Chat
02-04-2014, 09:18 AM
Cuzco will 12 years old in April. He got attacked by coyotes in June of 2012 and yes, it had lasting effects. He ran three miles at top speed, which is quite a feat for any goat, let alone one who was 10 years old at the time. He ended up with some lung damage, and it also triggered an arthritis flare-up which prompted me to put him on Cosequin. He didn't get any diseases, but it would be shocking if there were NO long-term effects from such an ordeal. On the other hand, I'm amazed that he survived at all. It was a miracle.
But Cuzco was having a harder time jumping into the truck even before the coyote attack. The arthritis had been starting between the toes of his left front foot for some time, and the attack was simply the incident that caused it to flare up to the point where he actually went lame and we had him checked by a vet. For about eight months after we put him on Cosequin he was jumping in the truck like a young goat again and was able to go farther and faster on walks. But even modern medicine can't stop the effects of old age, and he's been slowing down again this past year. It became obvious on our trip to Utah last October that he can't climb like he once did, and he's losing more and more teeth every year. The back molars have been going for quite a while, and this year he started losing the front teeth as well. Still, he keeps in pretty good weight for a toothless old goat! And as long as he still loves going for walks and puttering around the yard, we'll keep stringing him along with his mashes and arthritis meds. Looks like he's still got at least a couple good years left in him.
But Cuzco was having a harder time jumping into the truck even before the coyote attack. The arthritis had been starting between the toes of his left front foot for some time, and the attack was simply the incident that caused it to flare up to the point where he actually went lame and we had him checked by a vet. For about eight months after we put him on Cosequin he was jumping in the truck like a young goat again and was able to go farther and faster on walks. But even modern medicine can't stop the effects of old age, and he's been slowing down again this past year. It became obvious on our trip to Utah last October that he can't climb like he once did, and he's losing more and more teeth every year. The back molars have been going for quite a while, and this year he started losing the front teeth as well. Still, he keeps in pretty good weight for a toothless old goat! And as long as he still loves going for walks and puttering around the yard, we'll keep stringing him along with his mashes and arthritis meds. Looks like he's still got at least a couple good years left in him.