Any sheep farmers/vets out there?

[Karigan195]

Just been left in an untenable situation where there was nobody else around so I had no choice but to help a sheep stuck lambing.

I only held the head end, wore rubber gloves, have striped and washed my outer clothes (down to bra and knickers) and used steriliser all over my hands and any part that went near the sheep.

It should be ok shouldn’t it?

Please don’t answer this if it’s just to tell me about nhs recommendations as I know about them hence every precaution I could think of.

Hi I've had to do similar when pregnant and all was fine. It's very unlikely that sheep in this country have infections dangerous to us in the first place, and even less likely we will catch them through gloves. So don't worry!

I’ve been googling like crazy and apparently the risks are low (and lower since I now stink of Miltons) so going to try to stop worrying. I really wanted to refuse to help but there was literally nobody else and i couldn’t leave her in pain.

I’m sure it will be fine. You could ask your GP for a blood test to find out definitively if you have toxoplasmosis antibodies and are therefore immune to put your mind at rest. It is a routine test at booking-in in many parts of Europe.

Thank you both. I’m having my blood tests Monday anyway so might see if I can get them to add that one.

Well done @Karigan195
I'd have done the same tbh.

You are probably already immune to it - my GP said that anyone who has spent a lifetime with animals has probably already been exposed. So as I have grown up bed sharing with cats, eating lunch while sat on muck heaps for warmth (this was a favourite occupation in my childhood) and generally covered in farm dirt this is pretty likely. I imagine this might be the same for you.

It sound like your precautions were more than adequate. Obviously you will worry - but I am sure it's fine, really, and I am the world's biggest worrier.

@Karigan195, you took all sensible precautions, you’ll be fine. I had to do something similar when pregnant with DD.

Just made sure I was well togged up and disinfected well afterwards. And as someone said above, you could well be immune to toxo already. I’ve never had the test done as have been told that although toxo is the main risk there are other infections carried by sheep that can cause harm (although much, much rarer and contracting toxo is very unlikely anyway) so I never wanted to lure myself into a false sense of security IYSWIM.

We blood tested a random selection of sheep late last year before putting the tup in and it showed that some of them had been infected with toxo in the past (they’re now immune as a result) so ours unfortunately do/have carried it in the past. We now jab all shearlings going into the flock for it as a preventative measure. Sorry off on a tangent but im sure you’ll be fine OP!

I did used to help with the lambing when I was a kid so hopefully immune!

Thank you

Ps Megan, anybody who was around horses in winter surely used the warm up on the muck heap technique. My favourite was the yard that had a slow smoulder fire under it 😂😂

I was on my own today and thought one of mine was starting but she went back to eating after I had a bit of a while sitting and watching. I really need to stay out of the shed I think!

Managed to speak to my midwife now. I’m told it should all be fine.