Alpacas Flashcards
The basics
TPR
- Temp: 37.5-38.9C
- RR: 1-30brpm
- HR: 60-90bpm
Points for distant observation/exam
- Stand and walk with straight or slight dorsal curve to spine
- excessive hunching: lameness or skeletal or abdominal pain
- Respiratory pattern: even and without effort
- Abdomen: full but not distended
gaunt/tucked up: anorexia - Body contour: smooth, no lumps or bumps
- Perineum: clean, no discharge
MM examination
(where? colour? crt? peripheral perfusion?)
- Oral (Only when sedated), Vuvla, Ocular
- Pale pink and moist
CRT <2seconds - Peripheral perfusion: distal extremity temperature – ears, feet and legs
What can mm changes indicate?
- toxaemia
- cyanosis
- jaundice
- anaemia
MM changes indicating septicaemia
- petechial haemorrhage +/- injected scleral blood vessels
What vaccination should alpacas receive?
- clostridial
Clostridial vaccine course
- primary vaccine: 2 injections 3-6w apart
- annually
- boosters before surgery if annual injection >6m and pregnant animals 4-6w before unpacking
- give to cries that have good passive transfer at 2-3m/o
Examples of clostridial vaccines
- lambivac
- heptovac
- bravoxin
- covexin
GIT of alpacas
- pseudo-ruminants
- 3 compartments
– C1, C2 (reticulum) & C3 (abomasum) - spiral colon
– flat, single spiral
– obstructions possible at the junction where the centripetal loop becomes centrifugal
Dentition of alpacas
- growth stops after castration
- incisors grow continuously and have an open pulp cavity
Why is tooth removal difficult?
- deep, curved roots
GIT condition examples
- mandibular abscess
- osteomyelitis/lumpy jaw
- hepatic lipidosis
- megaoesophagus
- gastric atony
- d+
- gastric ulceration
Mandibular abscess - which teeth are affected?
- pre molars / 1st and 2nd molars
Mandibular abscess - CS
- lateral swelling +/- draining tract
Mandibular abscess - tx
- tooth extraction required
– lateral incision over the teeth
– split tooth
– divergent roots, repel tooth into oral cavity
– done under GA
Osteomyelitis/lumpy jaw - CS
- drooling
- weight loss
- ill thrift
Osteomyelitis/lumpy jaw - diagnosis
- radiographs/CT/MRI
Hepatic lipidosis - which animals?
- all ages
- esp pregnant and lactating females, and anorexic animals
Hepatic lipidosis - diagnosis
- increased serum triglycerides and lipids
- US changes in liver echogenicity
Hepatic lipidosis - tx
- supportive tx e.g. fluids
Megaoesophagus - CS
- Weight loss
- Regurgitation
- Hypersalivation
- Frothing
Megaoesophagus - diagnosid
- barium contrast study
Megaoesophagus - tx/management
- diet changes
– easy swallowing and feeding from an elevated surface
Gastric atony - CS
- anorexia
- loss in BCS
- depression
Gastric atony - tx
- fluids
- if anorexic for 3-5d, death of bacteria and protozoa in C1&2 -> requires transfaunation
Causes of d+ in adults
- feed changes
- eosinophilic enteritis
- eimeria
- mycobacterium paratuberculosis
- parasites
Is mycobacterium paratuberculosis in alpacas fatal?
- yes
Causes of d+ in cria
- milk scour
- diet change
- rotavirus
- coronavirus
- cryptosporidium
- e.coli
- eimeria (around weaning -> stress induced)
- giardia
- yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- salmonella
Why can diet change in cria be a problem?
- can lead to a blockage of the spiral colon and colic
D+ tx
- fluids
- electrolyte replacement
- antibiotics
- NSAIDs
Where in alpacas does gastric ulceration occur?
- C3 & proximal duodenum
CS of gastric ulceration
- anorexia
- colic
- bruxism
- depression
Gastric ulceration tx
- IV pantoprazole or omeprazole to increase C3 pH
- +/- blood transfusion
Tx of vitamin D deficiency - when and what with?
- oral paste
- injectable
- young animals:
–3 doses: November, January, March - all ages
– November - pregnant females
– 2 doses: January & November
How to improve bonding after unpacking
- minimal handling
What should the weight gain of a cria be at 1 month old?
- double birth weight
Navel dipping routine post-unpacking
- navel dipping daily with chlorhexidine until dry
Cria TPR + weight
- weight 7-11kg
- HR 60-100bpm
- RR 30brpm
- temp 37.8
How much colostrum should cries ingest within 12-24h?
- 10-15% BWT (ideally within 12h)
What IgG (g/dl) would indicate FPT at 18-24h?
