Pregnancy toxemia in sheep and goats is also known as pregnancy disease, lambing sickness and twin-lamb/kid disease.
The principal cause of pregnancy toxemia is low blood sugar (glucose).
Onset of the disease is often triggered by one of several types of stress including nutritional or inclement weather.
The disease is most prevalent in ewes and does carrying two or more lambs or kids. The disease also affects ewes and does that are extremely fat or excessively thin.
The best preventive measure is increased feeding of high energy concentrates and grains during the last month of pregnancy.