Sheep - Raising Small Animals - page 385

• Chlamydia causes enzootic abortions of ewes (EAE). Abortions occur during the final
month of pregnancy along with stillbirths and weak lambs. Infected sheep spread it to
others through uterine discharges, placentas, or fetal tissues. If there is an epidemic, the
entire flock can be treated with tetracycline.
• Q fever is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii . Many sheep may not show any signs
of having the Q fever organism. It can cause late-term miscarriage along with infertility
problems. If your sheep is diagnosed with Q fever, it will need to be reported to federal
authorities,asitisanorganismthatcanbeusedinbioterrorism.Treatmentisthroughuse
of tetracycline.
• Vibriosis is the disease caused by Campylobacter and causes late-term miscarriages, still-
births,andweaklambs.Treatmentofanabortionoutbreakiswithtetracycline.Avaccin-
ationisavailablethatwillpreventthediseaseinsheepflocks.Thefirstyear,theewesare
vaccinatedtwiceinearlygestationthenonceagainhalfwaythroughthegestationperiod.
After this initial series, the ewes are vaccinated once yearly after the breeding season.
• Toxoplasmosis causes abortions during the last month of pregnancy, stillbirths, and weak
lambs. The organism is spread by cats defecating in feed or by contamination of water
or the environment by cat feces. Cats should be kept away from sheep feed sources and
away from pregnant ewes.
Two diseases, in addition to the diseases that are responsible for causing miscarriages, can
threaten the health and life of an ewe:
Pregnancy toxemia: Pregnancy toxemia occurs late in the pregnancy. It is more common in
ewes that are overly fat or thin or in older ewes carrying multiple fetuses. The cause is a meta-
bolic disorder where the ewe does not take in adequate nutrition during late pregnancy when
the lamb(s) are growing rapidly. An ewe with pregnancy toxemia will appear bright and alert
but will be unable to stand. Treatment consists of giving the ewe glucose orally and via the
vein. Giving ½ to 1 pound of grain to ewes in the late stages of pregnancy can prevent tox-
emia. Keeping your ewes in good body condition (not too fat or thin) will also help prevent
this disease.
Mastitis: Ewes can suffer from mastitis, which is an infection of the mammary glands. Simil-
ar to dairy cattle, bacteria can cause acute or chronic forms of mastitis. In acute mastitis, the
mammary glands will be swollen, warm, and red. The ewe may act painful and might not let