Much like the common advice given to humans, it’s important to regularly check the health of sheep with a routine physical examination rather than waiting until they’re showing signs of distress or illness. Not only will this help you get to know what all aspects of a healthy sheep look and feel like, but familiarizing a sheep with human handling might help them stay more calm in stressful situations. Be prepared to check them over every six to eight weeks.
Due to their typically thick coats, sheep require close examination to reveal potential ailments and injuries that you may not notice through a cursory observation. In addition, sheep tend to hide even significant pain and discomfort as much as they possibly can, as an instinctual protection from predators. By paying regular attention to the flock, you may see some subtle cues in the event that something is amiss.
In cases of symptoms such as the change in behavior, limping, repeated kicking on the belly etc it’s especially important to conduct a health examination on the sheep. Generally, where you begin the exam should be determined by the symptom you are seeing. If someone is limping, you will likely want to start with the foot they are limping on. If they have signs of internal parasites, you will likely want to start by checking their mucous membranes.
During routine health examinations, it’s good to have a set order that you follow (such as starting at the head and working down to the hooves, or visa versa) in order to ensure you do not miss a step.
It’s important to keep regular documentation of these checkups, including weight and any abnormal findings, in order to keep an easy-to-follow set of information in case a veterinarian needs the sheep’s history.
It can be easier to conduct the examination after the sheep has eaten or as they’re tucking in for the evening as they tend to be less fussy. Before stepping into their living space, you should take note of a sheep’s behavior. Are they acting differently than they usually do? How are they getting along with fellow flockmates? These clues can say a lot about a sheep’s health.
If necessary, you may have to have a second caregiver on hand to help manage the health examination or help restrain the sheep with a halter. Once you have the sheep calm and ready, conduct the following observations:
1. Weight and body condition: It’s important to keep regular measurements or estimates of a sheep’s weight. If a sheep has lost a lot of weight, this could indicate a sickness, malnutrition, worms, or other parasites. It could also be a symptom of OPP or Johne’s disease. If a sheep is mature and has gained a large amount weight in a short time, it’s critical to ensure that you aren’t overfeeding them, especially with alfalfa, treats, and snacks. Obesity-related complications can regularly lead to dangerous conditions and death in sheep. Pay close attention to the sheep’s body condition. The spine, ribs, and hip bones should not be prominent. Focus on these areas rather than their belly- an emaciated sheep may still have a large belly.
2. Head: How are they holding their head? It’s best if they’re holding it up on their own volition. If they’re shaking, hunching, hiding, or tucking their head, this can be a sign of illness or injury. Ensure that their horns are not causing them harm with excess growth. Check their head for abscesses, which could be a symptom of Caseous Lymphadenitis, which is highly contagious and requires quarantine and intervention.
3. Eyes: The sheep should have bright, clean, alert eyes. They should be free of discharge and clear. Cloudy, watery, dry, swollen, constantly blinking, or crusty eyes indicates likely illness or injury. The above symptoms could be signs of pink eye, which is highly contagious. Their pupils should be about the same size and react properly to bright light (get smaller and then return to normal). Check the sheep’s membranes near their eyes, using the FAMACHA system (after receiving certification from a qualified veterinarian) for reference.
4. Ears : Their ears can have a modest amount of earwax or debris in them, but should be clear of any ear mites. Excessively sticky, yellow, or odorous earwax needs addressing. You can use a gauze pad to clear out excess earwax or to sample potential ear mites. Ears should not be swollen or hard. Be aware of how a sheep typically keeps their ears. If their ear position changes from its typical position, this could indicate distress or illness.
5. Nose: The sheep’s snout should be free of any discharge, fluid, crustiness, or blood. Their nose should be soft and not cracked. An excessively runny or blocked nose could be a symptom of nasal bots or an upper respiratory infection.
6. Mouth: You shouldn’t be able to hear a sheep breathe in ideal circumstances. Their breathing should not be labored, loud, wheezy, rattly, sneezy, whistling, or squeaky. Generally, a mature sheep should have between 12-20 breaths per minute. It’s always a good idea to compare a sheep’s respiratory rate to other members of the herd as their rate increases when they are hot or active. A breathing-impaired sheep might have Lungworms, a serious and potentially deadly infection in their respiratory system. They should not have a wet or dry cough. Many of these symptoms could be a result of pneumonia which sheep are highly susceptible to. Abnormalities should be immediately reported to your veterinarian. If they’re reluctant to eat, they might have a problem with one or more of their teeth that needs to be managed. Now take a look in their mouth. Sheep have four pairs of lower incisors, but no upper incisors; instead they have a dental pad. Their gums should not be red, and there should not be any sores, abscesses, or scabs in their mouth, which can be a sign of Sore Mouth. A sheep’s jaw should not be swollen or enlarged, which could be a symptom of Bottle Jaw. A sheep’s tongue should not be swollen or bloody, which could be a symptom of Blue Tongue. If a sheep has particularly bad breath, it could be symptomatic of an infection and require deeper examination
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