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Sheep metritis
Metritis is the infection of the uterus following lambing. After giving birth, the uterus contains blood, debris and a still open cervix: it is an ideal breeding ground for microbes, which rise from the outside. In sheep, this infection is...
What is it?
Metritis is the infection of the uterus following lambing. After giving birth, the uterus contains blood, debris and a still open cervix: it is an ideal breeding ground for microbes, which rise from the outside.
In sheep, this infection is almost always the consequence of something: a difficult lambing, an operation with dirty hands, a placenta left in place, a dead lamb left in the uterus, an abortion.
It is formidable for two reasons. First, the ewe can develop a generalized infection and die within a few days. Then, even when she survives, she does not produce milk: her lambs die of starvation or remain stunted, and the problem shifts to them.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Abnormal vulvar discharge in the days following lambing: abundant, reddish or grayish brown, liquid, and especially foul-smelling. It is the smell that most certainly alerts you.
Fever, often high in acute forms.
Slaughtered sheep, which stays away, no longer ruminates, refuses the concentrate then the fodder.
Udder that does not fill and lambs that bleat, become weak and seek to suckle other sheep. Often, it is the condition of the lambs that attracts attention before that of the mother.
Dehydration, animal digging, pricked hair.
In severe forms: lying sheep that no longer gets up, rapid breathing, cold extremities, shock.
In the discreet and prolonged form: small gray or whitish discharge which persists for weeks, sheep apparently normal but which will remain empty the following season.
The tail and hindquarters wool are often soiled and stuck together.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
Microbes present in the litter, on the skin or on the hands rise into a uterus that is still open and damaged by giving birth.
Any abnormal birth predisposes to this: difficult lambing, too large lamb, poor presentation, twins or triplets, dead lamb, premature lambing or abortion.
Manual interventions are the most common and preventable cause: unwashed hands, long nails, lack of gloves, lack of lubricant, repeated and brutal attempts.
A retained placenta that decomposes maintains the infection.
A second lamb remaining in the uterus, dead and undetected, causes extremely serious metritis.
A uterus that contracts poorly, particularly when there is a lack of calcium or in an exhausted ewe, does not empty properly.
A ewe weakened by pregnancy toxemia, a deficiency or parasitism defends itself much less well.
Some abortive diseases are immediately accompanied by metritis.
Difficult or assisted lambing, particularly when several people have intervened successively.
Interventions without gloves, without washing and without lubricant: the most expensive procedure in sheepfolds.
Retained placenta, stillborn lamb, abortion.
Overcrowded sheepfold, damp and dirty bedding, lambing pens never cleaned between two ewes.
Grouped lambings in buildings, in high season, when there is not enough time to clean.
Ewes in poor condition, too thin or too fat, deficient.
Ewes suffering from gestational toxemia or a lack of calcium around parturition.
History of metritis during previous lambing.
Lack of disinfection of birthing aid equipment from one ewe to another.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
A feverish and slaughtered ewe in the week following lambing must be examined without delay: metritis is one of the first causes to consider.
The veterinarian takes the temperature, assesses the general condition, hydration and pain, and examines the discharge.
He checks the genital tract: presence of a tear, a retained placenta, and especially a second lamb left in place, a situation which completely changes the course of action to take.
He examines the udder and assesses whether the lambs have actually suckled, as they are often in danger before the mother.
In abortions or episodes affecting several ewes, he looks for an underlying infectious cause: brucellosis, Q fever, abortive chlamydiosis, toxoplasmosis, salmonellosis. A repeated metritis in a herd is not a coincidence.
Finally, he is interested in lambing conditions: cleanliness of the pens, way in which the interventions are carried out, equipment used. This is often where the lasting solution lies.
Treatment
Treatment is based on an antibiotic prescribed by the veterinarian, often combined with an anti-inflammatory, and on general support: water, palatable food, rehydration in severe cases.
A sheep lying down, dehydrated, in a state of shock requires emergency treatment: every hour counts.
