[Jacob-list] Having trouble with older ewe

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

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>She got both lambs cleaned up and I got her teats stripped of plugs. The 

>first few squirts were really chunky... and her clostrum was VERY thick.

>She drank nearly 1 gallon of warm water with Karo Syrup in it. She was 

>actively caring for them and nursing well.

>About 4pm I notice she seemed wiped out, and listless. I took her temp and 

>it was 104.5.

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I had an 8-year-old ewe with what was diagnosed as peritonitis.  It was a
tearing of the peritoneal (sp?) layer near or around the stomach somewhere
(obviously I am not a vet).  Apparently, one of the lambs hooves might have
caused a rip which became infected over time.  Her condition fits the one
you described.  I worked on that ewe for three days and she got worse.  The
penicillin, banamine, electrolytes, wasn't working.  I finally took her to
WSU Vet Teaching Hospital.  She was there for a week in the ICU.  Luckily
the vet school paid half the bill because it was a student project.  They
gave her interveinous eletrolytes, a fresh cud from a cow to get the rumen
going again.  The antibiotic that worked for this particular problem was
called Excenel.  If you are working with your vet, ask about using that
antibiotic and ask about peritonitis.  It this case, it was a matter of
using the right antibiotic.
My ewe recovered and has had sets of twins since, she's eleven years old
now.  I hope your's recovers.
Cathy
Moscow, Idaho