While others I know are selling their alpacas, I am having to put another of mine down.  The vet called on Friday afternoon and told me that Kardigan's white blood cell count was off the charts and that he did test positive for Valley Fever.  His breathing had deteriorated and he was really suffering.  He would not take all of his medication on Friday morning.  The vet said she did not believe that he would make it to Monday.  So late Friday afternoon about 5:30 Steve and I loaded Kardigan up and took him for his last trip to the vet.  I hugged him good-by and he was gone before we even got back in the car to go home.  I was sad to see my beautiful black alpaca go.  I will miss seeing him in the pasture.  But more than anything, I think I was angry, angry that this disease took another animal.  And helpless because there was nothing I could've done to prevent it.  

The vet said that I was doing the right thing and I know in my heart that letting him go was the right thing.  I just wish I could've prevented it.  I am also afraid for the remaining 3 boys.  I asked the vet if moving them to another pasture would make a difference.  She just said that I could try.  She said no one can predict where the spores will show up and sometimes they just get blown in by the wind.

I made appointments for the 3 alpacas I still have, Prince, Cimarron and Stewie.  They will be checked by the vet and she will take blood to test them for Valley Fever also.  Then I plan to have her vaccinate them against anything else that she recommends for alpacas.

I cannot in good conscience replace Tinker or Kardigan.  I would not want to risk the health of other alpacas by putting them in this environment.  Like I said before, maybe alpacas are native to South America and not here for a reason.  So, if the three are free from Valley Fever , I will try to sell them.  If they already have it, I will keep them for tax deductions for our little farm.  Either way my days as an alpaca farmer are done.