Down Sheep or Sheep That Can't Stand: Emergency Causes & First Steps

A sheep may go down because of metabolic disease, neurologic disease, severe pain, infection, or trauma. In late pregnancy, two of the most important emergencies are pregnancy toxemia and hypocalcemia. Cornell notes that heavily pregnant ewes, especially those carrying multiples, can become weak, stop eating, and then become recumbent from low energy or low calcium. Merck also describes late-gestation and early-lactation ewes with hypocalcemia as showing a stiff gait, tremors, ataxia, and progression to recumbency.

Other important causes include hypomagnesemia (grass tetany), polioencephalomalacia, and listeriosis. These problems can cause staggering, tremors, blindness, circling, head pressing, seizures, or collapse. Listeriosis in sheep can progress quickly, and Merck reports that death may occur within 24 to 48 hours after neurologic signs begin. Trauma, fractures, spinal injury, dog attack wounds, and severe lameness or laminitis can also leave a sheep unable or unwilling to rise.

In ewes that recently lambed, think about metritis, retained fetal membranes, mastitis, uterine prolapse, or lambing trauma. Merck describes postpartum metritis in ewes as causing lethargy, reduced appetite, foul discharge, and extended periods of sternal recumbency. Severe infection, dehydration, and toxemia can make a ewe too weak to stand. Any down sheep can also develop secondary muscle and nerve damage from prolonged recumbency, so early veterinary help matters.

See your vet immediately if a sheep cannot stand, repeatedly falls, seems mentally dull, has a swollen belly, labored breathing, seizures, blindness, head tilt, circling, a cold body, pale gums, heavy parasite burden, or signs of recent lambing trouble. The same is true for any pregnant ewe in late gestation that is off feed, isolating, grinding teeth, or reluctant to rise. These patterns can fit pregnancy toxemia, hypocalcemia, listeriosis, or another fast-moving emergency.

There are very few true “monitor at home” situations when a sheep is fully down. If the sheep stood up again quickly after a brief slip, is bright, eating, walking normally, and has no neurologic signs or pregnancy history, you can watch closely while arranging a prompt exam. But if the sheep stays recumbent for more than a short period, cannot bear weight, or seems worse over hours instead of better, home monitoring is not enough.

While waiting for your vet, keep the sheep in a quiet, dry, well-bedded area, ideally separated from the flock but within sight of a companion. Position the sheep upright on the chest, not flat on the side, to reduce bloat and breathing problems. Turn the sheep every few hours if it cannot reposition itself. Do not force oral drenches into a sheep that may not be swallowing safely.

Your vet will start with a history and physical exam. Important details include whether the sheep is pregnant or recently lambed, how long it has been down, whether it is eating, whether there are twins or triplets expected, recent feed changes, access to lush pasture or silage, and whether there was any trauma or dog chase. The exam often focuses on temperature, heart rate, hydration, rumen fill, bloat, udder and uterus, limb pain, neurologic signs, and whether the sheep can swallow safely.

Diagnostics may include blood glucose, ketones, calcium, magnesium, packed cell volume/total solids, fecal testing, ultrasound for pregnancy or uterine problems, and sometimes neurologic assessment or response-to-treatment testing. In sheep, some emergencies are treated based on the most likely cause while tests are being gathered, because waiting can reduce the chance of recovery.

Treatment depends on the cause. Your vet may give IV or SQ calcium, dextrose or propylene glycol support, thiamine, magnesium, fluids, anti-inflammatory medication, or antimicrobials when infection is suspected. If the ewe is in late pregnancy and pregnancy toxemia is severe, treatment may also include decisions about inducing lambing or performing a C-section. If trauma or prolonged recumbency is involved, your vet may address pain control, splinting, lifting support, and nursing care to reduce muscle and nerve injury.

Home care for a down sheep is supportive care while your vet is involved, not a substitute for treatment. Keep the sheep in deep, dry bedding under shelter, away from mud, cold rain, and flock pressure. If possible, keep the sheep sternal with the legs tucked naturally, because lying flat on the side can worsen bloat and breathing. Turn the sheep regularly if it cannot move on its own, and check for pressure sores, urine scald, and cold ears or limbs.

Offer fresh water and easy access to hay only if the sheep is alert and swallowing normally. Do not drench a sheep with a weak swallow, head tilt, severe depression, or seizures. If lambs are present, ask your vet whether they should nurse, be bottle-fed, or be separated temporarily. In postpartum ewes, watch for a hot painful udder, foul discharge, or failure to mother the lambs.

Keep notes for your vet: when the sheep last stood, ate, drank, urinated, passed manure, lambed, or was seen normal. Also note any circling, blindness, tremors, bloating, or limb swelling. If your vet prescribes treatment for home use, follow the plan exactly and ask when the sheep should be rechecked if it is still down later the same day or the next morning.