Post by mewz on Dec 5, 2015 22:13:50 GMT -5
One of our alpacas, Nancy, (not named after me) is a terrible mother. She has had two cria die without warning, and now she has a third, Katya, born on 11/17. Everything seemed to be going fine: momma very attentive, cria feeding, all looked well. We've been watching carefully and today DH noticed that Katya was alone and shivering outside the barn and momma was nowhere near. He went to get a coat to put on her and found that her eyes were glued shut with goo. He brought her inside to me.
She looked half dead, with ice and poo caked on her legs. She would not suckle from the bottle and I have no feeding tube. I stuck my finger in her mouth to check her temp and her tongue was all cold. When lambs have cold mouths they usually die. I washed her eyes with warm water and gave her a bath with epsom salts to quickly increase her body temp and get some magnesium into her. After I dried her up she was willing to feed and I managed to get about 3 cups of a mixture of cow's colostrum, milk and blackstrap molasses over a couple hours.
I didn't know what to do about her eyes. She did not fight an extremely diluted solution of povidone-iodine. I have some cyclosporine for my dog's eyes so I have dosed her twice with that in about 8 hours. She can open her eyes now, and she is more alert and wandering around. Our dogs are doing their best to cuddle her and clean up after her. They know the routine from when we bring lambs in the house in the dead of winter. (Yummm, baby poop!)
We have been blessed with great mommas and healthy crias for years. Nancy is the only alpaca we've had that hasn't been an amazing mother. Her first cria died within hours of birth. Her second was healthy and normal for about a month before he showed any signs of trouble and then he perished. Since she gave birth to this one we have been watching them like a hawk. All seemed well. Nancy was very attentive, but over time seemed more interested in food and less interested in her baby. We've never seen her reject her baby, but she seemed to be less interested in finding her baby among the herd when they became separated. Katya, like any other of the babies, enjoys socializing with the other species: chasing chickens and dogs, teasing the other alpacas, cuddling the sheep and challenging the Almighty, omnipresent cow.
This evening, although she is alert and wandering about, she is scouring and avoiding her bottle. She will suckle the corner of the table, the corners of junk mail, and my finger, but refuses the bottle of cow's milk and molasses.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
She looked half dead, with ice and poo caked on her legs. She would not suckle from the bottle and I have no feeding tube. I stuck my finger in her mouth to check her temp and her tongue was all cold. When lambs have cold mouths they usually die. I washed her eyes with warm water and gave her a bath with epsom salts to quickly increase her body temp and get some magnesium into her. After I dried her up she was willing to feed and I managed to get about 3 cups of a mixture of cow's colostrum, milk and blackstrap molasses over a couple hours.
I didn't know what to do about her eyes. She did not fight an extremely diluted solution of povidone-iodine. I have some cyclosporine for my dog's eyes so I have dosed her twice with that in about 8 hours. She can open her eyes now, and she is more alert and wandering around. Our dogs are doing their best to cuddle her and clean up after her. They know the routine from when we bring lambs in the house in the dead of winter. (Yummm, baby poop!)
We have been blessed with great mommas and healthy crias for years. Nancy is the only alpaca we've had that hasn't been an amazing mother. Her first cria died within hours of birth. Her second was healthy and normal for about a month before he showed any signs of trouble and then he perished. Since she gave birth to this one we have been watching them like a hawk. All seemed well. Nancy was very attentive, but over time seemed more interested in food and less interested in her baby. We've never seen her reject her baby, but she seemed to be less interested in finding her baby among the herd when they became separated. Katya, like any other of the babies, enjoys socializing with the other species: chasing chickens and dogs, teasing the other alpacas, cuddling the sheep and challenging the Almighty, omnipresent cow.
This evening, although she is alert and wandering about, she is scouring and avoiding her bottle. She will suckle the corner of the table, the corners of junk mail, and my finger, but refuses the bottle of cow's milk and molasses.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Same features.
Glad there is improvement. 
First day (maybe 2) they'll only swallow what is dribbled in their mouth - usually by the 2nd day, they're hungry enough to start working the nipple a bit and by the 3rd day, they'll suckle - though you'll still have to insert the nipple for a few more days. Make sure temp of milk is 98 - 100 degrees, and feed small (3 oz or so) every 3 hours. Once she's taking the bottle well you can increase the amount to 6-7 oz 4 times a day.
