Saturday 21 March 2009

Lily's progress

Followers of this blog will be aware of two things:
Firstly we have an alpaca called Lily. She is our most favourite alpaca in the whole wide world and we have all had 'magic' moments with her. She is a very special alpaca and we love her a whole lot more than we should.

Secondly Lily had a horrible jaw abscess last year which resulted in three days in an equine hospital whilst it was cut out. Two months after that we had an accident (I take the blame) in which Lily severed a toe in a trailer door. That was on the 31st of January this year.

Since the 'toe incident' Lily has had her toe in a dressing. After all the snow and rain and yucky weather we just couldn't keep her foot dry. Step in 'Uncle Ivan' , a seriously good fellow, who has a herd of alpacas nearby. Ivan was able to put Lily, with a couple of friends, into his barn.
The wound, now dry, healed relatively quickly. The next problem was that Lily was thin and was not putting on weight. Her guts had stopped working because the bacteria had been killed off by the huge doses of antibiotics she had been getting.

We now think that we have restarted Lily's gut's by some transfaunation and by stopping the antibiotics. We think and hope that Lily is on the road to recovery.

Yesterday was a big day because Sue and our good friend Katie took Lil's dressing off for the last time. The toe seems to have healed and Lily can now have some time free from being interfered with.

I went over and saw her today and the toe looks good. Lily still looks thin and we can see that she has been so stressed that her fleece hasn't grown much.

Hopefully she will now begin to regain some condition and will return to the mighty Patou herd.


Lily was the first female Patou cria and as I have said before she is special. I am hopeful that she will make a full recovery. If she doesn't it may affect the whole'Mighty Patou' thing. She really is that important. She is that special.


2 comments:

Zanzibah Alpacas said...

Lily is the foundation stone of the Mighty Patou !...I have full confidence that this special alpaca will stand strong for many years to come..with her legacy etched into the future, and your heart!
Nice to see her enjoying some spring sun, hope the weather stays kind for you.

Zanzibah Alpacas said...

Mark
Bonkers !!!!...indeed...Nice Bonkers.....professional diagnosis !...no doubt, takes one to know one springs to mind !!!!...How very, very, dare you !!......Jayne