Well,
I took one scared little sheep in a wire crate, to a small animal vet clinic yesterday. They used to have a large animal practice until the area urbanized. The vet is my buddy's boss, and is a parasitologist.
The homely and gentle little sheep delighted the staff, and the doctor was very tender hearted toward him. He checked the eye membranes, good color. He listened to the heart. He listened to the rumen. He took another fecal sample for his class to examine.
He has done two "gold standard" fecals and ruled out giardia. He listened to the entire history. Sustain III, Corid, Sulfadimethoxine, Ivomec, Safeguard, Valbazen.
He ruled out the dread, incurable wasting disease, "Johne's Disease" (he has diagnosed Johne's in blackbellies in the past) because the animal is too young.
He took the animal's temp and it was over 104. But the little sheep was terrified and hyperventilating. When the wether got home he peed and peed and peed.
This morning the animal was a normal 102.2. No infection.
So what? Well, he could have a congenital problem, but that doesn't explain the ram going loose.
It could be environmental, but there are no toxic plants within reach of their paddock.
It could be an allergy to CORN! Discontinue COB
It could be overconsumption of supplements - discontinue selenium salt, minerals and kelp for 2-3 weeks.
Or it could just be terrible damage done by a coccidiosis infestation that is going to take a long time to heal.
There is certainly improvement. the ram is "almost normal" (he's only been affected a short time), and the wether is not making the liquid splats. I see strings of goo that look like mucous from time to time. My web surfing has taught me that that is actually fat, which cannot be absorbed by the damaged intestinal lining.
Carol, you mentioned Metamucil to clear up your cat's giardia. I looked in my medicinal herb book last night and learned that psyllium seed is not only a laxative, it is actually an excellent anti-diarrheal! So I am going to put a bit in their feed, along with the intriguing probiotic product I found at the feed store.
They were okayed for turnout back onto the grass (which will loosen them again probably). I'll probably know the results of the fecals next Monday, but I'm sure it will be negative.
I've sunk hundreds of $ into licking this problem - not for the sake of the wether, but for the knowledge. The main thing is that I can now feel safe from the dread Johne's disease.
Another thing I learned through researching Coccidiosis, Johne's and Giardia, is that once the diarrhea starts, the situation is essentially out of control. The gut is damaged, it's not just "upset". If EVER I get a case of diarrhea going again, before I meddle with ANYTHING, I'll involve a vet. Treating one animal is one thing, but treating a mob, maybe losing lambs, I can spend the $15 on a fecal. It's far and away better than spending hundreds to clean up a mess like this.
Prevention? I want to get as far away from drugs as possible. I don't know how possible it is to raise sheep without them, but all my efforts will be targeted at maintaining a healthy gut and immune system in my animals and trying not to let the "baddies" get a toehold.
It's been a difficult, expensive lesson, but an important one.
Barb
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