# White Muscle Disease in Lamb



## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

I've got a real nice 45lb ewe lamb, went stiff in the rear legs, then lame ( can't get up on rear legs). Diagnosings a bitch but all the symptoms point to White Muscle Disease. Remedy ... Bo-Se selenium supplement... There isn't any anywhere not even valley vet... so, alternative is Vit E. I gave her 7 caplets in a drench then 7 more in 3 days... still LAME.. Any of you sheep guys have any ideas


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## MtnHerd (Jul 6, 2011)

I ordered some of the gel through Amazon a few weeks ago for some goat kids. You need to get a vet to give it a shot asap if you think that is what she has. The shot works much quicker, and if it has already been several days you need it done right away. On goats we also gave vitamin B complex, since if it is a selenium deficiency it will hinder them on Vitamin B as well. Good luck!


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

I hate to say it, but it's probably too late for the ewe lamb. And since she's fairly young, her mother is pat likely deficient as well. A good mineral with higher levels of selenium should help future lambs though. Good luck!


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

There's actually a gov. regulated amt that can go into a bag of sheep mineral. I agree about too late...finally got Bo-Se, gave her a shot.. she's still eating.. but can't get up. Maybe it doesn't happen overnight.


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

Bye the way I don't rent pigs!!


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Too late for me to help you as I just seen the topic, but if you (or anyone) gets in a bind for BO-SE, use MU-SE.

BO-SE is 1mg-Selenium/50 mg Vit E whereas MU-SE has 5mg Selenium/50mg Vit E. Just have to dose accordingly.

Valley has MU-SE on-hand.

Mark


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## MtnHerd (Jul 6, 2011)

Any change in your lamb?


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

No change, she hasn't lost any weight and a real nice lamb. It's a shame. I carry her out to new grass, keep her in water and grain. I really don't know what to do.


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## RuttedField (Apr 24, 2016)

Usually a down sheep is a dead sheep sadly enough. It is learned behavior, they fight whatever they have to "look normal" as a weak sheep would be picked off from the rest of the flock by predators.

You can get BoSe from Pipestone Supply, just talk with their Vet first and they will prescribe it.

Myself, every lamb born gets 1cc of BoSe at birth on my farm as it is VERY CHEAP insurance. A ewe's placenta is very thick and lambs often have a hard time getting enough Selenium from their mothers during gestation.

What others have said about Vitamin B Complex, A and E, and CalDextrose is good advice too. Again most of the time it ends up being a waste of time as the sheep dies anyway, but I think as a sheep farmer doing all I can with what I have is the humane thing to do, and...actually says so in the bible. So here we have a regiment we call the "full monty" and even though we suspect they will die, still do all we can with a series of shots. Sometimes it does work, sometimes not.

Where we stop short...and maybe this is hypocritical, is in calling a vet. It does not make much sense to spend $220 on a vet call for a $150 sheep.


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