So… just five days after having our dear Rodney (goat) put to sleep, we had to have the vet out again yesterday for Madison (llama). We believe he may have contracted Bluetongue back in May 2024. We aren’t allowed to vaccinate against this without DEFRA approval and that wasn’t given until almost four months later. Not only that, but because vets don’t stock a drug they aren’t allowed to use, there was a massive rush for available stocks and it was another six weeks before our wonderful vet was finally able to come out.
Madison survived, but was left with severe breathing problems. I hated seeing him like that, but I kept telling myself that as long as he didn’t lose weight or condition, then all was well. Then, I began noticing subtle changes towards the end of this summer. He was standing more, rather than settling down to chew the cud, like his brother. The weight loss began and so we tried to pick him up with two hard feeds a day. There was even a time when I thought we may turn things around, but by the end of October, he was refusing most of the llama pellets, although we could see he was still grazing and eating hay.
Weight continued to fall off him though and it became obvious he wasn’t going to make it through the winter and so yesterday, we called our vet to do what we felt was the right thing. I feel numb. Just 18 months ago, we had two healthy llamas and four boisterous goats and now we have lost half of them. The two remaining goats will spend winter in the shelter and yard, but thankfully, Baxter is still grazing in the field, although he has been more vocal this morning. I’m sure he misses his brother.
Above is a photograph I took not long after the goats arrived here. Happy times…
