[AlpacaTalk] Odd injury
Two mornings ago I saw a long slash on one of my alpaca's neck. Upon
investigation I was horrified to see how extremely deep it is. I
cleaned with warm soapy water to which I added grapefruit seed extract;
then sprayed with saline solution and then liberally applied goldenseal.
Discovered my baby's diaper makes a perfect neck bandage (held on with
duct tape!). So have been doing this 2x day since and it looks to be
healing up ok without infection - fingers tightly crossed.
But I have been extremely puzzled by what could have caused such a
serious injury. It is at the base of his neck; across the top and down
one side. It is a neat slice like a knife would make. It is extremely
deep - barely bled at all. By the time I saw it it was already too late
for stitches - which it definitely should have had. Yesterday upon more
relaxed examination I discovered this is not his only cut. He has a
smaller one right next to the large deep one which is more of a deep
scrape, but still like a slash. And 2 shorter, but almost as deep
slashes higher up on the opposite side of the neck.
I have examined the pasture - no blood anywhere, no hair or blood on the
fence wire where there are some sharp points, but none that would make
such a severe cut. At first I was thinking he got caught under
something and hurt himself trying to get uncaught. But I can think of
nothing that could have caused this.
The only 2 possible clues I have to go on - one of our 7 loud large
ducks that also live in that pasture also has disappeared - no evidence
of a massacre anywhere, but the duck is just totally gone. Whenever I
have had a predator get after my chickens there has been ample evidence
left behind.
The only other clue is that my young stud male, who is smaller than this
gelding, had some faint bloody smears on the underside of his neck that
morning as well. I hosed him off and saw he was not injured at all.
These 2 occ mix it up, but nothing serious. They will do what I call
the "neck dance" and it looks as if this male had his neck rubbing up
against the gelding's wounded neck area, perhaps when the wound was
fresh and bleeding a bit more than it was when I discovered it.
We've never had any serious predators around here, tho there have been
the occasional fox, bobcat, coyote, and bear sightings around here over
the years.
The more I think about it the more worried I am becoming about the
predator possibility. I have put the ducks in an enclosed pen the past
2 nights and left on all the lights (the alpaca pasture is close to the
house) at night. I couldn't sleep last night for going out to check on
my pacas so many times. Yet, seems to me, any predator that would have
gotten on the top of my boy's neck to make such a deep slashing wound
with teeth surely would have finished off the job??
This boy is my very curious (personality plus) paca. I am picturing
some predator going after the duck and Snowball going to check out what
all the commotion was about. The others would not have even bothered to
get up, but this boy would have definitely gone to see what was going on.
Any ideas?
Thanks! Janice
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posted by Chaddo at 6:30 AM
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