Sad News

Hi

I am sorry to have to tell you that Clyde (our white goat) passed away on Thursday 14th May in the night. We didn't even know he was ill, it was that sudden. Apparently one of the gates came open and all 4 goats decided to have a wander into the chase for a snack. They were all rounded up within a few minutes and put back in their pen but the damage had already been done, although we didn't know at the time.

The first we realised it may have been something they ate was when Sam our younger male goat looked ill on Friday evening and started to vomit. He wouldn't eat or drink anything and so as it was after normal Vet opening hours, we called the emergency vet and trundled Sam off to the clinic. He looked really poorley and when we described his symptoms to the vet and explained about Clyde, the vet said he didn't hold out much hope for Sam either. His odds were less than 50:50.

The vet decided it was probably a couple of Rhododendron leaves that would have been to blame for Clyde's death and Sam's illness. He pumped him full of antibiotics, painkillers, something to stop him vomiting, and some vitamins before leaving him for the night and hoping for the best. He told us not to build our hopes up and so we left the Vet's Friday evening thinking we may soon lose another goat.

Saturday morning came and the phone call from the Vet - Sam had survived against the odds and we could pick him up, but he explained this didn't mean he would be ok. We just had to hope and wait.

We kept checking on Sam throughout Saturday and little by little he started to become more like himself, first taking a few sips of water, then a few crumbs of goat mix, then a little barley straw and hay. Saturday night he was still not himself and so we just hoped he'd make it through the night.

Luckily he is obviously made of stronger stuff and when I went to his pen this morning he was bleating at me as normal and his little tail wagging.

The older pygmy goats had obviously escaped the poisoning because they couldn't reach whatever had poisoned the other two. Sometimes it's an advantage to be short.

Needless to say, the latch on the gate is being upgraded to ensure they can't get out again.

Sonia