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Mike McIntyre
Mike McIntyre,
Category: Vet
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Experience:  Veterinarian at Sioux Nation Pet Clinic
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A ewe has a damaged radial nerve. She saw the vet yesterday.

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Hello. A ewe has a damaged radial nerve.
JA: I'll do all I can to help. What's the matter with the ewe?
Customer: She saw the vet yesterday. He said she has a damaged radial nerve. He put a splint on her leg from top to bottom of leg but she has managed to damage the splint so it kinda in half now.
JA: Where does the ewe seem to hurt?
Customer: the fetlock she drags it. She did have an illness but she has recovered from that now its just the fetlock being a problem
JA: Can you see anything that looks wrong or different?
Customer: just that she has bent the splint that was put on her yesterday so should i take the splint off her and put a full leg splint on her or a half let below the knee. as its the fetlock thats been turned in.
JA: What is the ewe's name and age?
Customer: She is a around 2 years old. Clemintine is her name.
JA: Is there anything else the Veterinarian should be aware of about Clemintine?
Customer: She did have meningitis that she survived but then she got ccn. so she was down and not walking for a long time. now she is back to eating etc. now its just the leg.
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I've been working hard to find a Professional to assist you with your question, but sometimes finding the right Professional can take a little longer than expected.
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
I'm willing to wait as the sheep is not critical. The main thing I need to know is a second opinion on how to treat a damaged radial nerve in a sheep. Does there need to be a full leg cast etc.

Hello, this is Dr Mike. I will be happy to discuss this with you. My apologies for the delay. How did this injury happen? Would it be possible to upload any pictures for me to review also? What medications are we on?

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Sorry for delay. The ewe had meningitis then ccn. She survived both. But she seems to have damaged her radial nerve.
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
She saw a vet yesterday. He didn't give her any medication. I'm trying to send photo but not working for me. He put a full leg splint on her but the ewe managed to break the splint at the knee.

Do you have google drive or icloud you can upload the photos too and then send me the link to review?

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Did the radial nerve injury just start recently? After the meningitis? One of the keys to helping this recover is to start on a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory daily to take the swelling down around the nerve. COntinual swelling around the nerve can lead to long term nerve damage.

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Does the whole leg just drop down? Or are we able to lift the upper portion of the leg some, just not support weight on the lower part of the leg?

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
It was after the ccn she got the leg injury. Which happened a few weeks after she had recovered from meningitis.

The image came through, thank you

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
It seems its the lower part that's most affected. The fetlock seems very affected
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
It's like she drags the lower part of leg
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
I will try to send video
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
lower part seems worse

Can you resend the picture? Only the top portion of it came through. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Sending photo
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
I thought the fetlock was broken the way she was with it but the vet that came to see her said it wasn't broken. She wouldn't get up for a week or so when she had ccn so I didn't notice it at first and the vets didn't say anything.
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Does she need a full leg splint or below the knee splint.
Customer: replied 8 months ago.
I tock the broken splint of her and put one below the knee.

That came through nicely. Thank you

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
she can have some comfort tonight. As she wasn't doing well with broken one.

We should not have to do a whole leg splint, just the lower leg below the elbow ( you may be calling it the knee) this wil keep the lower leg straight. This will be the important part to keep straight for while the nerve heals. I would also discuss with your veterinarian about an NSAID called Flunixin meglumine or if there is a different one that is used more in Ireland, this will likely need to be done for some weeks, to take the swelling down around the nerve

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
This has been a great amount of help. I'm sending photo of the new splint. She seems to be able to sit and get up with this one. Is it OK if she is dragging this lower leg until medication starts working. Yes elbow. This has been great. Thank you. It has been a long journey with this sheep trying to get her back to health.

I am happy to help you here. I am from a ranch in the Dakotas, I used to raise sheep also many years. I will be happy to assist you with any future questions about your animals also.
Mike McIntyre,
Category: Vet
Satisfied Customers: 8295
Experience: Veterinarian at Sioux Nation Pet Clinic
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Great. Thank you.

Please let me know how things turn out for your little one. For future questions here you can request for them to be sent for Doctor Mike, I will be happy to help. Have a wonderful evening and best of success.

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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Hello. I brought the sheep (Clemintine) to the vet. He just gave her one injection. I showed him your suggestion and asked if i could buy a bottle of the NSAI but he said she would only need one injection and any more could cause damage (ulcers). She seems to be getting worse than better. He seems to think she will improve over time but I not so optimistic. Do all animal NSAI have to be bought from vets. Very limited to vets in the town near me. I have gone to 2 of them does not seem they will give me the NSAI. The sheep seems to have only gotten worse with each visit to them. She was not happy to travel to the vet and I was thinking perhaps falling around in the trailer on the journey. Could this be why she is worse today.
Hello. Sorry to hear this. Many times we have to do many doses of the nsaid for many days. Going for 3-5 days in my experience has not caused ulcers. In USA we sell it by the bottle to ckients. Do you have any ag stores or online pharmacies you can look at in Ireland?
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Will check out these options. I thought only vets could sell medicines. Also just saw her chewing cud alot there. could this be the listeria returning. She is still eating. Thanks for the help.
Chewing the cud is very good
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Very nice picture. Thank you for sharing
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You will have to check you rules in Ireland of it can be sold elsewhere. No clinic will give you a bottle? Here in USA we sell it by the bottle so the farmer can use as needed.
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What is going with the leg now? How is the appetite ?
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Now she cannot get up herself. The bad side is way worse. She is 90% worse. Not really able to walk. She is a mostly mountain sheep(mayo mule) who are fussy eaters the best of time. Being a task to get her to eat the whole time she has been ill but she is not too bad for her. I'm thinking a brain condition is coming back. Thanks for all the help. Pity you are not our local vet.
How are the eyes looking ? Are they different sized pupils ? When did you last have the brain infection and what were you treated with. ?
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We are not pregnant now? Or is she?
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
Just checked her pupils they are the same. She had ccn I'd say 3weeks ago. She had b vitamin injections for a few days. She first had the miningitis/listeria then she was cured and went with the flock and ram. But she went down a week after returning to flock.
Do you have vitamin B complex to give her again ? We sell it by the bottle in USA also
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What did you treat the listeria with.?
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Did you use oxytetracycline for an extended time ? Do you have any on the place you could start back on?
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Customer: replied 8 months ago.
It might have been Engemycin 10% dd. Will try to get my hands on these two products I'd say it would be Monday before any chance of getting a vet that's cooperative. Thanks for the help. I was thinking she was getting the infection back. Hope she lasts till Monday.
Do you have any antibiotics on the farm now.
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This weekend do all that possible to keep us eating and drinking well and to move her so that we do not get too much pressure sores or nerve issues
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