New Baby reindeer to my herd

Lol yes, it is more than time that big boy went to see the "stone remover"! Good luck with that!

 

I am not sure I shared but if I did, then please forgive.
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Poor Bilbo is feeling very sorry for himself, he has an abscess on his backside!
He became very lame, I scrubbed hoof for a deeply embedded thorn, manipulated all toes, joints and long bones but he did not show any discomfort with anything I did... Odd. While I distractedly thought where his pain was I was plucking bits of muck from around his tail and low and behold I burst an abscess. He's on antibiotics, pain killer/anti inflammatory, pus is squeezed out daily and washed o…
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Abscess now thankfully resolved but it laid on a nerve, so he is still very lame and has even more swelling on his hock, due him not being able to use his leg. He has now had all Metacam (anti inflammatory/pain killer) that can safely be given without causing stomach ulcers or liver damage. I am giving him until Monday to re evaluate and if no improvement then maybe steroids but reindeer aren't great with drugs... So hoping that now the abscess is resolved he can maybe now fight?? We'll see, not a life threatening issue but drugs sometimes can be in reindeer.

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Poor Bilbo, I hope that he soon makes a full recovery.

 

Wow, poor Bilbo, hopefully with the abscess now gone the antibiotics can do their job and he will feel better real soon!

 

Get well soon @BoHoKaren .. i hope it gets better soon

 

BTW I had to pen him up, as even the small female calf was beating him up when lame. The healthy animals can be so and so's when one is disabled. They seriously pick on the weak.

 

I am sure Bilbo will get his own back on them when he is better.

 

ROTFL!

 

Bilbo update and please don't laugh! Copied an posted from elsewhere..
"Don't laugh, please. I thought I was too old for extreme sports but Bilbo disagrees.
He is still under daily treatments for his abscess and still confined in a 24x12' shelter. Injections and have puss expelled, very painful for the poor boy. We are getting on top of that abscess but oh boy as soon as he sees me he bounces off the walls at 300 mph. VERY difficult to catch him but have hurdles within his shelter as a tactic for catching him up. Last couple of days when I try to confine him in them he leaps over the top but not today he ducked between my legs and came up under me. OMG I was riding a reindeer at warp speed, rather scary without a means of steering!
If anyone had been there videoing, I am sure that video would have been worth thousands!!!

 

OMG Karen it was all very serious till I got to the "riding the reindeer at warp speed" part and I burst out laughing as I have a vivid imagination and could just picture it in my mind! Hoping both you and Bilbo survived your attempt at rodeo riding!

 

He was fine, he didn't even seem to worry about my weight on his back at all despite only a youngster (and at warp speed) but once my brain started to kick into gear, I extended my toes to the ground and he could keep running - I just landed in a heap in the straw! I too am laughing my bits off BUT 48 hours on I will have to catch him up for next Ultrapen injection and must say I am not looking forward to it!

 

"Bronco Karen rides again" Sorry, I too have a vivid imagination and had to laugh.

 

Oh Bilbo..! you little naughty Please bring us good news about her @BoHoKaren

 

Lol Karen, I hope you have a "Plan B" for the next time you have to give Bilbo his medicine! I am glad you ended your ride in a pile of
straw! Good luck and stay safe!

 

Maybe next time tell Bilbo "Warp Factor 2" instead of "Warp Factor 8"? At least then you might manage to stay on him.

Thanks for the story! I giggled my way through it.

 

I wish I could have seen that ride!

 

Bilbo all fixed now - abscess dried up and healed. Even managed to catch him up twice more for his continued course of antibiotics without incident (barring a few bruises) but he hates me still - reindeer have a long memory.
Wet through in picture though.

Update on my "bad boy" Gandalf. I finally decided I could no longer cope with him during his ruts - he's lovely when his hormones are normal but dangerous from Sept- Dec so I had him castrated on Thursday. I had a specialist deer vet out (2 hour journey for him) as reindeer can be rather a worry during anaesthetics and I also got said vet to draw bloods on the girls to check their mineral levels to ensure optimum colostrum for the babies arriving soon.
Here is Gandalf feeling sorry for himself as he recovered from his op.

 

Hi Karen, sooo glad Bilbo's infection is now cleared up, that is such great news! I know he will become your best friend soon, lol after he forgets all the meds you had to give him! Gandalf does look kind of pitiful just lying there feeling sorry for himself (he is a man after all) sorry to any men who might read this lol. But the good news is he will now be safe to be around, and you and the other girls don't have to fear for your lives! Thanks for the pics and updates!

 

I'm so glad your boys(reindeer) are so well taken care of. Bilbo and Gandalf will be healthier and happier in the long run. Not to mention your safety. I've been so impressed, over the years, how brave you've been taking such great care of your herd.

 

So pleased to hear that Bilbo is now better. I bet Gandalf is calling you a few choice names at the moment, but I am sure he will forgive you later.