- <5.5g/dl
Tx of FPT
- 1 unit of plasma (300ml) taken from an older vaccinated male from the same herd if possible
CS of FPT
- dull and depressed
- unable to stand
- no suckle reflex
- hypothermia
- septicaemia
- d+
Congenital abnormalities examples
- choanal atresia
- umbilical hernia
- VSD
- segmental aplasia
- atresia ani/coli
- syndactyly/polydactyly
- angular limb deformities
- prematurity
- wry nose/face
- blue eyed deafness
- juvenile cataracts
- blocked nasolacrimal ducts
- tail defects
Examples of female congenital urogenital abnormalities
- uterus unicornis
- hypoplastic ovaries
- double cervices
- segmental aplasia of vagina/uterus
- clitoral hypertrophy
- unilateral kidney / no kidneys
Examples of male congenital urogenital abnormalities
- hypospadias
- retained testicles
- testicular hypoplasia
- persistent frenulum
- ectopic testicles
- corkscrew penis
Which is the most common congenital abnormality? Describe it
Choanal atresia
- uni or bilateral
- partial or complete blockage
- fatal as obligate nasal breather
- respiratory distress, esp at nursing
Examples of angular limb deformities
- valgus/varus
- arthrogryposis
- tendon laxity
CS of prematurity
- domed head
- floppy ears
- excess foot periople
- silky fur
- failure to stand
- poor suckle reflex
- FPT
Wry nose/face
- <5 degree or >60 degree lateral deviation of the maxilla
- mandible may able be affected
Pre-op considerations for castration
- clostridial vaccination
- starve for 12h (regurgitation risk)
- AB: penicillin
- NSAIDs
- LA into testicle after sedation
Sedation for castration
- triple stun IM
– xylazine 0.3-0.5mg/kg
– butorphanol 0.05-01mg/kg
– ketamine 3-5mg/kg
Closed castration technique
- Sterile clip and prep
- 2 -3 cm incision over testicle parallel to median raphe on caudal ventral aspect of scrotum
- Break down ligament using sterile swabs
- Keep tunic closed
- Break down ligament with swabs and remove any fascia
- Three clamp method
- Transfixation and encircling suture
- Emasculation of spermatic cord
- Check for heamorrhage
- Leave scrotum open
- Ensure no soft tissue is protruding from incision
- Topical antibiotics and fly treatment when required
CS of endoparasites
- d+
- ill thrift
- anaemia
- malaise
- death
Endoparasites examples
- nematodirus
- haemonchus
- liver fluke
- coccidiosis
- lung worm
- cryptosporidium
What does liver fluke affect?
- the bile ducts
Liver fluke
= fasciola hepatica
Liver fluke shedding
- in faeces at 10-12d but not always seen
CS of liver fluke
- ill thrift
- poor growth
- death
Liver fluke diagnosis/biochem
- increased serum bile acids >25mcmol/l
- ALP >121U/l
- AST >235U/l
Why with liver fluke must you vaccinate for clostridial dz?
- increased risk of blacks disease (C. novyi)
Dermatological conditions
- copper deficiency
- dorsal nasal alopecia
- zinc responsive dermatosis
- munge
CS & tx of copper defieicny
- depigmentation of fibre
- wire texture
- poor growth
- predisposed to dz
- dietary supplementation required
CS of dorsal nasal alopecia
- dermatitis on bridge of nose
- scaled, hyperpigmentation, thickened
Dorsal nasal alopecia- other name
- dark nose syndrome
Which colour is dorsal nasal alopecia seen in?
- dark coloured animals
Cause of dorsal nasal alopecia
- burrowing mites
Diagnosis of dorsal nasal alopecia
- skin scrapes
- biopsy
Tx of dorsal nasal alopecia
- parasite tx +/- steroids (topical or systemic)
Zinc responsive dermatosis - what is it?
- idiopathic hyperkeratosis
Zinc responsive dermatosis - age affected?
- any age
Zinc responsive dermatosis - CS
- non-pruritic papule with tightly adherent crust
- less densely haired areas on perineum, ventral abdomen, inguinal region, medial thighs, axilla, medial forearms, face
Zinc responsive dermatosis - diagnosis
- skin biopsy
Zinc responsive dermatosis - tx
- oral zinc sulphate
- topical zinc shampoos
Munge - CS
- severe dermatitis
– heavy, adherent, hyperketatotic crusts - paranasal/perioral regions
Munge tx
- tx secondary bacterial infection +/- mange
Munge - ddx
- viral contagious pustular dermatitis
- dermatophilosis
- dermatophytosis
- bacterial dermatitis
- immune-mediated dz
Ectoparasites
- Sarcoptes
- Psoroptes
- Chorioptes
- Demodex
- Biting Damalinia breviceps
- Sucking Microthoracius cameli
- ticks
CS of ectoparasites
- alopecia
- hyperkeratosis
- scaling
- pruritis
Ectoparasites ddx
- zinc deficiency
Ectoparasites - diagnosis
- skin biopsies
- sellotape test (for D. breviceps & M. cameli)
Sarcoptes, Psoroptes, Chorioptes, Demodex - tx
- ivermectin repeated q14d IM/SC
– not oral
D. breviceps tx
- topical pyrethrin
M. cameli tx
- Ivermectin
CS of ticks
- tick paralysis
- inner ear issues leading to Horners syndrome +/- encephalic death
TB types
- mycobacterium pinnipedii
- mycobacterium bovis
- mycobacterium microti
CS of TB
- lethargy
- anorexia
- weight loss
- coughing
- resp signs mild to severe
- sudden death
Is TB zoonotic?
- yes
TB testing
- blood test
- PM: granulomas in lungs and lymph nodes, acid fast bacilli
Mycoplasma haemolamae - CS
- mild-fatal anaemia
Mycoplasma haemolamae - diagnosis
- PCR or blood smear
Mycoplasma haemolamae - tx
- oxytetracycline
- +/- blood transfusion
Placement of jugular catheters
- RHS of neck
- high up or low down
- LA for placement
- 16-18G for adults
Injection sites
- IM: rump, cranial neck
- SC: axilla, cranial to scapula
MSK conditions
- lameness
- fractures
Lameness - CS
- NWB
- +/- vocalisation
Minor injuries causing lameness
- sprains
- ligament damage
Lameness tx
- NSAIDs and rest
Common fracture sites
- limbs
- spine
Fracture tx
- NSAIDs
- referral
– can use pins, plats and screws (but signalment and weight dependent)
