Nutritional Problems
This nutritional problem refers to difficulty in passing feces.
What is constipation?
These are tiny insects that live on animals. Some are blood sucking; others are biting and chewing type.
What is lice?
The adults of these parasites live in the lungs. Eggs of this parasite these parasites hatch in the intestine, and the larvae are passed in the feces.
What are lungworms?
This disease is caused by a virus. It is spread from sheep to sheep by small gnats. Sheep with this disease lose appetite, become sluggish, and have a high fever. The ears, head, muzzle and lips become swollen.
What is blue tongue?
This disease mainly affects lambs one to five days of age. Symptoms include loss of appetite, depression, diarrhea, and sudden death. There is no treatment.
What is lamb dysentery?
This nutritional problem is caused by a lack of calcium in the blood.
What is milk fever?
Often called a sheep tick. It is a wingless fly that is about 1/4 inch long and has six legs. It is a bloodsucker!
What is sheep ked?
This internal parasite lives in the liver. It causes bleeding, and the eggs are passed out in the manure.
What is liver fluke?
This disease is caused by a bacterium. The most common sign of the disease is finding dead lambs. The dead animals have their heads drawn up in an arched and extended position, which is a result of the convulsions that occur before death.
What is enterotoxemia?
This disease is caused by bacteria or by injury to the udder. The udder becomes swollen, hard, and sore. The affected animal may have a straddling walk. The milk is thick, yellow, and flaky.
What is mastitis?
This nutritional problem is caused by a lack of Vitamin A in the diet. Symptoms include the inability to see at night, soreness of the eyes, loss of appetite, weakness, nervousness, and convulsions.
What is night blindness?
The larvae of this external parasite are found in the nasal cavity of sheep. Infested animals shake their heads, sneeze, have difficulty breathing, and may hold their noses to the ground.
What is sheep bot fly?
These organisms live in the intestine of the sheep or goat. They cause the cell walls to rupture, and the animal bleeds internally. Bloody diarrhea is one of the symptoms of this organism.
What is coccidia?
This is a disease that affects the soft tissue of the foot. It is infectious, but not contagious. Bacteria enter the foot through injuries, causing pus pockets.
What is foot abscess?
This disease is caused by a bacterial infection of the navel. It affects mainly young animals within a few days after birth. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, depression, and swelling around the navel.
What is navel ill?
This is a metabolic disorder that usually occurs during the last six weeks of gestation. During this time, the fetuses are growing rapidly and the ability of the ewe to take in an adequate amount of feed is reduced.
What is pregnancy toxemia (ketosis)?
These external parasites can hardly be seen with the naked eye. They burrow into the skin, causing irritation. Some cause scabs to form.
What are mites?
This organism can cause intestinal blockages. They may affect gut mobility. They can be seen in sheep feces, and often cause alarm to producers.
What are tapeworms?
This disease usually affects sheep during periods of extremely wet weather. It is believed to be caused by either the same bacteria or a different strain of the same bacteria that cause foot rot.
What is foot scald?
This disease is caused by bacterial that live in the soil and enter the animal's body through wounds. Symptoms include stiffness, walking with a straddling gait, inability to eat, and rigid jaw and tail. The animal has spasms and dies.
What is tetanus?
This nutritional problem is caused by the formation of small stones in the urinary tract.
What is urinary calculi (water belly, urolithiasis)?
This external parasite lives in the wool that is wet and is matted around wounds. Tagging sheep helps to prevent infestation. Shearing before warm weather and keeping sheep clean also helps to prevent trouble with this parasite.
What are blowflies?
This internal parasite is considered to be a bloodsucker! The females of this organism deposit several hundred to several thousand eggs per day.
What are stomach worms?
What is foot rot?
This disease is caused by a virus and is more common in younger animals. Symptoms include blisters on the mouth, lips, and nose of the animal. The udder of an older animal affected with the disease will also show blisters.
What is sore mouth?