In my last post, We noticed that Diva was starting to stand in more of a hunch, in her resting position. Since that time, Joe and I have noticed and discussed that we never see Diva laying down, and she now appears to sleep standing on her feet. A bit like a Narcoleptic she falls asleep often and wherever she happens to be standing. Her stance asleep is not comfortable looking, and I keep waiting for her to fall over. We do not catch her laying down in the mornings like the other does, snuggled into their straw before being awakened by the morning breakfast crew. (that's us...) She also urinates frequently, in small bursts. I believe she is loosing control of her bladder.
First, and foremost for us, there are no signs of pain. She still appears to be enjoying her life. The first and only sign of panic I have seen is when I accidentally knocked her down today, putting her blanket on her (its damp and chilly out and she is thin). She flailed and cried and popped right back up on her feet before I could help her up.
Second, she is being documented for the progression of her disorder. While there is nothing scientific or very little, about the way she is being tracked. It is still information for others to read and learn about the experience.
I feel I have been given a gift, a bit of a white elephant, but a gift in the ability to share her life with others that wonder about G6S. In most herds she would either have been culled as "unthrifty" early on. OR culled as soon as her test results were received. In our herd, we have a little room to be indulgent, and feed and care for an animal that produces nothing of monetary value. The other does help pull her weight.
Diva also still loves to travel with the herd out to pasture and back. She loves the kids each kidding season. She usually buddies up with one. Kidding season is less than 2 weeks out for us, and I hope she can hold out, and hold up to see the new kids join the herd. She is still mobile, still walks out and still has some joy in her life. The cold and damp of winter are harder on her than they are on the others. We are watching, and discussing the when and what would cause us to make the decision to end her plight.
She will be 3 years old on March 29th.