[Jacob-list] Ewe with hernia

[Neal Grose]

We’ve repaired navel hernias on calves by placing a wad of gauze over the hernia and belting them with vet wrap. It works about as well as surgery if you catch them early.

Neal

From: Sarah Karr 
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 2:16 PM
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Ewe with hernia

I've had 2 ewes with abdominal hernias, mother and daughter. The older ewe was already pretty rickety and the hernia was too large so I had her put down but the younger one I was able to get it to recede without surgery. The vet thought I was completely nuts but what I did was put one of my dog's coats on the ewe (he has a thing called a thunder shirt for his anxiety that fit her really well), pushed the hernia back in carefully, put a plastic coffee can lid over the area and then wrapped it tight with the stickiest vet wrap the vet had. She was already in a lambing jug so I caught her every day for a week or so to make sure the hernia stayed in and the wrap stayed tight (the tape stuck to the coat better than it would her wool). Eventually the tissue healed up or scarred over and she wasn't hurting anymore so I took off her girdle and the hernia has stayed gone since. 

I'm not sure I'll breed her again but she is healthy and happy and hasn't had a relapse. Your ewe's hernia sounds bigger so I'm not sure if this would work at all but it couldn't hurt anything to ask your vet about it.

Sarah
www.rovingacres.com 



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