Shearing of (very) pregnant alpaca

[JWW]

I have a female pregnant with her 2nd cria who is very easily stressed. The shearing date at the farm where she is boarded is just a few weeks before her due date. Should we be medicating her just prior to the shearing in order to play it safe? Last year she was bred and behavior tested as positive a couple of weeks before the shearing of herself and her new daughter. She then "slipped" right after the shearing and had to be rebred, which is why we have a June due date this year. We plan on holding her open after birthing in June until the Fall to avoid this problem for next year. Any recommendations on how to avoid any problems that might result from the stress of this year's shearing?
Thanks, Jeanne of CrimpHaven Alpacas

[Marty McGee Bennett]

It would be hard to know if the shearing was the thing that caused her to slip her pregnancy but it certainly could have. There are several things to consider here...
Is she really hard to handle? Is the shearing a real trauma for her? If so then you may want to sedate her.
Do you have a good vet that can give her a sedative in a a way that won't be a drama?
Is your shearer willing to take it easy with her with or without the sedative?
If she is due within a week or two of shearing she may go into labor anyway what ever you decide to do just because she is ready to have a baby anyway.
If I were making the call I would say that as long as I could give the sedative easily (that is you or your vet have the skill to give an injection without restraint) I would give her something to take the edge off and what that something might be you will have to discuss with your vet. Depending on the animal and the circumstances a sedative can be very effective or seem to do nothing at all. In such a late stage of pregnancy what ever you decide to give must be safe for a pregnant female. Torbugesic is supposed to be safe for pregnant females again you must discuss this with your vet.
I suppose the best of all possible worlds is to wait until she has the baby (depending on weather) and shear her after she has the baby.