[AlpacaTalk] Leg-Foot-Feet Problem
Hi group -
My farm is experiencing a first here and we, along with the doctors at
Cornell, are presently miffed. They're going to be running some more
tests, including blood work, first thing this morning, but I thought
I'd run this by you all and see if anyone else has experienced this.
Ten days ago one of my males started holding up his front right foot
and not wanting to place any weight on it. Clearly it hurt and he
would hobble over here and there to graze and then cush for awhile
where he would eat all around himself, then get up again and hobble to
his next spot of choice. His appetite stayed stable and he otherwise
appeared happy and healthy.
I looked at his foot and leg very closely and saw nothing obvious
other than some swelling on the outer most pad of that foot. He had
no temperature. I had the vet take a look, too, and he concurred and
prescribed twice per day soaks in epsom salts and warm water, plus
2ccs of banamine. We gave him a shot of banamine that day and decided
to also confine his movement and separate him from the other boys.
He's spent the last ten days or so in his own comfy stall in the
center of the barn, moved to an outer edge stall and sunny paddock
during the days for sunbathing and stretching his legs, etc., and
change of scenery, and then taken back to his central stall at the end
of the day for the evening. His attitude has been good and he's
continued eating, until yesterday.
The day before yesterday, we noticed that while his front right has
seemed almost 100% "back," he was favoring his back left leg/foot now.
We watched him over the course of the day and the next morning
(yesterday) he was worse and really not wanting to even get up. He
would if really asked and urged, but would not fully put any weight on
his back left. He would not eat is grain. I took his temperature and
it was 103.4, so I called Cornell and made an appointment to take him
on in.
They checked him over thoroughly and even had the orthopedic surgeons
department examine him. He will walk when asked to, but with a very
off gate. Imagine slightly favoring the front right foot and heavily
favoring the back left, barely letting that back left inner toe touch
the ground for balance and pulling his hock in and leg up a bit.
Menengial has been ruled out based on his being on a consistent
routine for prevention, plus he's not walking like it's neurological.
An infection of some kind is suspected.
I watched him closely all day and in the stall at Cornell for hours
and while I saw him work his way to the water bucket and drink, and he
has been nibbling on hay, he has not urinated. My mind wanders and I
wonder if there could be some sort of bladder or kidney problem
causing some internal pain that might at least be contributing to his
pulling that back left leg up. When the vets check his range of
motion, they can pull and manipulate his leg every which way and he's
not freaking out or anything. They don't find any dislocation.
Any other ideas? His temp had lowered to 102 something by the time we
were there and being seen by the first doctor. He was lying down when
I left last night, but bright eyed and alert. He does not like to
have his feet right up underneath himself and wants to keep both back
legs/feet out to the side of his body instead (either side...he is not
favoring left or right for this rest position).
Oh, and we've found that three of his four feet are tender on the toe
pads.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post and contribute
your thoughts if you can. I really appreciate it, as I am worried and
have never experienced or heard of anything like this with any other
alpaca in my few short years with them. I just want to get the word
out about it to as many people as possible with hope that someone has
some knowledge about this sort of problem, and can allay my fears or
help provide us with some clear direction.
Wren Owens
Close-Knit Alpacas &
Alpacas in the USA!
Woodhull, NY 14898
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posted by Chaddo at 6:16 AM
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