Deworming of our expedition members
Temperature - Day (maximum):
approx. 28-30 degrees
Anna Plains Station – 22.05.2001 – 26.05.2001
It is time to treat our animals against some diseases as a precaution. They need this treatment, especially against various types of worms. First up is Sebastian. We put him down and while Tanja holds him, I drizzle the Eprinex over his back as instructed on the packet. I have to make sure that I soak the coat behind his shoulders, over the hump to his rump in a straight line. This way it is not possible for him to accidentally lick it, because a camel can hardly reach these places with its mouth. Although we’ve treated Sebastian with it several times in recent years, he doesn’t like it at all this time. He roars as if I were pouring acid over his noble back. “Ready,” I say, whereupon Tanja lets him jump up and removes the lead and nose leash. As if he had gone mad, Sebastian races off, jumping back and forth, rubbing against the fence, banging into his companions until he finally calms down again. “Must be really unpleasant,” says Tanja with regret in her voice. Half an hour later, all seven boys have been treated with the drug. We therefore hope to rule out a possible future illness. Apart from that, I would like to mention at this point that this treatment is an absolute must for all camels in captivity. It was not uncommon for us to observe animals whose entire fur came off their bodies and the skin underneath burst open. Ultimately, a camel will die miserably from this worm and parasite infestation. We have even been told that camels in the wild also suffer from such worm infestations.
In the past, the camel’s entire body was rubbed with pitch. As a result, the pests living under the skin could no longer breathe and suffocated. I am glad of modern veterinary medicine, because I can imagine what a nightmare it was for the animal and an effort for the owner to have to spread tar on the large body.
The next day they have to swallow a different worming agent which I inject directly into their throats with a kind of syringe. As most of our boys don’t like it, they open their mouths in horror and shout their frustration to the world. They can’t know that I can inject the milk-like liquid directly and even more easily down their throats. It’s a painless, quick affair and before Sebastian, Hardie, Goola, Jafar, Istan, Jasper and Edgar know it, each of them has the necessary dose down their throats. They look at me with wide eyes and smack their lips excitedly. Their mouths move quickly from left to right. “It’s all right, boys. If you’ve had worms, they’ll die and you’ll have all your food to yourselves,’ I say, stroking the back of Hardie’s head.
