I looked around yesterday, in the favorite sheep haunts, along the fence line & in the more wild areas to find her. No such luck. Tonight I went out looking again. No luck.
I sat in a lawn chair on the hill, watching everyone graze, wondering what happened to the baby. I watched buzzards circling... but they were no where near my property.
About 7:30 I gave up & headed back to the barn & house. I decided to open up the enclosure that I had the large round bales of hay in, so that the crew could finish it off. I took a handful of the most green looking stuff to throw in the pea pen. (Which is butted up against the barn.) As I walked over there the thought crossed my mind that I never checked BEHIND the barn & with my luck, I'd find her there.
I looked over & saw the piece of dog run fencing that I'd noticed had falled over on Sunday. There, smashed under the chain link was a lamb body. I went back to feeding the peas, when I noticed MOVEMENT. She wasn't dead!!
IF ONLY I'D LISTEN TO MYSELF WHEN I FIRST THINK! When i saw that piece of fence down yesterday I thought "better go set that back up before someone gets hurt"... AND I DIDN'T DO IT!
AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhh! IDIOT! <----from Napoleon Dynamite
If I'd listened to myself when I didn't see Spottie last week.. She'd still be here!! DARN IT!!
I grabbed her up, she'd been kicking the dirt under the fence as she lay on her side... she was in a lamb shaped indentation. I tried to get her to stand... no luck.. just kicking... I don't think her brain is really aware that she's not trapped. I took her to the trough & offered her some water, she drank 3 swallows. Her neck is bent, in the shape of the indentation she made. Nothing seems to be broken, there's some hair missing off one front leg where it rubbed against the chain link.
By the time I got her up to the house it was after 8... farm stores all closed. I have lactated ringer solution... but no drip kit. I do have a humungus syringe tho, and could give her ringers sub Q to re-hydrate her. I offered her water, she drank a little bit. I cleaned her off with warm water and vigorously yet gently ;-) towel dried her. Right now she's laying in the kitchen, on a towel, wrapped in a towel with one of the dogs' teddy bears as a pillow. I have her lying so the side that was down as she was trapped is now up. Her neck is c shaped, with the open part of c facing the floor (that's why she needs a pillow). She's resting, I've seen her cough up a bit of cud to chew twice. Ooops, three times.
Oh, I also gave her a couple squirts of Sheep Nutri Drench... electolytes, minerals, glucose.
Suggestions on how to help her make it thru the night?
Thanks!!
Diane
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