Llama with ear problem?

[SkyWarrior]

I'm a sucker for rescue/free llamas. A rancher is getting rid of his 8 yo gelding because he won't stand up to bears and has replaced the llama with a guard dog. I'm going to look at him next week.

The pictures of the llama shows some sort of issue with his ears. His ears are really split or torn and the top portion looks gone (flies? predators?) I don't really care about the aesthetics, but I'm wondering what kind of vet work I'm going to have to do. They don't look infected or nasty in the pictures, but until I see what's going on, I just won't know.

I'm thinking of slathering the ears with nitrofurizone and bandaging the the heck out of them with supports. If there's necrosed tissue, I'll probably have to get a vet out and abride the area and suture it. (I've done a lot of this stuff with sled dogs).

Here's the pict the rancher sent me:

What do you think happened? Is this going to be an issue?

 

[ksalvagno]

Could have been frostbite, or he could have gotten into a fight. Who knows. If it has been that way for a long time, then the splits won't grow back together. Llamas that I know with ear problems like that are just fine, just don't look nice. I even knew a llama whose ears were frostbitten as a cria and he looked like he had LaMancha goat ears and lived a long happy life. As long as there is no infection or anything, you really don't have to do anything with them.

Of course a llama isn't going to stand up to a bear. Guard llamas are good for small stuff and can even kill a dog but certainly not a bear.

 

[mully]

Even if it is an infection it can be controlled...he is cute and his ears are part of his personality.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Yeah, I was a bit concerned about the ears, but he is quirky and cute -- he's not going to win any shows (nor am I interested in doing that!).

I told the rancher that I heard that a bunch of guard llamas up his way got killed by a grizzly and the FWP had to shoot the grizzly that was predating them. This tells me this llama is one smart cookie to run away from bears. I think it's a little much to ask a llama to stand up to a bear, especially a grizzly.

 

[MrsCountryChick]

Awe he's ADORABLE!!! Take him home! Sid wants a brother I'm sure! Sounds like he needs a "Good Home" unlike his current owner.............Bears sheesh, he's not asking much from the little guy!

 

[SkyWarrior]

Awe he's ADORABLE!!! Take him home! Sid wants a brother I'm sure! Sounds like he needs a "Good Home" unlike his current owner.............Bears sheesh, he's not asking much from the little guy!

I met his owner -- the guy's pretty cool, just needs a guard animal that isn't a llama. The llama there came up and stuck his face right against mine and sniffed long. He did this several times during the visit.

He's a bit on the heavy side -- okay, he's really fat -- but it's a good sign the rancher didn't starve the guy. Friendly, but a bit standoffish. Had a sheep halter on instead of a llama halter and it was pressing on his soft nose. We're talking about how to get the llama down to my place.

 

[ksalvagno]

Glad you are able to take him in. hopefully you can get him to your place soon and get that halter off.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Glad you are able to take him in. hopefully you can get him to your place soon and get that halter off.

Actually, he doesn't wear a halter at the ranch. The rancher put it on him so he could lead him, but it doesn't fit the llama (the rancher lost the llama halter years ago). I bought a new llama halter that should fit.

I looked at his ears -- they're healed up but they're shredded in ribbons. Don't seem to bother him, so I'm not going to worry about them. The rancher tells me they were like that when he got them. I suspect the other llama this one came with did the damage to his ears. The other llama has gone to another home long ago, so this one needs a nice home.