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Sedgeberrow, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Breeding and Selling Quaility Huacaya & Suri Alpacas.

Sunday 8 January 2012

Worried and Feel Helpless!

I feel really helpless at the moment! have done what I can!

We have a poorly cria, not quite sure whats going on.  Noticed him first thing yesterday morning sat in the middle of the field on his own while all the others had moved on up to the top paddock.  I know occasionally we may have  one not notice the herd move on as they are obviously sleeping happily.

So I watched from the window for 20 minutes and he still didn't move, he was sat up and his head moved every so often so I knew he wasn't dead!!  I decided to walk up the field and check him, when I got a couple of feet away he did see me and jumped up, then walked off to join the rest of the herd.

I stood by the fence to just watch, he went over to the water trough and had quite a long drink then wandered off and sat back down!!  It was early morning and a few of the cria were sat around so I though I would keep just my eye on him, but I did have that deep worry feeling in my tummy.

I watched from the window, and he sat a lot longer that the other cria, and when he did eventually get up he went back to the water trough, seemed to drink again for quite a while and then sat back down again!  This was his routine for the rest of the morning.

I felt very uncomfortable about this and called them all down to the barn to feed, he did come down but was at the back of the herd.  I checked him over, his condition seem fine, took him temperature and it was 39.1 (a little high but not horrendous) I then checked mum and she had loads of milk (probably a bit too much giving me the impression he had not fed for some time) this not necessarily being a major problem as he will be 6 months next week and not a small cria.

The girls enjoyed their extra meal and then went back out into the field, after going to the water trough yet again!! he followed the herd to the top and then promptly sat down again.  After half an hour I couldn't bear it no more so phoned the vets.

Typrical I phoned half hour after they had closed for the day!! so got put through to the out of hours vets.  The vet phoned me back and after a quick chat arranged to meet me at the surgery.  So I popped in the back of the car and off we went.

The vet check him, his temperature was fine and all he could find was that his stomachs were working a bit faster than normal, so he said we would treat with pro-kolin and he would also give him antibiotics just in case their was an underlying infection he was fighting.

So why is his stomachs working faster?  he said he could have eaten something that didn't agree with him.  But I can't think of anything he would have eaten different, and they haven't changed fields for about a month! The only thing that we have done different is worming and AD&E injections last weekend, was it the worming? everyone seems perfectly ok!

He is doing the same this morning, he seems quite bright and strong, but how long can he go on like this?  this is a new one on me!  have I done what I can? I still feel helpless


4 comments:

Judi said...

Do hope your cria is ok. You've seen the vet, he's been wormed, had his ADE, is taking on fluids and whilst sitting longer, he is moving about. If he were mine this is what I'd do. I'd give him a bit of probiotic yogart as this will help ensure that his stomach flora are ok. If his mum has lots of milk...she's not so full that he can't get it? Maybe milk a bit off for him and see how he responds to being offered it. I know just how you're feeling...we can just tell when things aren't right.

Caroline said...

Aaah, poor thing. I hope he feels better soon.
I will send him healing energy. x

Rosemary said...

Oh, I am so sorry - hope things have improved by now.
I am sure you have already thought of it - but what about a dose of baycox? (Greeves was a bit like that and we found he had coccidia) - I wish I had got a feacal sample done for Axle before he died - might not have saved him but you always wonder.
Every best wish

Lucy said...

Hope he is better soon. I always supect emac in cases of being 'off'. I would get a fecal done and consider baycox if you have a history of emac or know your herd lives with it.