My sheep is limping – What should I do?

There can be many reasons why a sheep starts limping, but the first step is always to assess the situation. In this article, I will focus on how to evaluate a lame sheep. To do this, you first need to catch the sheep. This is one of the main reasons why halter training using positive reinforcement is so important. If your sheep has a painful leg, you want catching her to be as easy and stress-free as possible. If your first problem is how to catch a sheep without causing additional pain or injury, you can watch my mini online course, where I demonstrate how to catch a sheep without causing fear or stress while reinforcing calm handling.

Once you have caught your sheep, it is time to begin the assessment. First, look for any obvious wounds or areas of swelling. The source of pain may be in the hoof, somewhere along the leg, or even higher up underneath the wool. Pain in the back or hip can also cause lameness. If the cause is not immediately obvious, the entire sheep should be examined.

Hoof problems that cause lameness

Hoof problems are one of the most common causes of lameness in sheep. Lift the hoof and examine whether the hoof horn is intact and whether there are any visible wounds. Also spread the claws apart and inspect the interdigital space. Sometimes the cause of lameness is something as simple as a small stone or a splinter lodged between the claws. A sheep may also have stepped on a sharp object, and even if nothing remains stuck in the hoof, it may have caused a puncture wound or a bruise.

Sheep generally do not enjoy having their hooves squeezed, so if a sheep has not been trained for handling, pulling its leg away tells you very little. However, if your sheep has been trained – for example, if it has learned the skills taught in my Sheep Training Online Course -you can gently apply pressure to different areas of the hoof while examining it and observe when the sheep reacts. This may help you locate the source of pain even when there are no visible external injuries.

Overgrown hooves

Overgrown hooves—that is, hooves that have not been trimmed for too long—can by themselves cause pain when the sheep walks. Long hooves alter the alignment of the joints and may contribute to the development of arthritis. They also begin to fold underneath the sole, creating an ideal pocket between the hoof wall and the sole where bacteria and fungi can thrive. As these infections progress, they can lead to a variety of painful hoof conditions.

If the hooves are overgrown, trim them first so you can properly assess the condition of the hoof. It is surprising how overgrown many owners allow their sheep’s hooves to become while still considering them normal. Neglected hooves can also cause heat and swelling around the pastern as the joints react to continuous unbalanced movement.

Possible causes of lameness in different parts of the leg

The source of pain can be anywhere in the limb: the pastern, knee, elbow, or shoulder area. Carefully feel the entire leg with your hands and compare it to the opposite leg. Does one leg feel warmer than the other? Is there any swelling?

A tendon may have been strained if the sheep stepped into a hole, for example. Acute heat and swelling should be treated with cold therapy, either by cooling with cold water or by applying a cold pack. If your sheep has previously been trained to allow its legs to be handled, treatment becomes much easier.

Teppo is halter trained using positive reinforcement and catching him is quick and easy. This was the first time we wrapped anything around his leg. As you can see he is held only with cratching.

Wounds

If your sheep has a visible wound, first assess how heavily it is bleeding. Significant bleeding should be controlled immediately by applying a pressure bandage before continuing your examination. However, the location of the wound is often more important than its size. Some wounds can be cleaned and managed at home, while others always require veterinary treatment.

Wounds that require sutures should always be treated by a veterinarian. It is also important to remember that even a very small wound that appears insignificant at first glance can be serious if it is located in the wrong place. Wounds involving or penetrating a joint, or those located very close to a joint, should always be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible, as joint infections can have serious consequences.

If you simply cannot find the cause of the lameness, remember that small wounds can easily be hidden beneath the wool. In long-wool breeds, it may be necessary to clip the wool around the leg to fully examine the skin. Sometimes a tiny hidden wound is all it takes to cause significant lameness.

Also inspect the interdigital gland located just above the hoof, which sheep use to leave scent marks. Does it appear irritated? This gland can become infected if bacteria enter it, causing swelling, tenderness, and lameness. An abscess may also develop within the gland. These abscesses can be difficult to detect from the outside but may cause sudden and severe lameness.

