Camelid Basics Flashcards
What is the average lifespan of Dromedary camels? How does the gestation period differ in Dromedaries and Bactrians?
40-50 years in captivity, 30-40 years in the wild
- DROMEDARY = 315 days
- BACTRIAN = 385 days
What is the purpose of camel humps? What are their RBCs like?
stores fat to breakdown and produce water/energy when needed
oval shaped
Do camels sweat?
rarely - exhaled water vapor is trapped in their nostrils and is reabsorbed into the body as a means to conserve water –> only sweat once their internal temp reaches 42 C
- can survive without water for a long time!
- stores extra water directly in the blood stream
What are the 2 types of camel?
- Dromedary - one hump, arid Middle East and Sahara (Africa)
- Bactrian - two humps, central and east Asian rocky deserts
How long can camels face dehydration without serious consequences?
can lose up to 40% BW in water
- can tolerate brackish water
- typically drink up to 100 L at once
How are camels’ eyes protected from sand? Their nose?
double row of long eyelashes + tear glands
can close their nostrils by contracting the muscles surrounding them
What is the normal heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature of camels?
60-100 bpm
10-30 bpm
37.6-39 C (99.7-102 F)
What are the 4 major parts of the camel diet in the desert? What is typically fed in adverse conditions?
- grass
- grains
- wheat
- oat
dried leaves, seeds, thorny twigs
How are camels typically mechanically restrained? Chemically?
tie ropes around stifle and elbow (knees) to limit movement
Xylazine - 0.27-0.51 mg/kg
What is the normal feeding behavior of camels? How long do they feed each day?
browse hard and thorny plants using strong canine teeth to crush the wood
- grazes for 8 hours a day
- chews cud for 6-8 hours
What happens to camels in dry season when feed becomes scarce?
lives off fat stored in the hump –> loses weight as fat is used (~200 kg)
How do camels avoid toxic plants?
use odor and taste –> attracted to sweet flavors and repelled by bitter flavors
- if moves to a new area with different plants, they may eat poisonous ones
How does the digestive system of camels compare to cattle and sheep?
- camel has 3 chambers, lacking an omasum
- PSEUDO-RUMINANT - eats large amounts of roughage, but does not have 4 compartments to their stomach
Camelid anatomy:
What are 2 sexual dimorphisms seen in camels?
- male tends to be larger and heavier while the female is leander
- male has a soft palate which hangs out the side of the mouth when it is inflated, producing a deep pink sack that is used to attract females during the breeding season
What kind of ovulators are camels? How often do females come into heat? What are males like in the breeding season?
induced - only stimulated to ovulate during mating process
every 20-25 days
increasingly aggressive - better to approach in the presence of their owner
When do camels reach sexual maturity? Reproductive maturity? Peak reproduction?
FEMALES - 3 years, 4-20 years, 6-20 years
MALES = 3 years, 6-7 years, determined by his opportunity and length dominating over a harem
How often should bedding be changed for domestic camels?
monthly
How are young and adult camels examined?
YOUNG = examined while standing
ADULT = require some restraint, either while standing or in sternal recumbency
What intestinal parasite are camels especially susceptible to? How are the treated?
whipworms - not covered by common Ivermectin products
- Ivermectin AND Panacur
- deworm every 2 months in high-risk locale
What vaccination is required annually for camels?
Clostridium CD/T
- require a booster one month after the initial shot
In what 3 ways does branding harm camels? Why is this typically performed?
- causes immense stress and can make underlying disease worse
- utilizes the body’s resources to heal the burn
- upsets human-animal bond
+ predisposes to tetanus!
thought to improve health + identification
What causes saddle sores? Why is quick treatment necessary?
saddle rub due to poorly fitting saddles that are improperly balanced
can ulcerate and become infested with maggots or develop bacterial infection
When is ringworm more prevalent in camels?
- cold and rainy seasons (Fall-Winter)
- young
- females > males
ZOONOTIC
What are the most common causes of ringworm in young and adult camels?
