More drama: This time Cocoa Bean!

Post date: Mar 17, 2017 6:56:11 PM

We noticed on Wednesday, March 15th that our oldest llama, 15 year old Cocoa Bean, was struggling to stand during the morning feeding time. We continued to watch him the rest of the day and Thursday as well. He seemed to be moving slowly and we were thinking it may be partly because of the bone-chilling, mid-March temperatures that were happening as well as his age.

Early Friday morning, March 17th he was NOT in the barn at morning feeding time which caused concern! He was immediately located just outside the barn door cast on his left side and struggling to breathe. It was apparent that he had been there all night and had regurgitated some recently digested hay while still lying completely on his side. We sat him up and he began to breathe easier, but still struggling and breathing through his mouth. Seems to be he is regurgitating something up & down his esophagus like he has something stuck. He could not stand.

It began to rain and he was already shivering, so I constructed a shelter over him with a tarp. Also applied a blanket to keep him warm.

UTCVM was called and they arrived around 11:00am. He was assessed and administered vitamins A, D & B; Fenbendazole & Ivermectin (wormers); Banamine (for pain); & Excede (antibiotic). He had blood drawn for analysis back at the UT Vet lab. The Vet team intubated him to makes sure his esophagus wasn't blocked. Not really sure why he seems to be bringing something up & down his esophagus. He was eager to eat once he could breathe better, so nothing stuck there. The UT vet staff carted him into the barn and there he wanted to try to stand. He did stand and walk around for a short while eating and drinking, still moving about slowly. Later afternoon check and he's back in a cush position and not wanting to get up unassisted. Could just be stubborn, or really weak.

No diagnosis yet, but possibly an infection that is causing weakness? aspiration pneumonia? Results to follow.

Monday, March 20 - The UT Vet called back and said the tests didn't reveal anything major and that they had already given him any treatments that they thought he might need. Possible diagnosis of esophagus issue could be a tumor or Megaesophagus (although the latter is normally a dog issue). Call her back on Friday to discuss any further options. She said he'd rally or he won't; llamas will give up if they don't want to get better. We assisted him to stand and he walked around for a long while before he cushed back near his food dish.

Tuesday, March 21 - This morning Cocoa was cushed but eager for breakfast. A couple hours later I found him cast on his left side, gasping for breath and obviously had thrown up again. I righted him into a cush and he started breathing a bit easier. Still something rising up & down his esophagus like he's got something stuck there. He did eat as soon as he got his breath back. Could NOT get him to stand on Tuesday, even with our help.

Wednesday, March 22 - I can tell he's been trying to stand up on his own as he had scooted into a different spot on the stall floor, smoothing the straw out behind him as he went. I could not coax him to get up though. Eating and drinking okay. Seems content. I just left him to sit all day.

Thursday, March 23 - Happy to see me this morning to give him food & water. He was still cushed when I went to check on him again in 1.5 hours. This time when I tried to help him up, he got up! Wobbly, at first, but then immediately walked out the barn door into his small paddock we have fenced in for him! We'll see how this goes. Cocoa did not seem to want to even try to cush all day. It's like his joints are so stiff & sore. I never did see him sitting down at all.

Friday, March 24 - Cocoa Bean was stuck on his left side when I went out to the barn around 7:30 am. I think he is in pain when he gets up and gets down, causing him to fall onto the ground when he tries to cush. (just my thoughts). I set him up and he didn't want to eat breakfast. He had throw-up on the left side of his face and mucus coming out of his right nostril. I left him to cush and regain his breath. He is not doing the esophagus shuffle anymore.

The Vet called about 10:15am to check up on him. I told her how he was acting. She prescribed some Meloxicam for him and I drove to the UTCVM to pick that up. I dosed him, let him sit another hour, and then helped him stand up. He can almost get himself up, but I helped hold his back end up while he brings up his front legs. He did eat breakfast finally. I did not see him sitting at all on Friday.

Saturday, March 25 - Cocoa Bean is still standing up! I gave him breakfast & he ate a bit. He seems to be drinking a LOT of water. I wonder if the meds are making him thirsty? He's very wobbly and it's like his hip joints are sore or inflamed. I never saw him cush all day today either. He finished his breakfast & ate lots of the hay he has available. I even saw him nibbling on some grass.

Sunday, March 26 - Cocoa was on his side when I went out this morning. I helped him sit up and left him to even out his breathing before feeding him. After church I gave him his Meloxicam and then helped him up. He walked to his breakfast and eat it all up. He seemed to be standing the rest of the day.

Monday, March 27 - Cocoa Bean was sitting down when I went out to give him breakfast, but not on his side. He couldn't reach his breakfast, but I just left it in front of him to encourage him to get up. After swimming he was still sitting there, so I helped him up. He ate and then walked outside. Later we noticed he was sitting outside. He sat there all day. In the evening when it began to rain, we helped him up and into the barn for the night. We shut his stall door so he wouldn't wander back into the rain again.

Tuesday, March 28 - He was still standing when I went out in the morning. I fed him and opened the stall door so he could venture outside. Two hours later when I checked on him he was lying on his side just outside his barn door. I think he must have slipped on the wet grass. His head was facing down a slight decline. I helped him to sit up and he was breathing okay, so must have just been down a little while. He sat there in the barn doorway most of the day. Late afternoon when I went to check on him he was STANDING UP grazing contentedly in his paddock! That is a first for him since this all began! I think maybe he could get up from the location he was sitting at because it was on a slight decline.

Wednesday, March 29 - Cocoa was still standing up this morning. I don't think he sat down at all yesterday or last night. Ate & drank normally. I dosed him with 60mg of Meloxicam. Seems to be feeling better.

Thursday, March 30 - Cocoa was sitting down this morning when I went to check on him. I gave him grain and hay (in the proper locations) and filled his water. I left him sitting there to see if the motivation of food just out of reach was an incentive to get up. Not so. I checked again two hours later and he was still sitting. I helped him up and he walked carefully to the feed bowl. Cocoa stayed up all day.

Friday, March 31 - Poor Cocoa was stuck down on his right side in his stall, in the chute at 6:30 am when we checked on him. We helped him sit up and immediately helped him to stand. He stood there for a while and then gradually started walking. He ate and drank normally.

Saturday, April 1 - Cocoa is still standing up. He enjoyed his breakfast when I gave that to him. He stood up all day.

Sunday April 2 - Cocoa is sitting. We help him up after a couple hours. I dose him with 60mg of Meloxicam and he seems to enjoy his feed & hay.

Monday, April 3 - Cocoa needs help up, but eating normally. Still weak and wobbly.

Tuesday, April 4 - He is still up and walking around, probably hadn't sat down all day. Eating ok.

Wednesday, April 5. We find Cocoa did not make it through the night. 😞