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Hi and thanks everyone,
Articular gout is in the joints of the animal, it is occuring in captive male boyds at 3-4 years of age. Basically it is the white part of their poo that their kidneys cant process and this builds up in their joints.
If you spot it in their toes initially (absolutely impossible) there may be some hope.
His arm was swollen and I thought that the female had bitten him, when I noticed other joints starting to swell I took him to the vet.
It is painful for the animal because it is abrasive in their joints, I could have him surgically drained and on pain killers to try and breed more (the female is sooo ready) but even after draining the damage is done and his joints will be forever painful.
A consolation may be with offspring, and then another 4 years of raising. This guy was tiny when I got him and I have watched him mature over 4 years into a fine example of a boyds, I think the older they get the cooler they look and he was starting to look great.
Its a shame,
Cheers
Ad.
ps. It always concerns me that all this data is not being recorded (or is it). Is it diet, housing, substrate etc that causes this, where can I register what process this animal lived by so the data is being collated and acted upon?
I would also like to thank Tim at URS and Danny Brown for their assistance/advice/expertise.