After months of waiting we got the long awaited email from Andres, our vet, to say our local authorities were in fact ready to blood test our alpacas. We had spent months cuddling them, to get them used to being handled, and even holding Alans electric razor to their ear's, as they would have small areas shaved, so they would not be afraid of that... daft or what! However I think it worked. We were as prepared as we could be, although we thought it maybe a few hours for Andres to be with us as he was aso giving the dogs their annual jabs too.... yikes!
Right the plan was the girls first, in order of the easiest, so hopefully Bermuda being third and last of the girls, would not be too nervous. They had their blood test for brucellosis first, which was very simple, Andres managed to get the vein immediately in all bar one of the alpacas, which can be extremely difficult, and then another patch shaven to do a TB test. The thickness of the skin was measured followed by an injection, which then needed the reaction to be remeasured again 72 hours later, in simple terms. (If I have not explained any of this correctly please feel free to comment, so I can correct myself) So the girls were as good as gold, we then had to bring the hurdles up to the boys, for their turn.
All the boys were stars apart from Rafa who has always been nervous when it comes to injections. He will be first to explore a new area of paddock, or first to come and say hello to the dogs, or any visitors, but an injection is a different kettle of fish altogether. After trying a couple of times, and him jumping about like a demented kangaroo, we decided to leave him until last. We made a much smaller pen for him and after a few attempts, and he did get a little stressed bless him, Andres managed to get the blood needed. Two minutes later the boys were outside, and all including the big baby Rafa were chomping on some lovely alfafa, none the worse for their ordeal!
Now for our other 4 legged friends, the dogs! I remember last time we seperated the dogs, in preperaion for their injections The three little ones in the small courtyard, and left Arthur and Blue, the big mastines out in the big courtyard, but it was like the battering of the doors in a Jurrassic Park film, and Andres was muttering "Madre Mia!" So this time we just let the dogs all run in together. Of course they were all very excited. They are to see any visitors and Andres's green vetinary wear did not put them off in the slightest. The needle was so very thin, Blue, Carlos, Geri, even very skinny little Miliko never flinched, as it went into the loose skin betwen their shoulder blades. However as Andres was preparing the injections, (in one of the photos below) Arthur suddenly had a slight panic attack. He went from having a nice cuddle with Alan, to running full charge down towads the apartment we live in, and hid in a corner :( What a big wuss! We tried everything we could to entice him out, and after a while he sloped up, feeling rather nervous towards me. Andres made a leap for it, and managed to get the needle almost in, a split second later, Alan leapt into action and managed to get it in a tiny bit, but Arthur threw himself on the floor, rather resembling a crocodile roll. The needle came out and was bent. There was no way we were going to get that injection into him, at that time. Luckily for us Andres left us with another, which Alan gave him perfectly the following morning, whilst Arthur was eating his breakfast, and guess what, he ever felt a thing. What a big baby haha!
Me and my big lovable wuss, Arthur
Right the plan was the girls first, in order of the easiest, so hopefully Bermuda being third and last of the girls, would not be too nervous. They had their blood test for brucellosis first, which was very simple, Andres managed to get the vein immediately in all bar one of the alpacas, which can be extremely difficult, and then another patch shaven to do a TB test. The thickness of the skin was measured followed by an injection, which then needed the reaction to be remeasured again 72 hours later, in simple terms. (If I have not explained any of this correctly please feel free to comment, so I can correct myself) So the girls were as good as gold, we then had to bring the hurdles up to the boys, for their turn.
All the boys were stars apart from Rafa who has always been nervous when it comes to injections. He will be first to explore a new area of paddock, or first to come and say hello to the dogs, or any visitors, but an injection is a different kettle of fish altogether. After trying a couple of times, and him jumping about like a demented kangaroo, we decided to leave him until last. We made a much smaller pen for him and after a few attempts, and he did get a little stressed bless him, Andres managed to get the blood needed. Two minutes later the boys were outside, and all including the big baby Rafa were chomping on some lovely alfafa, none the worse for their ordeal!
Now for our other 4 legged friends, the dogs! I remember last time we seperated the dogs, in preperaion for their injections The three little ones in the small courtyard, and left Arthur and Blue, the big mastines out in the big courtyard, but it was like the battering of the doors in a Jurrassic Park film, and Andres was muttering "Madre Mia!" So this time we just let the dogs all run in together. Of course they were all very excited. They are to see any visitors and Andres's green vetinary wear did not put them off in the slightest. The needle was so very thin, Blue, Carlos, Geri, even very skinny little Miliko never flinched, as it went into the loose skin betwen their shoulder blades. However as Andres was preparing the injections, (in one of the photos below) Arthur suddenly had a slight panic attack. He went from having a nice cuddle with Alan, to running full charge down towads the apartment we live in, and hid in a corner :( What a big wuss! We tried everything we could to entice him out, and after a while he sloped up, feeling rather nervous towards me. Andres made a leap for it, and managed to get the needle almost in, a split second later, Alan leapt into action and managed to get it in a tiny bit, but Arthur threw himself on the floor, rather resembling a crocodile roll. The needle came out and was bent. There was no way we were going to get that injection into him, at that time. Luckily for us Andres left us with another, which Alan gave him perfectly the following morning, whilst Arthur was eating his breakfast, and guess what, he ever felt a thing. What a big baby haha!
Me and my big lovable wuss, Arthur
Andres getting the injections ready, before Arthur does a runner!
