Sally.....

[David V.]

I was out counting llamas on Saturday. One was missing. I found
her laying in one of their sand pits. She could not get up, was
breathing shallow and rapid, butt was really hot, and head back
as if in a spitting position. I'd move her head/neck to a lower
position and it would go right back up. When I opened her eye, it
stayed dilated.

It was late so we made her as comfortable as possible, watered
down her head, neck, butt, and belly. She drank from the hose.
But there was no change the next morning.

I started calling vets and other llama people. All the horse
vets, except for one over an hour away, were at a big horse event
about 6 hours away. I had no choice. I couldn't let her suffer
any more, so I called the neighbor and he came over with his deer
rifle.

[Susan Gawarecki]

Hi David,

So sorry to hear about Sally. She was the one you wanted to breed, do I
recall correctly?

It might have been heat stress, but the head back position is typically
indicative of a neurological disease/disorder. I doubt that you could
have saved her anyway from what I know of down llamas with those issues.
You did the right thing, hard as it was.

Susan G

I was out counting llamas on Saturday. One was missing. I found her
laying in one of their sand pits. She could not get up, was breathing
shallow and rapid, butt was really hot, and head back as if in a
spitting position. I'd move her head/neck to a lower position and it
would go right back up. When I opened her eye, it stayed dilated.
It was late so we made her as comfortable as possible, watered down her
head, neck, butt, and belly. She drank from the hose. But there was no
change the next morning.
I started calling vets and other llama people. All the horse vets,
except for one over an hour away, were at a big horse event about 6
hours away. I had no choice. I couldn't let her suffer any more, so I
called the neighbor and he came over with his deer rifle.

[David V.]

Hi, I did want to breed her, and my two other females, but
they're too old and haven't had been pregnant for many years.
It's probably best not to breed them now.

I figured that the head back position was due to some
neurological damage from the heat stroke. Now I notice that one
of the herd is not making pellets, but just one big pile. Not
loose, just not pellets. I'm also going to get out the microscope
and do some fecal floats just to make sure.

Things will be quiet around here without "Wrong Way Sally." She
was always very vocal when fighting with the other females. Lots
of orgling. She got her name because when she was little she had
a tick bite on her face and got a bit of tic paralysis. Her right
ear stayed still and the right side of her face didn't work all
that well. She had a great personality and loved to come up and
greet strangers.

As one of my favorite authors always said; "so it goes."

Post by Susan Gawarecki
Hi David,
So sorry to hear about Sally. She was the one you wanted to
breed, do I recall correctly?
It might have been heat stress, but the head back position is
typically indicative of a neurological disease/disorder. I
doubt that you could have saved her anyway from what I know
of down llamas with those issues. You did the right thing,
hard as it was.

[Susan Gawarecki]

Hi David,

There's no reason not to try to breed your girls. They might be more
difficult to get pregnant, but most llamas can carry, deliver, and nurse
babies into their late teens.

Sally sounds like she was quite a character.

Susan

Post by David V.
Hi, I did want to breed her, and my two other females, but
they're too old and haven't had been pregnant for many years.
It's probably best not to breed them now.
I figured that the head back position was due to some
neurological damage from the heat stroke. Now I notice that one
of the herd is not making pellets, but just one big pile. Not
loose, just not pellets. I'm also going to get out the microscope
and do some fecal floats just to make sure.
Things will be quiet around here without "Wrong Way Sally." She
was always very vocal when fighting with the other females. Lots
of orgling. She got her name because when she was little she had
a tick bite on her face and got a bit of tic paralysis. Her right
ear stayed still and the right side of her face didn't work all
that well. She had a great personality and loved to come up and
greet strangers.
As one of my favorite authors always said; "so it goes."

[David V.]

Post by Susan Gawarecki
Hi David,
There's no reason not to try to breed your girls. They might
be more difficult to get pregnant, but most llamas can carry,
deliver, and nurse babies into their late teens.
Sally sounds like she was quite a character.

She was a character.

Part of my breeding problem is that there aren't any decent studs
in my area. They're either too woolly or not the right
conformation for packing.... although some think that super tall
and super thin makes a better packer. I think the kind the Inca
developed over thousands of years is the best. That and the fact
that the two remaining girls have not been pregnant for a long time.

[Randy]

Real sorry to hear this but you did the right thing.
Every time we've seen a llama in that postion and the neck contorted
like
that has died slowly.

[David V.]

Real sorry to hear this but you did the right thing. Every
time we've seen a llama in that postion and the neck contorted
like that has died slowly.

I knew she wasn't going to recover if she didn't improve
overnight. I had sheared here a few months ago to keep her cool
this summer. We have had more humidity than usual.

[enigma]

Post by Susan Gawarecki
It might have been heat stress, but the head back position is
typically indicative of a neurological disease/disorder. I doubt
that you could have saved her anyway from what I know of down
llamas with those issues.
You did the right thing, hard as it was.

it could be a seed in her ear/ear infection as well. Perl presented
with the same sort of head back thing (especially after she went down),
but she was still up & wobbly.
still, once they're down it's a LOT of work to get them standing
again. i think you did the right thing for her.
my condolences.
lee

[s***@gmail.com]

Post by David V.
I was out counting llamas on Saturday. One was missing. I found
her laying in one of their sand pits. She could not get up, was
breathing shallow and rapid, butt was really hot, and head back
as if in a spitting position. I'd move her head/neck to a lower
position and it would go right back up. When I opened her eye, it
stayed dilated.
It was late so we made her as comfortable as possible, watered
down her head, neck, butt, and belly. She drank from the hose.
But there was no change the next morning.
I started calling vets and other llama people. All the horse
vets, except for one over an hour away, were at a big horse event
about 6 hours away. I had no choice. I couldn't let her suffer
any more, so I called the neighbor and he came over with his deer
rifle.
--
Dave
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is
putting on its shoes."
Mark Twain

I am so sorry about Sally. Sometimes the right thing is hard to do.
Susan R