Padreug
1a7568b301
New animals/ section with mobile-first emergency page (vet contacts, symptom-to-action table, first aid steps), per-animal daily care for alpacas (Onu/Sapphi/Phil), horses, and chickens/ducks. Capture hay quality rules, alpaca cleaning schedule (11 AM, 8 PM), enterotoxemia schedule, shearer contact, and Sapphi's wound protocol from group discussions. Add natural/preventative care guide reflecting our natural-first philosophy with clear escalation criteria. Document the VetSet first aid kit, chore schedule, and the team-delegated process for taking on animal-care roles. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
114 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
114 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Natural & Preventative Care
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description: Holistic, herbal, and preventative practices for our animals
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tags:
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- animals
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- natural-care
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- prevention
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---
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# Natural & Preventative Care
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> [!important] Our philosophy
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> We tend toward **natural care first** — clean environment, good nutrition, herbs, minerals, low stress. We use antibiotics, vaccinations, and pharmaceutical dewormers **only when absolutely necessary**. **Emergencies still mean: call the vet.** See [[emergency|Animal Emergency]].
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## Foundational Principles
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The most effective preventative is everything we do every day:
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- **Clean environment** — pen cleaning 2× daily for alpacas, dry bedding, fresh water
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- **Good nutrition** — quality hay, balanced minerals, no moldy feed
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- **Low stress** — quiet handling, herd cohesion, predator protection
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- **Observation** — daily health scans, watch for the smallest changes
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- **Fecal exams every 3-4 months** — target deworming only where actually needed (not blanket pharmaceutical treatment)
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## Alpacas
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### Sel Vitaminé à l'ail
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- **Garlic-vitamin salt** — natural prevention against worms and bacterial overgrowth.
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- Provided as part of mineral access.
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### Herbal antiparasitic blends
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Whole herbs studied for camelid use include: **garlic, wormwood, thyme, oregano, cloves, sage, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne**. Commercial formulations (e.g. Verm-X, WormGuard Plus) combine several.
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> [!tip] Lunar timing
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> Many holistic herders deworm **just before and during the full moon** to disrupt the parasite egg-laying cycle.
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### Mineral balance
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When mineral nutrition is in balance, ruminant digestion improves and they develop more resistance to parasites. Salt + trace mineral access (Redmond-style sea salt or equivalent with 50+ trace minerals) is foundational.
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### Skin health
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- **Crusty / "elephant" skin** is **not normal** — likely active mange/mite infestation. Treatable. Ask the vet — natural treatments include sulfur dips, herbal washes, but veterinary input is important to confirm diagnosis and severity.
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## Horses
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### Herbal anthelmintics
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Common antiparasitic herbs for horses: **cayenne, garlic, olive leaf, oregano, pau d'arco, wormwood, tansy, burdock, flax seed, cloves**. Available in commercial blends (Silver Lining, Earthsong Ranch, McDowells, etc.).
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> [!warning] Garlic alone is not a proven dewormer
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> Some sources contest garlic's antiparasitic effect on horses. Use **fecal exams** to verify whatever protocol you follow — herbal or pharmaceutical — is actually working.
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### Immune support herbs
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- **Echinacea** — immune stimulation
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- **Spirulina** — beta-carotene, vitamin E, phycocyanin
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- **Turmeric** — anti-inflammatory
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### Management practices
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- **Pasture rotation** breaks parasite cycles better than any dewormer.
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- **Pick paddocks** of manure regularly.
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- **Cool, dry, well-ventilated** stable reduces respiratory and skin issues.
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## Poultry: Holistic Trinity
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The classic three for chickens (and ducks):
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### 1. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
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- **Dose:** 1 tablespoon per gallon of drinking water
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- **Why:** pH balance, electrolytes, pro-/pre-biotics, vitamins, minerals, enzymes
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- **Use:** plastic or glass waterers only — ACV corrodes metal
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### 2. Garlic
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- **Dose:** crushed clove(s) or powder in feed
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- **Why:** boosts white blood cell production, helps prevent worms, makes blood unappealing to mites/ticks
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- **Tip:** can infuse garlic in ACV for combined dosing
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### 3. Diatomaceous Earth (food grade only)
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- **Dose:** light dusting in feed (1-2% of feed) and in dust-bath areas
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- **Why:** abrasive to internal/external parasites
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- **Caution:** food grade ONLY. Don't inhale the dust — wear a mask when applying.
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### Useful herbs
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- **Oregano** — natural antibiotic
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- **Thyme** — respiratory support
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- **Turmeric** — anti-inflammatory (e.g. for bumblefoot swelling)
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- **Mint, lavender, calendula** in nesting boxes — pest deterrent + calming
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## When Natural Isn't Enough
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Natural care **is not the same as no care**. Pharmaceuticals exist for a reason. Escalate to conventional veterinary treatment when:
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- Animal is **getting worse** despite natural protocol
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- **Acute emergency** (colic, severe wound, shock, neurological signs)
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- **Fecal egg count** stays high after herbal treatment
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- Vet specifically recommends it for this animal's case
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The goal is **optimal animal welfare**, not ideological purity. Document what works and what doesn't so the herd's history informs future decisions.
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## Related
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- [[emergency|🚨 Animal Emergency]]
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- [[alpacas|Alpacas]]
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- [[horses|Horses]]
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- [[poultry|Chickens & Ducks]]
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- [[first-aid-kit|First Aid Kit]]
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