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Neonatal Care: |
| Crias should be on their feet and attempting to nurse within 2 hr after birth and every 1-2 hr thereafter for the first few days. While weight gain for the first 24 hr postpartum may be minimal, thereafter llamas should gain 250-500 g/day and alpacas 100-250 g/day. Healthy crias should approximately double their birth weight by 1 mo of age. |
| Routine cria care should include weighing and dipping the navel in 7% tincture of iodine or 0.5% chlorhexidine 3 times during the first 24 hr after birth. Supplemental selenium should be provided by injection (0.5 mg for alpacas, 1.0 mg for llamas) if appropriate for the area. |
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Parasite Control: |
| Parasite control programs vary according to climatic conditions, population density, and parasite load, and should be developed according to local conditions. As a general rule, 2-4 treatments/yr usually provide sufficient control. |
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No drugs have been approved for use in South American camelids. However, anthelmintics that are generally recognized as safe and efficacious include ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg), pyrantel pamoate (18 mg/kg), and fenbendazole (5-10 mg/kg). Although not critically evaluated, the topical formulation of ivermectin appears to be efficacious when applied to the skin, not the fiber. Liver flukes can be a significant problem. Control with clorsulon (7-14
mg/kg) or albendazole (10 mg/kg) is usually effective, although repeated clorsulon treatment after 6-8 wk may be necessary. |
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Vaccinations: |
| Most vaccination protocols for llamas and alpacas have been empirically derived. All animals should receive
Clostridium
perfringens
type C and D vaccinations and tetanus toxoid. In regions where liver fluke (
Fasciola
hepatica
) infections are a problem, use of polyvalent
Clostridium
vaccines against
C
novyi
,
C
septicum
,
C
sordellii
, and
C
chauvoei
are warranted. One successful approach has been to give an initial vaccination at 3 mo of age, a booster 30 days later, and annual boosters thereafter. |
| Abortions secondary to
Leptospira
spp
infections are intermittently a problem and can usually be prevented using a similar vaccination schedule, although some practitioners administer boosters twice a year. Killed rabies vaccines have been used with unknown efficacy in endemic areas. Vaccinations for equine herpesvirus 1 are probably not warranted in most situations. |
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Dental Development and Care: |
| The deciduous dental formula in the llama and alpaca is 2 with the upper I1 and I2 missing in both juveniles and adults. The upper second incisors may be radiographically apparent but do not erupt. The dental pad is similar to that of a cow. At birth, the first 2 pairs of lower incisors are normally through the gum line with lack of eruption of I1 and I2 being one indication of prematurity. The adult dental formula is 2 . The mandibular deciduous incisors I1-I3
are replaced at ~2-2½, 3-3½, and 3-6 yr, respectively, although determining age by the teeth is notoriously inaccurate in these species.
|
| A unique feature of South American camelids is the development of the upper I3 and upper and lower canine teeth on both sides into “fighting” teeth that grow to >3 cm long. The teeth can cause serious damage to other males during fights and usually need to be cut flush to the gum with obstetrical wire, beginning at ~3 yr of age and every 2-4 yr thereafter. Fighting teeth in females rarely penetrate the gumline and seldom, if ever, need to be cut. Growth of fighting teeth
usually stops after castration. Tooth extraction to avoid periodic trimming is impractical due to very deep, curved roots. |
| The incisors are open-rooted in alpacas and continue to grow throughout life. Poor occlusion of the incisors and dental pad necessitate periodic tooth trimming and appears to be more of a problem in alpacas than in llamas. Cheek teeth are rooted and do not require regular floating, although premolar and molar occlusion should be checked and problems corrected in older animals exhibiting difficulty in chewing or weight loss. |
| Abscesses of the lower second premolar and first and second molars are frequently seen as a hard, well-developed swelling on the lateral surface of the mandible over the affected teeth. A draining track may or may not be present. The area is usually not painful on palpation, and most animals maintain body condition. No bacterial agent has been consistently isolated from the abscesses. Antibiotic therapy is sometimes palliative, although rarely curative. Due to inadequate
exposure, tooth extraction usually requires making a lateral incision over the affected teeth, splitting the tooth due to the divergent roots, and repelling the tooth into the oral cavity. Care should be taken during extraction to avoid fracturing the mandible. Problems with other teeth are rare. |
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Nail Trimming: |
| Nail growth varies significantly from animal to animal. Some individuals rarely need foot care, while others require nail trimming every 2-3 mo. The nails should be trimmed flush with the bottom of the pad. |
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