Washing the uterus and introducing various products into the genital tract should be avoided on one's own initiative: if done incorrectly, they aggravate the infection and damage the uterus. Any intervention in the uterus is a veterinary procedure.
Never pull on a hanging placenta.
The lambs must be taken care of at the same time as the mother: check that they have received colostrum, warm them, and organize adoption or artificial breastfeeding if the ewe does not come in milk. Unrecognized metritis often kills more lambs than ewes.
Waiting times for meat and milk should be asked to the veterinarian and strictly respected.
No antibiotic should be given without a prescription, nor repeated from a previous treatment: failures mainly come from poorly chosen treatments or stopped too early.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Everything comes down to lambing time, and especially when we decide to intervene.
Only intervene if it is necessary, and then: short nails, hands and arms washed with soap, single-use search gloves, plenty of lubricant, gentle and gentle movements.
If birth does not progress despite proper assistance, call the veterinarian instead of starting again: repeated attempts are what damage the uterus the most.
Do not let several people intervene successively on the same sheep.
Disinfect the equipment between two sheep, never reuse a glove.
Prepare individual lambing pens, cleaned and re-mulched between two ewes, dry and protected from drafts.
De-densify the sheepfold during the lambing period.
Take care of the diet during the last third of gestation: a ewe in good condition, neither thin nor too fat, with correct mineral intake, expels better and defends itself better.
Monitor each ewe in the days following lambing: temperature, appetite, flow, and especially condition of the lambs.
Note ewes with metritis: they are more at risk at the next lambing.
If metritis increases in the herd, look for the common cause with the veterinarian rather than treating it on a case-by-case basis.
Possible complications
Widespread infection and death of the ewe, sometimes within a few days.
Mortality of lambs due to lack of milk, while the ewe survives.
Chronic inflammation of the uterus, with infertility and empty ewe in the following campaign.
Adhesions and permanent lesions of the genital system, requiring reform.
Long-lasting weight loss and poor recovery.
Frequent association with retained placenta and gestational toxaemia, each problem aggravating the other.
When to see a veterinarian
A smelly discharge appears after lambing: this is the sign that should always be called.
The ewe has a fever, no longer eats, no longer ruminates or stays away in the days following giving birth.
She does not come in milk and her lambs bleat, weaken or try to suckle other ewes.
She is lying down and does not get up: emergency, call immediately.
A lambing was difficult or required several interventions: have the ewe checked even if it seems fine.
A placenta has not been delivered.
Not sure if a second lamb came out.
Several sheep develop metritis in the same countryside: we must look for a common cause.
Prognosis
Metritis treated quickly, in a ewe that is still in good condition, generally heals well.
Severe forms, with lying sheep or generalized infection, have a guarded prognosis even when treated.
Future fertility depends on the depth of the lesions: some ewes will never resume pregnancy and will have to be culled.
Lambs are the big losers from this disease: their survival depends on how quickly a breastfeeding alternative is put in place.
At the flock level, the prognosis is excellent when the hygiene of lambing procedures is corrected: this is the most profitable lever there is.
Frequently asked questions
Is discharge after lambing always abnormal?
No. A moderate discharge, reddish then clear, without bad odor, is part of the return to normal in the days following giving birth. What is never normal is a putrid smell, a heavy, dirty discharge, or a sheep that has a fever and no appetite.
Can I do a uterine wash myself?
No. Washes and products introduced into the genital tract, when done incorrectly, push microbes further and damage the uterus. Any intervention inside the uterus is a veterinary procedure, like the decision of what to put there or not.
My ewe is treated but its lambs are wasting away, what should I do?
It is common: an affected ewe does not come in milk, and the lambs die of starvation while their mother is treated. We must provide them with colostrum and then a source of milk without delay, through adoption or artificial breastfeeding. Treating the sheep without taking care of the lambs often means losing them.
How can I avoid metritis in my herd?
When working on the moment of lambing: only intervene if necessary, with washed hands, single-use gloves and lubricant, without relentlessness, and call the veterinarian rather than starting again ten times. Add clean, re-mulched pens between two ewes, and the frequency of metritis drops.
References
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 11 August 2026
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