I'm sorry to have kept you all wondering how Mistral is doing. It was an exhausting mother's day weekend caring for her, while trying to get Sheep Shares out the door.
Since Saturday night I've been seriously concerned and I've held off on posting, hoping for positive signs to report. And there is some good news – her temp. is down from 105 on Friday (normal for a lamb is 101). But her front leg is still swollen, very sore and so she hobbles around on three legs and also has trouble finding a way to comfortably lie down.
The weekend weather was cold and windy, so she spent most the time in the house with her surrogate sister, Georgia for company. We made the kitchen into a sheep pen,with everything two lambs could need: hay, water and grain pans. They loved watching me work, napping under my desk. Though the two of them pitched a royal fit when I went to bed. The only way to get some rest was to keep them where they really wanted to be . . . And silly me, thinking they'd be content to sleep on the floor.
Our little pajama party gave me a chance to compare behavior of a sick lamb and healthy lamb side by side. Georgia had no trouble hopping on or off my rather tall bed, but Mistral needed a lift and then settled down very quickly at the foot of the bed. Georgia investigated the pillows, my reading glasses, the crochet edge of the bed cover and the t.v. remote before finally settling down. Mistral was curling back her upper lip and grinding her teeth in her sleep. Sheep are incredibly stoic. Teeth grinding and odd grimaces are a few of the only signs of pain they will show.
In speaking to my vet over the weekend, he said the response to the antibiotic treatment would be slow, since the joints are a difficult part of the body to treat. His prognosis is guarded. We're doing our best to support her while her body tries to fight. She's been a good sport about her injections and still has a sharp appetite.
We've made a pen for her in the milk room of the barn. It's big enough to share with Georgia and Garamond and the room is heated. And I actually think she's resting a bit more since she can't see me all the time (all she wants to do it follow me around when she's indoors). When I fed them at ten this evening, saw her butt Garamond in the head when he tried to steal her bottle. That's my girl.
So things are a little better, though I wish I could paint a more encouraging picture. Thanks so much for your concern and good thoughts. I've let her know she has lots of people pulling for her. She's everyone's sweetheart and it's hard seeing her in discomfort. Will keep you posted as the week goes on and thanks again for checking in.
