Penny has been acting weird for a couple of days. She was being clingy, staying by the gate, yelling at me for attention instead of grazing with the rest of the herd. I thought she might be in heat. Then, yesterday she didn’t seem to have much appetite, just stood by the water tub, sipping water. Today she seemed depressed, her ears were cool (usually means a sub-normal temperature) and her lower jaw seemed a bit swollen. Texted Sissy to come and take a look at her.

Sissy thinks she is developing bottle jaw. Bottle jaw is caused by intestinal worms. Barber pole worms cause anemia (which would explain the sub-normal temperature) and fluid retention under the jaw. Severe cases can even cause death. Sissy gave her a dose of de-wormer, vitamin injections, and pro-biotics. Hopefully Penny will be feeling better soon.

I’m no sheep expert. I don’t always know what might be ailing them, but I usually can tell when there is something wrong. When Luna got listeriosis I knew I right away because I had seen it before in our ram last year. I have seen bottle jaw before. Bandit had it a few years ago, but her jaw was much, much more swollen and she never seemed to lose her appetite. I feel bad for my poor girl. I hate when they aren’t feeling good.