Clinical examination of neonatal lambs

Background : All veterinary surgeons undertaking clinical work with small ruminants should be confident and competent at performing a detailed clinical examination of the individual animal. Small ruminant work often happens in the spring and during the periparturient period; therefore, practitioners must be familiar with the specific considerations for neonatal lamb clinical examination. This includes the ability to take a thorough history and to interpret any deviations from the norm on examination that may warrant further investigation. Aim of the article : This article builds on the author's article in the September 2025 issue of In Practice discussing the clinical examination of adult sheep. This article focuses on the clinical examination of neonatal lambs, highlighting important differences and considerations.