Fireside Chat with Dr. Steve Purdy at GALA 2010

This lovely laid back fireside chat was just that, an intimate time in a small group to go one-on-one with an expert in the field. Our questions were driven by our in-/experiences, as were some of our shared responses to one another. I was so engrossed with this session that I almost forgot to take notes, so the scattered nature of my jottings, sometimes answers without the question, well, please forgive me. I was having such a wonderful time just listening.

One of the things I admired about Dr. Purdy was his ability to take a complex scientific concept and render it comprehensible to someone like me, not grounded in nor great at things scientific. Here's the chat, in its abbreviated version.

Learning with the best!

Best colostrum = Triple J Farms;  goat supplier.

Isoniazid : 6 mgs per pound daily for 1 month (but do not remember for what ailment, sorry).

A comment from Joanne: the Isoniaside was mentioned during the clinic on teeth.

If my notes are complete; the problem is the reaction of the body with a jaw abscess is to put more bone into the area of the abscess. And, then the bone becomes larger and deformed. The isoniaside can penetrate through bone. Said that they will eat these tablets if put with sweet feed?

However, as I don't have first-hand experience in any of this and am VERY new to llamas, I would verify.

(Thanks so very much, Joanne.)

Sonogram: most pregnancies when they get to 90 days will stick or you will find something; you can do them later usually; use a natural test; if you bring a male out and your female drops down, she isn’t pregnant.

If you think a cria isn’t doing well or the mother either, get on it right away; time is not your friend.

Entophytes on fescue, but you can buy entophyte-free fescue.

Cancer in camelids can occur at any age; lymph sarcoma is the most common camelid cancer.

Q: For cuts on feet, what works best? A = Iodine scrub; Icthammol or Iodine ointment on foot cuts and wrap feet twice daily. I suggested Silvadine compounded by an animal-friendly pharmacy. I couldn't remember at the time my favorite wound dressing, but here it is, and I swear by it. From New Zealand and used it for years on my horses when needed. Still use it on cats, dogs, and now my llamas. Active Manuka Honey.  Click this link and scroll down to Wound Care Kit.

Semen analysis: how often can a male produce viable sperm; every male is different and avoid generalizations.

A good pedigree is a camilid’s  parents’ pedigree, not the offspring’s, if the offspring is not producing.

 
After a busy first day, this informal chat was the perfect complement to the sessions, but there was so much more to come. Dinner. Our magician. Temple Grandin introducing her movie. Truly, The Magic of Llamas was everywhere to be seen, felt, and enjoyed.