Clever Use of the "Five Observations" Method to Identify Sheep Diseases
Posture
Healthy sheep generally compete for feed, walk at an even pace, and respond quickly; sick sheep respond slowly, stop eating and stand still or lie down. Some diseases also present special postures, such as tetanus, which manifests as stiff limbs; sheep suffering from coenurosis (brain tapeworm cysts) show neurological symptoms such as circling.
Body condition
Generally, when suffering from chronic infectious diseases and parasitic diseases, sheep are mostly thin and weak.
Coat and skin
Healthy sheep have a smooth coat that does not shed easily and has a glossy sheen; sick sheep have a rough, dull coat that is brittle and sheds easily, especially when sarcoptic mange occurs, with hair loss and scabbing, and even wounds.
Visible mucous membranes
In healthy sheep, the visible mucous membranes such as the conjunctiva, nasal cavity, oral cavity, vagina, and anus are pink, moist, and smooth. If the mucous membranes become pale, it is a sign of anemia; if the mucous membranes are flushed, it is mostly due to elevated body temperature caused by febrile diseases; if the mucous membranes turn yellow, it indicates increased bilirubin in the blood, blockage of the hepatobiliary ducts, or hemolytic anemia, etc.; if sheep suffer from piroplasmosis, fascioliasis hepatica, etc., the visible mucous membranes all show varying degrees of yellow staining; when the visible mucous membranes become cyanotic, it is seen in respiratory difficulty diseases, toxic diseases, and the critical stage of certain diseases.
Feeding and rumination
Complete refusal to eat or drink indicates a serious condition; if the sheep eats but dares not chew, the oral cavity and teeth should be examined. Healthy sheep have a moist muzzle, and rumination begins half an hour after feeding, with each rumination session lasting about half an hour, and 6 to 8 rumination sessions per day and night. A dry muzzle and reduced or stopped rumination are mostly due to high fever and severe inflammation of the forestomach and true stomach-intestinal tract.