We had two ewes drop dead suddenly in the last couple of days. They are fine one day, then dead the next. The vets here are at a loss to the cause. We took the body of the first ewe to be examined at the locat vet school, but nothing was found yet. Our one year old Icelandic ram was also sick, but he seems to have pulled out of it after a shot of antitoxin, B vitamins, de-worning and ProBios. Two other farms in the area have also lost ewes to this sudden death. We are located in southeastern Massachusetts. Has anyone else experienced these sudden deaths?

-- Pat (PSRoll@aol.com), August 17, 2001

Answers

My daughter lost one of her ewes about a month ago that way. We didn't have it examined as our vet said that sometimes sheep will seem to just lay down and die. She was fine before she died.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), August 17, 2001.

Have they sprayed anything in your areas, along roads, in neighboring fields,etc? Sorry for your loss and hope you can find out what is happening?

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), August 17, 2001.

I had a ram drop dead suddenly and was told that it was blue tongue, from the flys off of cattle. I had never heard of this and luckily have not lost any other sheep this way. I'm still not sure what blue tongue is. Anyone have any info? Thanks!

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), August 17, 2001.

A twisted gut could cause sudden death, but would be very unusual to have two die so close together and from that as it is rare. Could they have gotten into some toxic plants? With this drought and the pastures getting sparse, I wonder if they are eating something that normally they would ignore. Check with your vet and local extension agent for poisonous plants in your area.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), August 17, 2001.

I would wonder if it was an infection, since your ram was sick too. If the ewe's are out on pasture, like mine, and the ram is closed in a small area, like mine, you would be more incline to see the problem in him soon enough to treat where the ewes would be beyond help before you noticed they were not thrieving. I guess my experience last spring has made me somewhat over cautious, I check my ewes everyday for any sign of listlessness. They all come to the barn with the lambs for creep feeding in am and if anybody doesn't come running I'm investigating.

I think sheep pick up bacterial infections more than we realize, and will die from them quicker. I'd check my remaining ewes very carefully, maybe worm the rest and if anything doesn't look right give them antibiotic too. I know, that's probably being pretty quick with the antibiotic but I waited and lost two more ewes last spring, hate to see that happen to you too.

-- Betsy K (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), August 18, 2001.

I have had to put down two who were fine one day and not the next. Both I babied and medicated for a couple weeks but they never were strong enough in the rear legs to withstand delivery when and if they got pregnant. Had all kinds of blood work done, blue tongue, selenium, Vit E., polio,the list goes on, with negative on all. There is no toxic plants. I am told by the University Vet that with will hot weather it could be heat stress, but I don't buy that. I am wondering about the deer worm which can take an animal down or cause spinal cord damage. Although, the University Vet says it would have to be a wet wooded area and the sheep grazing with the deer. I have whitetailed deer but they are not grazing with my sheep and it is not a wooded wet area. Anyway parasites kill in a flash but the vet should be able to tell with the fecal or in your case having the body. Now this deer worm (actually it is a snale) cannot be detected.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), August 21, 2001.

I was just up to visit my parents last weekend in New Hampshire and they said that last week they had a very hot and humid week which is not usual in their area. I'm wondering if that was the cause of your sheep loss since it would have been a quick change in the weather which would have not given them time to acclimate like a sheep in the south would. I believe sheep can be susceptable to heat prostration.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), August 22, 2001.

Though part of the life cycle of menengial worm is a slug or snail, the contact goats and sheep have with it is through the white tail deers manure. They can get it in marshy areas, but in our area it is when the does are out on pasture, or when new hay is brought in. There is no prevention for this, other than we do now allow or dogs to run off the deer, I used to think it was beautiful, them being out in the pastures. Ivermectin injected will kill the protozoa, but would have to be given every 10 days. Once an animal is down with this, Ivermectin will kill the protozoa in the spinal cord, Dexamethazone is given for the swelling in the spinal cord, along with normal propholactic treatment for stress, dehydration and pnemonia from being down. We successfully treated a doe years back, who is still a viable active doe, she does have some residual neurological problems from this, but unless you "know" her you wouldn't be able to tell. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 22, 2001.

Vicky, now I feel terrible, I am pretty sure (well not that sure) my ewes might have been infected with the mengineal worm, which I earlier referred to the deer worm. It had been a month of treatment and they still had the shakes, couldn't walk more than a few steps so that is why I had them put down which was very hard on my daughter. I thought after a month of not being able to walk it might be permanent. But you say you had a case where she got better! Now I feel bad, one of the ewes was my husband and daughter's favorite named firstist.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), August 22, 2001.

I reakon this is shoching news. And that it is so sudden. I was wondering if you could help me out. I live on my grandparents property and we have been losing ewes alot in the past year. Sometimes after they have had a lamb they would bloat and have blood coming out of their nose. We have lost about 30 or 40 sheep due to this. Others just die out in the paddock, there tounge some times turns blue not long after and there tongue was sticking all the way out. Last year we lost a ram the same way. We feed our sheep hay, oats and when pregnant we give them some lupins. We also supply blocks. The main thing is that it is mainly 6 tooth cutting 8 which die sometimes younger. One more question. Last year i had 5 body lambs four of which there mothers died. I had three white and two black lambs. At about three-five months of age they had a real bloated stomack and wouldn't eat anything i am trying to work it out but cant. I now only have one lamb left. Your faithfully Katherine

-- Katherine Watts (Klgwatts@ozemail.com), March 27, 2002.