Vaginal prolapse Vaginal prolapse occurs to a variable extent in about half of all flocks. A ewe afflicted with this condition should be treated without delay. It is important to gently clean up the prolapse before replacing it. Ewes with badly damaged or ruptured prolapses should be humanely destroyed on farm. There are a variety of ways of retaining the prolapse, some more humane than others.
Plastic retainers are commonly available and have greater success when used together with a truss.
Stitching is a more severe method and is best carried out by a veterinary surgeon using epidural anaesthesia. The stitches also frequently become infected and painful making the ewe more likely to strain. Despite treatment, around one in five affected ewes die as a result of complications arising from vaginal prolapse. It is a difficult condition to prevent and attempts to do so by adjusting the level of feeding should take great care not to induce twin lamb disease. Maximum supervision minimum interference during lambing Lambing is a finely tuned natural process.