Has there been a thread about Geronimo?

Don’t know why they can’t test the poor animal as the owner is asking. Apparently if it did have TB 4 years ago, it would be dead by now!

Sparklefizz

^Sometimes we take refuge in concentrating on the 'smaller' stories, because we cannot cope with the horror of those larger dreadful stories.^

Very true.

Very true

Most of us have the capacity to think about more than one issue, even in the same minute.

If I see the alpaca story briefly on the news I may think about it but it doesn't stop me from worrying about Afghanistan, Syria, Covid, etc, of personal problems; thinking of what to have for dinner does not stop me feeling sad and angry for those children waiting outside Kabul airport for days without food or water, or thinking about happy things that are happening too.

Do some people just think of one thing to the exclusion of all else? Surely no-one is that blinkered?

I wonder if he is a spitter though or is it just llamas that spit?
Obviously I know all the badgers are working for marks and spencers filling the employment gap in the packing department

TB is difficult to treat in humans - months and drug changes needed. Cows are not treated or vaccinated. The vaccine would generate antibodies which would indicate TB infection in subsequent tests. So no vaccinations and all positive tests are culled to prevent trsansmission to humans e. g. via milk.

There is a new trial vaccine though, which would not interfere with tests for infection and that is being trialed in cattle now. I just wonder why that isn't being trialed on Geronimo. Does anyone know?

I'm not sure if alpacas spit although I know they can run fast - my friend had a couple who eluded her when it was shearing time.

I think I've heard of alpaca racing omg!!! :o

All this fuss for an Alpacca. Where is the outcry for cattle and sheep led to the slaughterhouse, terrified and killed for us to eat. The pigs who are intelligent beings seeing their friends having their throats cut so we can have a bacon butty.
The male chicks who are branded useless and sent to the macerator to be cut up whilst alive. When a cow gives birth the male calves are killed for veal, the females taken from their mothers so we can drink the milk that was meant for her baby
Where is the outcry for these poor souls.

From what I've read the problem is the test is specific for cattle. For it to work on alpacas they need to be primed to see if they show antibodies for bTB. However, there have been nine cases in the past where the animals were tested and culled only to be found they didn't have bTB - 9 of them. The owner is saying the test is not safe and from what I read yesterday scientists vets from DEFRA are agreeing with that and recommending the cull order is cancelled.

It is a bit of a silly season thing.

Thank you sewaris, it's nice to have more understanding of the context.

The world is going to hell in a hand cart yet the media are still banging on about an alpaca its shameful

Dinahmo

I read somewhere that an autopsy was performed on the alpaca that was put down 4 years ago and there was no sign of tb.

Yes, I read that two previous Alpacas that had tested positive for TB then went on to have an autopsy. Both had no evidence of the disease. This is Geronimo’s owners concern.

This lady is keeping the alpaca well away from the rest of them and has warning signs outside so she can’t be that sure it doesn’t have it, very sad for it to be on it’s own anyway when they are herd animals.
I am a big animal lover but my dad had TB when I was 4, had my BCG then along with my brothers so as not to catch it. Dad was in and out of hospital with new drugs being tried on him and when he was in hospital only mum was allowed to go in and see him, I saw him once but that was looking through a closed window so the thought this alpaca could pass TB on to humans as well as other animals makes my blood run cold.
Not many people get the BCG now, only if you are in certain groups, was surprised by this when a letter came from school telling me why my children weren’t going to be getting it.

I read recently that several veterinary surgeons are saying that Geronimo should ‘be studied’ instead of being euthanised, but couldn’t find any more detail on what sort of study, how long for or whatever.