New Baby reindeer to my herd

Lilac, it's her pellets that I am trying to feed him. I brought a sack of hers so as not to upset his tummy but he didn't even want those pellets, guessing her big castrates may have not let him feed? He wouldn't take any pellets, his or mine until yesterday..
Storm, still trying for milk feed although Elsa is less impressed now.

 

Thanks for the update on Frodo! Beautiful pictures of your very healthy and happy mamas and babies.

 

So glad to hear about Frodo starting to eat pellets (no matter how he gets them! Lol!) We knew you could do it!!
Storm...just like a guy - 'always looking for a free meal'!!jkg.

Your reindeer look beautiful, Karen. Thank you for sharing their lovely pictures.

 

Love the charming photos! Very glad to hear Frodo is eating more!

 

Great pictures! I am glad Frodo is starting to eat a little! I guess it will be "baby steps" with him,
but at some point he will get the "Whole" thing going! Fingers crossed waiting for vet results!

 

Me too Sand, so many things on hold till vet results back...
Even silly things - I need to transefer him into "Rutland" (somehow) as soon as I know there are no further meds to give him, & he's non contagious & he can run with some of the herd (reindeer aren't good kept on their own) - once he's in Rutland I won't be able to catch him for several months!
I need the enclosure he's in to easily catch up babies as they need their second inoculations (once broached it only has a 10 hour window) - I can easily catch a baby at feeding time in an open paddock (where they are) but not all, as once one caught others get wary. All babies need ear tagging, again I could do 2 a day but again easier to do all at the same time.
And my BIG today, although I am still waiting for fecal count back from vet I know Tigga still has a tapeworm as I found a segment in her pooh today 17 days after worming with a tapeworm specific drug... so maybe that little B has build up resistance to the wormer. So will need to talk to vet as to whether to redose or if he has an idea of an alternate tapeworm specific - with babies it is a major worry.

As to Frodo, I would love to give you all reassurance but it isn't that simple... He is eating better now but I have only, at best, 2 weeks to get a couple of pounds on him and then he will loose weight throughout the Winter (that is the reindeer metabolism and nothing can change that, whatever he eats). So he will loose weight until, possibly April and to be honest he hasn't got enough to loose..

 

Karen -I don't know how wild reindeer make it? They must die with great frequency without the superb care you give your herd. I hope the tapeworm problem with Tigga is solved. If anyone can pull Frodo through the rut & winter....it is you! Hoping and praying for more pounds on him!

 

Brooke, in the wild there isn't an issue with worms due to the very cold conditions in the arctic winters, worms would not survive as the egg to larva stage takes place outside the body of the host. This is why reindeer are far more susceptible than most livestock as they haven't had generations to build up immunity.
Unfortunately, a lot do die in the wild as predators descend as soon as a reindeer shows signs of ill health. Luckily here in the UK our largest predator is the fox, which is too small to take an adult reindeer but they are known to take lambs - luckily my females would put up a pretty good fight for their calves.. Even I keep a close eye on Twiglet & Elsa when I do the first check on their babies!

 

Sounds like you are doing a big job juggling all the reindeer! Will be keeping good thoughts for all!

 

Frodo is looking even worse now that I am grooming out his old dead coat, his pelvic bones are beyond & how narrow he is across his rear end.

 

Oh dear, he does look a pitiful little thing. Am keeping my fingers crossed that you will be able to save him.

 

So much stress at the moment... current wormers for main herd (a tapeworm specific) hasn't worked - fecal worm counts back and babies still have worm burden for round (no tapeworm showing on counts but I saw segment from Tigga yesterday) so Rycoben is not working.... Usually high stress but they are all well so a couple of days for vet to come up with an alternative I can cope with... Maybe???

First blood and fecals on Frodo (just purchased bull) back also - he had low level of Coccxy and roundworm on fecals (but he had Dectomax 5 days before so would have knocked most on head already). His liver and kidney function were fine but high levels of white cells which would suggest an infection but no raised temperature... I hate using antibiotics unless needed but I will be hitting him with Alymyecin tomorrow as he for one needs everything. I am considering taking him as an in patient to Royal Vetinary College but it will be the cost of a remortage, if I had caused his problems I would have to... Feeling dreadful that I am not sure I can risk any more investment... Still more blood results to come for Frodo..

 

Fingers crossed for you and your extended family!

 

Thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed also. Just remember to take care of yourself as well!

 

Great news, Frodo is now hungry!!!...
To be honest I was starting to panic, as he was a recent import, that he may have CWD... but a local herder who has 45 reindeer also has 4 older animals (not recent imports) in similar state and she doesn't know why... We are working together now to try to find cause as vets haven't been a lot of help...

Freddy, just a minor issue (compared to the rest!), he got a minor infection in broken antler stump a few days ago. I wrapped in an iodine bandage and thought that would sort... Removed today and massive infection underneath . Swamped with iodine bathing, went to fill syringe with antibiotics, but he wouldn't let me get close enough to catch - iodine stings. So tomorrow morning 4mls of antibiotics will be injected into other thigh... he wont talk to me for days as it will be 3 injections in 2 days! Sorry still no pictures and still turning grey!

 

Glad to hear that Frodo is now hungry. Perhaps you and the other herder will soon be able to establish what is causing the problems. Poor Freddy, bet he is calling you a lot of names at the moment and it won't be "lovely mum"! Hope he is soon better.

 

Blessing to Freddy - poor thing just doesn't understand you are doing the best thing for him. Very happy Frodo is showing more appetite!

 

We're all fine... a little busy maybe... Just some happy photo's between the rain storms




Not sure if it is camera angle, wishful thinking or what... I took photos for a fellow reindeer owner to show how poor Frodo's coat is but downloading them, he still looks "poor" but maybe he might be looking sightly better? I don't know, it is so difficult so see any change (good or bad) when you spend a lot of time with them... Just photos compared to 48 hours ago??? Wishful thinking I'm sure.
This is today..

Below was a few days ago.
Am not sure I posted it... I'm thinking he may look a bit better in previous picture (today)

 

Fantastic photo's. Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
I don't know about wishful thinking, but to me Frodo does look a bit "fatter". Whatever you do, keep it up, it's working.
You are our reindeer whisperer, yes!!!

 

Poor guy. I imagine any amount of decent feed and he would put on a few pounds in a couple days. Here's hoping he continues to do so, as you've said you only have a couple weeks to get weight on him that will drop right back off.