New Baby reindeer to my herd

Managed to bathe by myself this morning but this afternoon there wasn't a chance of catching her. Quite happy until I came within her personal space and she was off like a light. Still one bathing session missed shouldn't be too bad as the antibiotics will be kicking in, it's open and appears to be no new pus just the "core" at the base of wound.... I'll get her in the morning as I only put out a bit of food so that she's hungry in morning.

 

Thank you Karen. It is good to hear Mischa is getting better.

 

Thanks for the update on Mischa.

 

Sorry folks... again no photos, it's been a manic day and although I could have found time, just didn't think until now and it's dark!
Mischa's abscess keeps trying to heal over with pus inside (which isn't good), so needs bathing regularly to remove the hardened pus scab and flush out the core underneath but it is getting smaller daily...

Boris' necessary treatment - I have never had antler infection before, so reached out to reindeer owners in Alaska.

Girls don't get this problem as they strip out velvet pretty quickly but castrates can, as they chip little bits off, allowing flies to settle (tg I didn't get maggots but flies spread infection). Advice was to band off blood flow to antler brow tine and strip his velvet for him on infected parts before infection really takes a hold in bone.. A big/ and messy job as a lot of his "old" velvet had adhered to bone but I have exposed the pockets of infection and hopefully it won't spread deeper into bone of antler -atm only peas sized pockets exposed.
While doing this I had a call from the top restaurant in UK to appear in London for a promotion... (I can't cope with London traffic at Christmas, so turned it down) and then this afternoon while retreating Boris and Mischa, ITV (Judge Rinder) want me to find a story they can run with for a Christmas edition.... Whoever said "all publicity is good publicity" doesn't live in my world!
I'll try to take snaps tomorrow... just a bit manic atm!

 

Oh my word what a time you are having! I hope that Mischa and Boris soon get better. Do you think it is because of the weird mild weather we have had recently that the flies are still around to cause these problems. It is nice that people are recognising what wonderful work you do with your beautiful reindeer, even if they don't understand all the hard work it takes!

 

Karen -Boy.... you are very busy!!!! Your herd is so so so lucky to have you as their owner(mum)! Do you have any help these days??? What happened with that lovely gal that came to help you? Maybe some animal husbandry college students that would want credit for an unpaid internship. I'm sure handling reindeer would be a rarity and highly sought after for college students.

 

Oh now that's a thought... The lovely lady that helped the other day popped round to see how Boris and Mischa were but I had finished treating and she says that she's always on call when I need but I am treating twice a day so don't want to take liberties but she's there when I really need her which is what counts!

Mischa's abscess looks dreadful but it is in fact a lot better as it needs to be bathed "open". It crusts over between bathing but with pus behind - the depth of wound is decreasing at each bathing but it will be a while until I can let it scab over - not sure if she'll make her Christmas bookings. Boris looks like a butchers shop but the stripping of his brow antler (for him) has completely got rid of any infection - or so it seems so far. Looks dreadful, doesn't hurt and what he should have done anyway - he just needs to the rest himself!
Pictures of my 2 wounded soldiers are not good quality (thank you Lilac for letting me host them in a FB message).


And a nice picture. Had to juggle head collars as Lexi was growing out of hers (have 50 but couldn't find one that would fit properly, so she has Katya's and Katya has a new foal head collar)

 

I am very happy to hear that all your hard work is paying off. You can add Reindeer Doc to your resume.

 

More than happy to help via FB. So pleased to hear that your 2 wounded soldiers are improving. Just tell Boris to stop mucking about and get on with the job of stripping his velvet! Love the pictures of Katya and Lexi, are you saying that Lexi has a big head lol!

 

Hope everything settles down soon! Sounds like you have little time to even eat or sleep.

 

This is really bizarre... Baby Storm too has developed an abscess in exactly the same position as Mischa... I have put a "shout out" on Worldwide Reindeer page to see if anyone has a clue, so far not, BUT it is way too much of a coincidence.
I was putting Mischa's down to a blackthorn but not 2 in the same place??? If it isn't a health issue, maybe it is honorary Elsa aiming for the head with her antlers??? I just don't know but next year, to be on the safe side, I may remove Elsa's antler once she strips her velvet and before she becomes hormonal...

Mischa when hers first burst... Coincidence or what???

 

Bless his little heart. If it is Elsa and her antlers she should learn to keep them to herself!

 

Hmmm something is NOT right! Poor Storm and Mischa that abscess does look like it would hurt! Poor babies! If it was Elsa it is strange that she would get them both in the same area as they are of two different heights! Maybe the Reindeer community will have some other answer!

 

Yes... bizarre! Now on top of everything else, you have to do a daily head exam on all of them?!??
If Elsa is the only unscathed baby, you have your culprit. Has anyone in the Reindeer community seen this from antler strikes?

 

Reindeer are rather prone to abscesses but usually at injection sites. So far reindeer community have all experienced abscesses but the only possible clue to investigate is larva of botfly but I haven't seen sign when cleaning Mischa's wound.

 

You sure are having a lot of firsts in challenges this year. I can picture you standing there shaking your head over this one.
Oh, wait... that would be me. I Hope you are having better luck with the fairy kitties.

 

I too suspect Elsa. You have seen her bullying the others. Who knows how much you don't see. I think removing antlers is a good precaution. Either that, or separate her from the others (which I know you don't want to do).

 

Someone else on reindeer site suggested CLA (pseudo tuberculosis), I had never heard of it and if so I have a real problem but US reindeer vet shouted them down - I so hope said vet is correct that it is unlikely but the abscess site sure seems possible having now looked it up... Putting this back in my vets hands tomorrow now that we have 2 the same, I am hoping he'll take it more seriously!

 

I hope that your vet will take it more seriously as well, but I also hope that the US reindeer vet is right and that it is not a serious problem. Keeping my fingers and toes (and everything else) crossed that things will be OK. Am a little uncertain if it is Belle or Storm that now has the abscess, as on your FB page someone said they thought it was Belle. Whoever it is I hope that they and Mischa soon get better and that there is not a major problem.

 

Lilac it's Storm that left me (for Aberdeen) a week before Mischa'a abscess erupted, so even more odd as no cross contamination...

Please Mods if I am not allowed to share, please delete..

A petition has started in UK to ban balloons and Chinese lantern releases as they can cause death to livestock...

But my herds followers please sign up.....before it's deleted!!
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/200251 Thank you, means a lot.