What medication works well to treat pregnancy toxemia in sheep?
Pregnancy toxemia in sheep is a subacute metabolic disease of pregnant ewes, occurring mostly in the last two months of pregnancy and also seen 2 to 3 days before lambing. The disease is characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver, low blood sugar, and the appearance of ketone bodies in the blood and urine.
Symptoms: At the onset of the disease, the sheep shows reduced appetite, listlessness, standing apart from the flock in a daze, restlessness, and an unsteady gait; the mucous membranes are pale, and as the disease progresses, the pupils dilate, vision declines, the visible mucous membranes become jaundiced, and the sheep stares blankly; in severe cases, appetite is completely lost, the sheep has difficulty standing and lies down, the head is tilted to the side, the ears tremble, the eye muscles twitch, the teeth grind, the heartbeat speeds up, breathing becomes difficult, and the sheep dies in a coma.
Prevention. Supplementary feeding: Strengthen supplementary feeding in the late stage of pregnancy, giving each sheep 0.6 to 0.8 kg of concentrate and 1 to 1.5 kg of green hay per day, and reduce the amount of silage fed. At the same time, pay attention to supplementing carrots, salt, and bone meal, adjust the ratio of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, and prohibit feeding moldy, rotten, spoiled, or frozen feed. The feed given should be small in volume and good in quality. Care: Let the ewes exercise appropriately during pregnancy, with slow and steady movements, to prevent crowding, crushing, biting, butting, jumping, hitting, and kicking; do not catch or startle the flock without reason or crack a whip suddenly. Check the pregnant ewes' blood lipids and urine ketones regularly 1 to 2 days before lambing, so as to detect the condition early and treat it promptly.
Treatment. Protect the liver and lower blood ketones: Use oral liquid calcium (Youneng calcium oral liquid), giving the sick sheep 1 bottle each time, 2 times a day. Promote metabolism: Inject Biling injection intramuscularly (0.1 to 0.2 ml per kg of body weight for sheep) or dilute with normal saline (at a ratio of 1:10) and then give it by slow drip infusion. Prevent and treat acidosis: Give the sick sheep a single intravenous injection of 100 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution, once a day, for 3 consecutive days. Prevent secondary infection: Use Hunganbizhi injection (0.1 ml per kg of body weight for sheep) together with Kedubingzhen injection (0.1 ml per kg of body weight for sheep), injecting them intramuscularly separately, for 2 to 3 consecutive days. Strengthen care: Feed green hay, carrots, alfalfa, etc., and administer Duowei Jianwei powder to enhance appetite; let the sick sheep exercise appropriately to promote recovery. If a case has already worsened and endangers the lives of both the ewe and the fetus, in order to keep both safe, a comprehensive examination should be carried out. If the due date has arrived, manual assistance during lambing or a cesarean section may be performed; if the due date has not arrived, the pregnancy should be terminated promptly.