- Trichophyton verrucosum, Microsporum gypseum
- Trichophyton mentagrophytes
What are the most common clinical signs associated with ringworm in camels?
- dry, hairless, circular patches with scaly white encrustation
- lesion begins small (1-2 cm) and grows or merges
- non-pruritic
What are 3 common treatments for ringworm in cattle?
- soap and water wash to remove crusts
- 50/50 tinture idone/glycerine SID until patches disappear
- topical antimycotic (Nystatin)
spontaneous recovery common!
What causes mange in camel? How?
MITE - Sarcoptes scabiei var cameli
mite burrows through the skin and causes irritation = pruritic
How do camels with mange appear? How is it spread?
affected areas appear red and hair is rubbed off due to pruritus
directly animal to animal or through fomites (saddles, harnesses, etc.)
Mange:
- alopecia
- wrinkled skin
How is mange diagnosed in camels? What 3 treatments are recommended?
skin scrape in 10% KOH
- Diazinon spray
- Hexachlorocyclohexane spray
- SQ injection of Ivermectin
(difficult to eradicate)
What is the most common cause of warts in camels? How do they compare to camel pox and contagious ecthyma lesions?
Papillomavirus –> small, cauliflower-like, most common in young camels
- typically not covered by surface crusts
- no edema associated
- no regional LN enlargement
When are tick infestations especially dangerous? What species can cause significant mechanical damage?
can cause severe anemia and death in younger camels
Amblyomma - udder, teat
What are the 4 most common causes of casious lymphadenitis in camels? What is it commonly secondary to? Where in the body is most commonly affected?
- Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
- Streptococcus
- Staphylococcus
- Trueperella pyogenes
cutaneous or oral wound infection
LNs behind the jaw, at the base of the neck, and around the rump
Caseous lymphadenitis:
What are common signs of nasal bot infections? What species can cause this?
- nasal d/c
- restlessness
- loss of appetite, anorexia
- dyspnea
- sneezing, snoring
Cephalopsis titillator
What are 5 possible treatments used for nasal bots in camels?
- Ivermectin
- Albendazole
- Rafoxanide
- nostril irrigation with Trichlorophen
- SQ injection of Nitroxynil
What is Hydatid disease?
development of slow-growing cysts of Echinococcus (larval cestode) forming most commonly in the lungs, liver, and spleen –> dog is DH
- typically with no clinical signs
- organs must be destroyed
When does uterine prolapse most commonly occur in camels? What does it predispose the camel to? What happens if it is not replaced rapidly?
immediately after or several hours after giving birth, when the cervix is still open and uterus lacks tone
retained placenta + dystocia
prolapsed uterus will become congested and edematous and eventually hemorrhage, necrose, and cause sepsis
In what camels is indigestion most common? What causes it?
working and racing camels
overfeeding concentrates (grain, wheat, flour, dates)) –> rumen acidosis
What clinical signs are associated with indigestion in camels?
- vomiting
- foul acidic smell from mouth
- stops chewing cud
- stiff, unwilling to move
- auscultation on left side behind rib cage indicates stasis (<3-4 sounds/min)
What are 3 parts of treating indigestion in camels?
- Buscopan - pain
- sodium bicarbonate drench
- Bykodigest, Ruminodigest - anti-indigestion
What are 3 parts of treating severe cases of indigestion in camels?
- IV sodium bicarbonate
- IV saline
- transfusion of stomach fluid from other healthy camel (typically one just slaughtered) using a stomach tube and pump
What is the only species-specific camel disease included in the OIE’s list of notifiable diseases?
camel pox - highly contagious skin disease in Old World camels (Dromedary, Bactrian)
- most common in Australia
- different from the parapoxvirus genus that causes contagious ecthyma
What makes eradication of camel pox difficult?
high environmental stability - remain infectious over several months, especially in crusts, serum, blood, and other excretions
How is camel pox spread? What are the 2 main risk factors?
