Why Lamb Bloat isn't always "Bloat" | Sez the Vet

[@shermdog6969]

I had a sheep 8 months old develope "bloat" after eating 2 cups of baking soda. Never recovered. He was very bloated but not sure what else it would have been.

[@saphire1020]

That is so interesting. I live in the states and everyone calls it bloat. So interesting to find out that it’s not all just “bloat” and could be any number of reasons.

[@SeztheVet]

everyone calls it bloat here as well :) there are just so many different causes, often assuming it's abomasal gas bloat

[@jodyrobinson-wildey2186]

Thank you!!!! So many times I see on Facebook from people around the world 'my lamb has bloat' posts. Probably most of them don't. Can you please clone yourself and offer your wonderful care right around NZ 😉 Please share this video to as many places as possible

[@SeztheVet]

haha thank you Jody.

[@vetsoul539]

Thanks dr😍❤️

[@boyciecat2514]

Hi Sez, just had a small 8 week old bottle fed ewe-lamb die with bloated abdomen 5 hours after a 200ml morning feed. I can't understand it since she's had 200ml 4x per day for over a month now. I did feed her 350ml the previous night but there were no signs of bloat in the morning (11 hrs later). Would this night feed have been digested by morning? Did the extra 150ml set the scene for bloat after her next feed? Naturally devastated, just trying to make some sense of it. Thanks.

[@SeztheVet]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this :( How devastating. There are a number of things that could have happened here, I'm sorry to say. Abomasal Bloat is certainly a possibility- it can take some time for the bacterial population to build up, as you can imagine. So each big feed (200mL is a big feed in natural terms) the population gets larger. Then one more feed tips it over the edge. Naturally at 2weeks old a lamb is still drinking average 32x/day from mum, even at 7 weeks old still 14x/day. So our low frequency, high volume feeds put them all at very high risk, which is why it's so common. I wouldn't expect to see abomasal bloat in someone feeding 6-8x/24hrs, but unless this is possible for you (which is usually isn't) I would always recommend yogurtising the milk. THere are of course many other causes of a bloated abdomen, but your story certainly fits the bill for abomasal bloat. If you haven't already, check out the episode on preventing abomasal bloat. I go into much more depth there. Sorry again for your loss :'(

[@shelleycurreen1182]

My lamb was treated for bloat but I'm not sure it was. He had antibiotics injected right into his tummy though and also some via his bottle that night. He also was given pain relief. Whatever it was seems to have come right though. He is a funny thing. He loves his grass. He guzzles his bottle when he gets it but he isn't that worried if he misses a bottle. He won't be hard to wean. He gets a lamb starter too that has clostridial stuff in it so that shouldn't have been an issue. Also had 5n1. It's a conundrum. 🤷

[@saintbeans]

Very interesting thanks. Are there other clues like stool or breath?

[@SeztheVet]

not clear cut signs, no. they all have their own general descriptions, eg how exactly the abdomen looks bloated, how long it's been going on, other things found on clinical exam (like congested/toxic mucous membranes indicating a toxic clostridial infection). but not on the breath, and stools can be so variable. diarrhoea absolutely can indicate bacterial infection, but small amounts of diarrhoe (or nothing at all coming out) can be seen with obstructions and twists. it all gets quite complicated and needs to be looked at as a whole clinical picture. that's my opinion and experience at least :) others may have a different take.

[@saintbeans]

@@SeztheVet Thanks