Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep by Paula Simmons

Author:Paula Simmons
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2009-02-03T05:00:00+00:00

Drugs for Sheep

Good shepherds are prepared for emergencies by having a supply of standard medicines on hand. Such medications include:

Bloat medication

Antibiotics

Anthelmintics (worm medications)

Propylene glycol for pregnancy toxemia

Calcium phosphate or other treatment for milk fever

Disinfectants

Mineral oil for constipation

Dextrose solution (as an energy source)

Footbath preparation

Uterine boluses

Clean or sterile equipment (such as syringes and needles)

Discuss with your veterinarian which antibiotics, anthelmintics, and vaccinations to use. If the vet is close by or if you have easy access to a farm-supply store that sells a wide variety of antibiotics, you probably don’t need to keep any on hand. Before you administer an antibiotic, it’s a good idea to have the veterinarian run culture and sensitivity testing if the illness isn’t critical. This tells you which antibiotic will be most effective against the bacterium that’s causing the problem. For example, if a ewe’s udder is hard and hot from a mastitis infection, take a milk sample to the veterinarian. Usually within 48 hours the vet will call back with a specific recommendation for which drug to use. On the other hand, if you don’t live near a veterinarian or a good supply store, you’ll need to keep a broad-spectrum antibiotic around.

Iodine and hydrogen peroxide are both good disinfectants for treating wounds. We clean first with the peroxide and then coat the wound area generously with iodine.

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