Sheep Retained Placenta: Signs, Risks & When a Vet Is Needed
- In ewes, the placenta is usually passed within about 6 hours after lambing. It is generally considered retained if still present after 12-18 hours.
- A retained placenta can sometimes resolve with close monitoring, but the main concern is uterine infection, illness after lambing, and reduced mothering or milk production.
- Call your vet sooner rather than later if there is fever, depression, poor appetite, bad odor, heavy bleeding, severe straining, or concern for abortion-related infection.
- Do not pull hard on hanging membranes at home. Rough traction can tear tissue and increase the risk of bleeding, pain, or uterine damage.
- Typical 2025-2026 US cost range for a farm call exam and basic treatment is about $150-$450, with higher costs if fluids, repeated visits, hospitalization, or emergency care are needed.
Common Causes of Sheep Retained Placenta
A retained placenta means the fetal membranes did not separate and pass normally after lambing. In sheep, this is less common than in cattle, but it does happen. Merck Veterinary Manual notes that the placenta is usually expelled within 6 hours in small ruminants and is considered retained if it has not passed within 12-18 hours.
Common contributors include difficult lambing, low blood calcium, obesity, and nutritional problems such as selenium or vitamin A deficiency. Retained placenta can also follow a C-section. If your ewe aborted, infectious causes become more important, including diseases such as campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, and toxoplasmosis.
That infectious angle matters for two reasons. First, the ewe may be at higher risk for metritis, which is a uterine infection after lambing. Second, some abortion-related infections in sheep are zoonotic, meaning they can infect people. Because of that, any placenta, discharge, bedding, or aborted material should be handled with gloves and good hygiene until your vet advises you otherwise.
Sometimes there is no single obvious cause. A ewe may lamb, seem fairly normal, and still hold onto part or all of the membranes. That is why the ewe's attitude, appetite, temperature, discharge, and lamb nursing behavior matter as much as the appearance of the placenta itself.
When to See the Vet vs. Monitor at Home
If your ewe is bright, eating, caring for her lambs, and the only issue is a small amount of retained membrane within the first several hours after lambing, your vet may recommend careful monitoring. Keep her in a clean, dry area and watch for whether the membranes pass on their own. Mild bloody discharge can be normal right after lambing, but it should not smell rotten or be accompanied by illness.
See your vet the same day if the placenta is still retained beyond 12-18 hours, if a long strip of tissue is hanging from the vulva, or if the ewe had a hard delivery, twins, a C-section, or an abortion. These situations raise the risk of infection and other postpartum problems.
See your vet immediately if your ewe is weak, down, off feed, feverish, breathing hard, not letting lambs nurse, has a foul-smelling brown or red discharge, heavy bleeding, marked belly pain, severe straining, or tissue protruding from the vulva. Those signs can point to metritis, hypocalcemia, uterine prolapse, or another emergency.
Use extra caution if abortion is suspected. Wear gloves, keep children and pregnant people away from the ewe and contaminated bedding, and ask your vet whether the placenta or fetal tissues should be submitted for testing.
What Your Vet Will Do
Your vet will start with a postpartum exam and check your ewe's temperature, hydration, heart rate, appetite, udder, and the character of the vaginal discharge. They will also ask about the lambing, whether there was dystocia, whether all lambs were delivered, and whether abortion or infectious disease is a concern.
Treatment depends on how sick the ewe is and how long the placenta has been retained. Merck notes that systemic treatment to guard against infection and gentle traction on exposed membranes may be used in ewes. Your vet may also address underlying problems such as low calcium, dehydration, pain, or poor uterine tone. In some cases, medications that stimulate uterine contractions may be considered, but that decision depends on timing, the ewe's condition, and your vet's exam.
If metritis is suspected, your vet may recommend antibiotics and supportive care. A sicker ewe may need anti-inflammatory medication, fluids, calcium support, and close follow-up. If there is concern for uterine prolapse, severe toxemia, or another major postpartum complication, emergency treatment becomes more intensive.
Your vet may also advise how to handle and dispose of the placenta safely, especially if abortion disease is possible. On some farms, testing the placenta or fetal tissues helps protect the rest of the flock and guides prevention for future lambing seasons.
Treatment Options
Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.
Budget-Conscious Care
- Farm call or clinic exam
- Temperature check and postpartum assessment
- Guidance for close monitoring at home
- Clean housing and nursing support
- Targeted medication only if your vet feels it is needed
Recommended Standard Treatment
- Complete veterinary exam
- Assessment for metritis, hypocalcemia, and postpartum complications
- Gentle management of exposed membranes if appropriate
- Systemic antibiotics when infection risk is meaningful
- Anti-inflammatory medication and supportive care as indicated
- Follow-up plan for appetite, temperature, discharge, and lamb nursing
Advanced / Critical Care
- Emergency farm visit or referral-level care
- IV or oral fluid support depending on severity
- Calcium or metabolic support if indicated
- Aggressive treatment for metritis, toxemia, or prolapse
- Repeated exams and nursing care
- Diagnostic testing or submission of placenta/fetal tissues when abortion disease is suspected
Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.
Questions to Ask Your Vet About Sheep Retained Placenta
Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.
- Has the placenta been retained long enough that treatment is recommended now?
- Does my ewe show any signs of metritis, low calcium, dehydration, or another postpartum problem?
- Is it safer to monitor, or do you recommend medication or manual assistance today?
- Should I take her temperature at home, and what number means I should call you back right away?
- What discharge is expected after lambing, and what color or odor would worry you?
- Are there food-animal drug withdrawal times I need to follow for milk or meat?
- Do you suspect an infectious abortion cause, and should the placenta or bedding be handled as a zoonotic risk?
- What signs in the lambs would suggest the ewe is too sick to nurse or mother them properly?
Home Care & Comfort Measures
Keep the ewe in a clean, dry, well-bedded pen where you can watch her closely. Make sure she has easy access to fresh water, hay, and her normal ration unless your vet recommends otherwise. Check that the lambs are nursing and that the ewe is willing to stand, mother, and let them feed.
Do not pull hard on the placenta. If membranes are hanging low enough to drag in manure or bedding, call your vet for guidance rather than trimming or tugging aggressively on your own. Rough handling can tear tissue and may make bleeding or infection more likely.
Monitor her temperature, appetite, attitude, and discharge if your vet has shown you how. Worsening odor, fever, depression, reduced milk, or lambs acting hungry are all reasons to call back promptly. If abortion is possible, wear gloves when handling bedding or afterbirth, wash hands well, and keep pregnant people away from contaminated materials.
Home care works best as part of a plan made with your vet. Some ewes stay stable and pass the membranes with time, while others need treatment quickly. Early communication usually gives you more options and helps protect both the ewe and the rest of the flock.