Monday, April 5, 2010

Caring for a Downed Doe



I didn't go out to Easter parties as planned, today.  I stayed home caring for a sick doe.  Athena, a Spanish Kiko/Boer Alpine cross was down yesterday.  The day before, she was normal and browsing with her herd mates.  I brought her back to the ranch from the South Area to do grass maintenance. 

The next day, which was Saturday, I found her laying down, not wanting to get up.  Her temperature and fecal samples were normal.  Then I noticed that her right hind leg was swollen a bit.  I already knew what had happened.   Athena was stung by a centipede.  Yesterday...she was paralyzed only at her hind legs. 

Today, after I came back from Easter Service, I noticed that she was paralyzed from the neck down.  I was praying and hoping that she would fight out of it.  I gave her dewormer and antibiotics.  They didn't help.  She was star gazing early this evening.  She still had a strong appetite and drinking lots of water.  But she couldn't move from the neck down.  I've been checking on her every hour, making sure she's comfortable.  I pray she makes it through the night. 

These were the same symptoms that killed my large buck, Gadao, last year.  About the same time too.
 

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