Hoof abscess

A hoof abscess can develop in any part of the hoof. If you suspect an abscess, thoroughly wash the hoof and trim it neatly. This will give you a much better chance of locating the problem.

Many sheep do not initially enjoy having their hooves washed with water, but if you have already practiced basic handling and hoof handling is familiar to them, most sheep will allow you to wash the hoof, especially when it is paired with something they enjoy, such as treats.

Remember that sheep naturally follow food. If you want to treat a leg while the sheep remains still, the reward should stay close to the sheep. In this way, the reward also acts as an “anchor,” encouraging the sheep to remain calmly in place.

If this approach sounds unusual to you, it is because we do not flip our sheep onto their backs, nor do we use a trimming stand. We use a halter, a lead rope, and a designated treatment area with a wall ring where the rope can be safely tied.

Checking between the claws

Inspecting the interdigital space is important because, in addition to foreign objects, infections or hoof rot may also develop there. There is already plenty of information available online about these conditions, so once you have identified the source of the lameness, you can research treatment options specific to that condition.

When should you call a veterinarian?

This article focuses on lameness affecting one leg, where the cause is often a local injury or hoof problem. However, if your sheep appears painful in several legs, has difficulty standing or walking, seems uncoordinated, or loses its balance, the problem may be more serious. Conditions such as laminitis or certain systemic diseases can affect multiple limbs and require prompt veterinary assessment.

It is also a good idea to check your sheep’s body temperature and heart rate. These basic observations can provide valuable information about whether you are dealing with a localized injury or a more generalized illness. A fever, for example, may indicate an infection rather than a simple injury.

If you suspect a fracture, if your sheep refuses to bear any weight on the affected leg, if there is severe swelling, an open wound, heavy bleeding, fever, or signs that the sheep is generally unwell, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. Likewise, if the sheep is lame in more than one leg, has difficulty maintaining its balance, or the lameness does not begin to improve despite appropriate first aid, veterinary examination is recommended.

While waiting for veterinary advice, you can often begin basic first aid by keeping the sheep calm, examining the hoof, cleaning obvious wounds, and cooling areas with acute swelling, provided this can be done without causing additional stress or pain.

Lameness caused by muscle, ligament, or joint injuries

If you cannot find any abnormalities in the hoof or the lower part of the leg, remember that the source of pain may be much higher up. Lameness can originate from the shoulder, upper forelimb, hip, or upper hind limb. Don’t forget to check the underside of the abdomen and between the legs as well! In some cases, the pain may even originate from the muscles rather than the joints or bones. A muscle strain or soft tissue injury can cause significant lameness without leaving any obvious external signs.

This is where a process of elimination becomes useful. If you cannot find a problem in the hoof or lower limb, carefully palpate the structures higher up the leg and observe how your sheep responds. Compare both sides of the body, feel for swelling, heat, or increased muscle tension, and watch for a pain response while gently examining different areas. Even when you cannot see an injury, your sheep’s reaction may help you identify where the pain is coming from.

This is also one of the reasons why I prefer to examine sheep while they are standing rather than turning them onto their backs. If you do not yet know what is causing the lameness, you also do not know which movements may be painful. Turning a sheep over could place a torn ligament, a muscle injury, or another serious injury into an even more painful position and potentially make the injury worse. Examining the sheep in a natural standing position allows you to assess the limb while minimizing unnecessary discomfort.

How can you prevent lameness?

Regular leg inspections, keeping the environment clean, and trimming hooves often enough are excellent places to start. These simple practices go a long way toward preventing problems.

How can you make future treatments easier? Teach your sheep trust-based, fear-free handling before problems arise. Then, if your sheep ever needs treatment, the process will be much easier for both of you.

I would be happy to help you through my online course and by providing personal guidance in my private Facebook group. Welcome!

You may also want to read this article about laminitis in sheep.

Sheep laminitis: sympoms, treatment and how training can help