I don't mind you asking at all - all information is helpful, and if it can help someone else, then that would be wonderful. I will however say that my vet said that even if we had realised that it was copper poisoning in the earliest stages, it normally is a death sentence, and there is not a lot they could do for the North Ronaldsay's in particular. Woolie, our wether was firstly off his food slightly. Then we found him in one of the stables just lying down upright, and not willing to get up at all. He kept looking at us very sadly. It was so unusual for him as he was always up and around us. I got him to his feet, but he didn't want to move. He looked noticeably bloated, and he was tender to his tummy. That was the first day. The second day he was looking about the same, still moving around though in drifts and drabs. The third morning we went out at 6 to feed him and he was lying flat out i nthe field, with his eyes flickering up and down. His breathing was noticeably laboured. We picked him up and brought him into a stable, but I think he was fitting. His head was strained backwards, and his feet constantly kicking and eyes flicking. Within an hour and a half he was dead. Once the copper is released, it causes liver and kidney failure, and then the build up of toxins eventually cause damage to the brain I believe.
I am not sure there was anything we could have done. However, I have discovered something I referred to earlier called Tub-Ron. If you don't know what it is, it is well worth looking into. It is a Tubby made by Denis Brinicombe. It is specially formulated for North Ronaldsay's, as a mineral lick, and it basically contains nutritional antagonists and specific powerful herb extracts which help lock up copper in the gut and cleanse the liver from toxins and mineral build up. I had never heard of it before yesterday - I wish I had! Our Ewe's absolutely love it. We are going to leave it out for them to lick at will, along with feeding sugar beet and flaked peas. I believe it has a lot of seaweed in it too, which obviously is the Ronnie's natural diet.
I am still beating myself up over Woolie. I just keep thinking it was something I did, or didn't do, or should have known about. The trouble is, the Ronnie's are just such as special breed, and are so hard to get info on.