36. Pregnancy Toxaemia (“Sleepy Sickness”) in pregnant ewes

Our latest sheep-themed podcast covers a topic that can challenge our pregnant ewes when they have a belly-full of lambs in late pregnancy. Pregnancy toxaemia is a metabolic disease of ewes caused by underfeeding and/or stress when ewes, often those carrying twins or triplets, reach the final stages of late pregnancy. The podcast covers off what pregnancy toxaemia is (and how and why it occurs), clinical signs you might see in affected ewes, then finishes up with an overview of approaches to treating ewes with pregnancy toxaemia.

*NOTE: This podcast contains information about pregnancy toxaemia in ewes, however podcast content is NOT intended to substitute advice and recommendations from your own veterinarian about the health and wellbeing of your ewes*

Content of our latest podcast:

1.30: An introduction to the current episode

3.50: What is pregnancy toxaemia in ewes?

7.50: Do we know the incidence of pregnancy toxaemia in New Zealand ewes?

9.50: The two ‘syndromes’ of pregnancy toxaemia in New Zealand ewes

12.10: Why is pregnancy toxaemia more likely to occur in twin and triplet bearing ewes?

14.10: What signs should we look out for if we suspect pregnancy toxaemia in ewes?

21.10: Impacts of pregnancy toxaemia on as yet unborn lambs, and ewe colostrum and milk production

22.00: How pregnancy toxaemia impacts a ewes immune response (ability to ‘fight off’ infections and internal parasites)

24.25: Basic approaches to treating ewes with pregnancy toxaemia (these suggestions are NOT intended to replace the advice and recommendations from your own veterinarian)