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D-LACTIC acidosis in young ruminants has been described in calves and goat kids. Schelcher and others (1998) detected D-lactic acid as the cause of a syndrome of high anion gap acidosis in calves without diarrhoea and with no or minimal dehydration. Since then, D-lactic acidosis has been reported commonly in association with neonatal diarrhoea in calves ( Omole and others 2001 , Lorenz 2004 ), and evidence has been provided that it can be triggered by ruminal acidosis due to ruminal drinking ( Gentile and others 2004 ). Recently, floppy kid syndrome (FKS), a high anion gap acidosis without diarrhoea and without dehydration in goat kids, has been identified as D-lactic acidosis ( Bleul and others 2006 ). There have been no previous reports of a similar disease in lambs.
In June 2006, two 14-day-old lambs (one male and one female) were referred to the Clinic for Ruminants of the University of Munich, from a flock of 500 merino sheep with a herd health problem. Lambs were kept with their dams on rotating pasture. The affected lambs appeared somnolent, showed ataxia followed by recumbency, and were anorexic. Three lambs had already died, but no postmortem examinations had been performed. Several other affected lambs recovered spontaneously; the exact number of these could not be determined due to a lack of record keeping. The submitted lambs underwent clinical examination and blood samples were collected from the jugular veins. As well as other parameters that revealed no abnormalities, base deficit and plasma electrolytes (Blood Gas System; 855 Corning), as well as levels of D-lactate, L-lactate, glucose, urea and creatinine, were determined. The anion gap was calculated using the formula: Anion gap = (Na+ + K+ )-(Cl- +HCO3- ).
Lamb 1 was presented comatose and in lateral recumbency, with a heart rate of 116 bpm, a respiratory rate of 36 breaths/minute and severe hypothermia (32·2°C). Lamb 2 was unable to rise on its own and was ataxic when lifted, appeared somnolent and had a weak sucking reflex. Its heart rate, respiratory rate and body...