Feedback from Karin Mueller (Consultant in Camelid Medicine) talk...and lots of feeding.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early and on our way to Wetherby Town Hall by 7.45 am...I had forgotten a couple of things so we had to come back and set off again so it was actually 8 am but hey ho...we still managed to get there in good time. The town hall was the venue for a lecture presented by Karin Mueller (Consultant in Camelid Medicine at Dick White Referrals) and had been organised by the Yorkshire Alpaca Group.

Karin gave us a morning packed with information gathered from her visit to The International Camelid Conference 2011 held in Oregon. She really is the most interesting speaker and well worth travelling to listen to, but here are just a few bits and bobs from the morning session that might be of general interest:

• Not all skin conditions in alpacas is mange (although many are). If mange treatment is not improving the skin consider other possibilities... If considering insect bite allergy note that symptoms will always be symetrical.
• Sarcoptic mange (treated with Ivomectins) is itchy and can cause hair loss on face. Chorioptic mange is not itchy and does not cause hair loss on the face (treated with pour ons/ Frontline). It was suggested sulphor mixed with vaseline may be an effective treatment.
• Nuflor (often used to treat jaw abscesses) has a higher peak and is less variable when given intramuscular rather than subcutaneous. We have found this ourselves.
• Spring matings result in a gestation period approximately 10 days longer than those after the 21st of June (taken from American study)
• Recal scanning should be avoided due to the fragile nature of the alpaca bowel. Abdominal ultrasound is advised at 45-50 days. 10% abortion rate prior to 45 days, 5% after (American study)
• Karin advised that when using Lambivac she would give it at 6 monthly intervals (post initial doses) as there is not enough evidence to be sure that yearly doses are sufficient.

http://www.dickwhitereferrals.com/

I mentioned on my last blog that we were going to stay at a spa hotel for the night and we had the case packed including our swim wear (well that might have been what I had forgotten actually). However, I did remember when we got to the hotel that I had had a change of plan and decided to go for the food option rather than the spa (now there is a surprise). I has chosen a hotel featured in the Good Food Guide instead. Now our guide is the 2008 version (this coincides with the purchase of our first alpacas...obviously we don't manage to eat out as often as we used to!) but thankfully the food lived up to the promises made.

Paul and I like to think of ourselves as would be food critics when we eat out (don't worry it is only when we are paying...we don't do this at home...or even worse at friends). So we are always tasting each others food and making comments...I find that this always gets you extremely good service...look like hotel inspectors! We agreed to disagree on the lime scented mash (I just don't think you should have citrus with potatoes but Paul liked it and it was his order) however we could certainly recommend Crathorne-Hall...great building (the stuff of period dramas)...great food and excellent wine recommendations...and good value too.

Despite a plentiful breakfast we still managed to fit in an excellent lunch...again taking a recommendation from The Good Food Guide...we tried out The Sand Piper Inn at Leyburn...we both agreed that we really should have had two nights away...however we still managed to fit in some alpaca business before heading home in time for just enough day light to get in an hour's poo picking...he wouldn't want to spoil me too much now would he!