Pregnancy toxaemia
Also called Twin-lamb disease, ketosis of ewes and does
The most common metabolic disease of pregnant sheep and goats. In the last weeks of pregnancy the animal cannot meet the energy needs of her lambs or kids, her blood sugar falls, ketones rise, and she can go down and die.
Cause and spread
- Cause
- Too little energy in late pregnancy, worst in animals carrying twins or triplets, in thin or overfat animals and after a sudden stress or feed shortage.
- How it spreads
- It is not infectious. It develops mostly 1 to 3 weeks before lambing or kidding.
Signs to watch for
- Loss of appetite, especially for grain, and spending more time lying down
- Dullness, aimless walking, muscle twitching and tremors
- Grinding teeth, blindness and staggering
- Lying flat, then coma and death over 2 to 4 days
- Starting before day 140 of pregnancy usually means more severe disease
Many diseases look alike. Only a laboratory test can tell them apart, so please see a veterinarian for any sick animal.
How it is diagnosed
Suspected from signs in late pregnancy. Laboratory tests show high blood ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate, BHB), often low blood sugar and sometimes low calcium. BHB is the more reliable result, because glucose can be normal or even high in some affected animals.
Prevention and control
- Do not let ewes or does enter the last 6 weeks of pregnancy too thin
- Feed a balanced ration in late pregnancy, with grain as an energy source, introduced gradually
- Group animals by body condition and number of lambs or kids, with enough feeder space
- Avoid sudden changes in feed, handling or transport in late pregnancy
Where this information comes from
- Pregnancy Toxemia in Sheep and Goats · Merck Veterinary Manual
General information for animal owners and veterinarians, last checked October 2026. It does not replace the advice of your veterinarian, who should decide which tests and treatment your animal needs.