of pneumonia?

[@SeztheVet]

oh yes the old snotty nose. very frustrating. few options there. definitely a check that lower respiratory issues arent there as well, ie pneumonia (characterized by coughing, often fever, heavy breathing). rule out obscure causes like nasal bot fly. but otherwise so long as the mucous is clear (thick yellow green indicated infection) you may be looking at upper respiratory tract allergies, which can be really frustrating and ongoing. Can trial antihistamines. for a correct diagnosis you'd need some diagnostic tests run to make sure no masses, polyps etc up the nose or sinuses.

[@saintbeans]

@@SeztheVet Thank you! I'll try the local vets again but haven't had much luck with getting diagnostic tests.

[@SeztheVet]

@@saintbeans good luck!

[@mohammadalkhresha3274]

Pneumonia treatment for sheep

[@bahyalivestock2198]

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