[banbha]

HI I have just come in from the garden and found 1 of my lambs unable to move.  It looks as if she has dislocated her hind right leg at the hip, there is no broken skin.
Any advice, we have tryed our local vet before but as we are not a farmer and dont have a big enough flock! and our other vets do not cater for pet sheep!!!
I really dont like seeing any animal hurt even though she is not showing any signs of distress
Many Thanks

Mandi

[kanisha]

  I don't get what you mean when you say your not farmers and don't have a big enough flock so is this a problem for the vet???

if its dislocated it may be possible to get it back in and resolved fairly quickly without too many complications if you act quickyl before further ligament damage and inflammation.

[banbha]

Thanks ,.yes its a problem with the vet! 
What is the best way to go about putting it back?

[kanisha]

you won't do it yourselves without anaesthesia and a good working knowledge of anatomy call the vet t

[Fleecewife]

If the large animal vet won't do it then you must go to the small animal practice.  If they can deal with a dog they can deal with a sheep.  It will probably cost you more but for the lamb's welfare you must get it dealt with promptly.  Then find yourself a vet who is prepared to treat your animals, even if you have to travel a bit further.

[banbha]

Thank you all for your help.
Unfortunatly, Abbie passed away late last evening while waiting for a vet to come out.
We are putting a complaint in to our nearerst farm vet as the next one is 2 hours away.

[kanisha]

I'm very sorry to hear that even if sheep don't show signs of being stressed itf it was dislocated she would have been in pain.Maybe see how you can get a working relationship with a local vet practice before any emergencies crop up again. it isn't easy and I know vets don't like working outside their specialties always this can lead to problems in itself .

[Roxy]

Sorry to hear about your sheep.  Maybe the leg was actually broken?  Even so, I would have expected a bit more promptness from a vet.

We have a local vet who only deals with dogs, cats, rabbits etc.  We are fortunate to have a large animal practice just a couple of miles from us.  Although two of my neighbours use horse vets at different practices, both 20 plus miles away, and they are happy to come out, for a mileage charge of course.

Ideally, you need a vet as close as possible, who is able to come out quickly, for cases such as you have just experienced with your sheep.
Do hope you find a good large animal vet nearby.

[Calvadnack]

This is so desperately sad.  You must have been distraught at not being able to help your lamb.  I don't know where you're based but if you are in the UK I would have hoped any farm vets would have been much faster to help, even asking you to drive the lamb to their surgery. 

With the reducing numbers of large animal vets I'm worried that this situation might be something more of us are going to be facing in the long term.

[jack]

Hi to all I donno if your not that far from Chelmsford  the vet there came out to me about 20 miles and charged me  a call out fee of just £25 he is very good and here is his phone number.  07912799962

[cairnhill]

How awful    And what a sad state of affairs when a vet will not come out to an animal in distress 

[humphreymctush]

Unless the animal cant be moved, it is cheaper and quicker to take the animal to the vet rather than call the vet out. You will in the future encounter other situations that require vetinary assistance so if you keep sheep you will need to have a working relationship with a vet. The alternative adopted by some on economic grounds is to shoot any animal that you cant treat yourself.