4 lambs were born over the past 1-week since Malaysia Day! Unfortunately, the last one only survived 3 days. Reason? All because the lamb couldn’t suckle for having teeth! The ewe didn’t allow its very own to feed due to the pain the teeth inflicted. Sad but true.
By the time we tried manually feeding it with a bottle (Mat manually expressed the milk from the teat and fed the lamb), it was too late. It was simply too weak. Having teeth shortly after birth is simply an outrageous anomaly. Would love to hear some vets’ opinions out there on this. As a consolation, the remaining 3 lambs are doing great. Note to self: check for teeth as soon as after birth, as ridiculous as that may sound.
The photos here show a bizarre case of lost of appetite with a lump in her throat. Mat and I tried relieving her stomach from air as we thought she could be having bloated stomach, a common but deadly symptom that can kill. Mat’s kampung experience led him to use a papaya leaf stem and stuck it up the ewe’s anus. Air could be heard being released.
It was only later the vet confirmed that this “sick” ewe was experiencing a miscarriage. They gave two jabs and said the placenta will be expelled within 24 hours. It did as claimed. They also administered vitamins and oxytocin to increase its appetite and to expedite the expulsion of the placenta.
Days later, the said ewe gave birth to an unresponsive lamb. Still born. That was the root cause of the sheep’s uneasiness.
Interesting insights and exposure as opposed to an otherwise regular desk-bound corporate employment.