- direct contact or inhalations from sick animals, particularly at watering or grazing places
- contaminated environment
- shedding of pox scabs contaminates water or pasture (source of infection!)
group watering and introduction of new animals to a susceptible herd
What are 3 characteristics of camel pox? How long is the incubation period?
- fever
- enlarged LNs
- skin lesions - depend on age of camel and the strain of virus (rash/macules –> papules, vesicles, scabs, crusts –> recovery scars)
1-2 weeks (may be 3 days)
What are 3 forms of camel pox?
- mild localized form without fever
- severe generalized form with high fever, LN enlargement, and lesions on internal organs
- sporadic cases in adults in a pattern of persistent infection
(depends on age of camel, season, and strain)
Camel pox lesions:
mild = small nodules
Camel pox:
What causes camel contagious echythema? What is characteristic? When is morbidity highest?
Parapoxcirus (PPV)
proliferative, crusty/scabby epidermal lesion around the mouth, lips, buccal cavity + swelling of head (calves showed lacrimation)
calves <1 y/o
What treatments are recommended for camel pox?
- Cidofovir - inhibits viral DNA polymerase, prevents death in infected camels
- Oxytetracycline - secondary infection
- antipyretics
- antihistamines
- multivitamins
How is camel pox infection avoided?
- SANITATION - manage drinking water, avoid skin abrasions
- ISOLATE diseased animals
- QUARANTINE + restrict camel movements
- VACCINATE herd - live attenuated (long-term protection) or inactivated + booster recommended for young (8-12 months), yearly with inactivated vaccine
What causes trypanosomiasis in camels? What signs are associated?
Trypanosoma evansi - lives in the blood between red cells of infected camels and can reach the LNs, heart muscles, and CSF
- wasting, emaciation
- intermittent fever
- anemia
- edema
What animals act as carriers of Trypanosomiasis? What are 6 ways of transmission?
sheep and goats
- biting flies
- contaminated syringes with infected blood
- blood-sucking bats (vampire bats in South America)
- infected ticks
- nasal and conjunctival mucous membranes
- eating infected camel meat (dogs)
(not known to be transmitted to humans)
How does Trypanosomiasis cause anemia, edema, and emaciation?
exotoxins destroy RBCs, leading to hemolytic anemia and prevention of RBC production = decreased Hg, PCV, RBC
multiply in cardiac muscles, leading to cardiac insufficiency and CHF (main cause of death)
consume blood glucose and myoglycogen, leading to muscle atrophy
What are the 2 forms of Trypanosomiasis?
ACUTE - less common, intermittent fever of 2-4 days followed by a febrile period of 6-7 days, edema of distal extremities, enlarged LNs, lacrimation, constipation (total 3-4 months)
CHRONIC - 3 years sickness, anemia, jaundice, general edema of the base of the neck, brisket, abdomen, and legs, emaciation
What are some additional signs of Trypanosomiasis?
- enlarged external LNs
- corneal opacity, blindness, paralysis = advanced
- chronic moist cough due to pulmonary edema
- abortion
- severe reduction of milk
- atrophied testes and decreased libido in males
- recumbency
- diarrhea
What are 3 post-mortem findings associated with Trypanosomiasis?
- emaciated carcass
- enlarged LNs and spleen
- serous exudates and gelatinous material in the abdominal cavity and SQ (anasarca)
What are 2 traditional tests used for diagnosing Trypanosomiasis?
- sand ball test - collect a handful of the soil that the camel has urinated on, shape it into a ball, let it dry for 15 mins and break it open –> will smell like sweat
- tail hair test - pull on the hair from the camel’s tail –> comes out easily with some tissue sticking to it
What are 2 common blood examination strategies used to diagnose Trypanosomiasis?
- wet blood films - place one drop of blood on a clean slide and cover it to allow microscopic examination–> can see trypanosomes
- thick blood films - place a drop of blood and spread it over an area using the corner of another slide dry the slide, immerse in distilled water (de-hemoglobinized), examine microscopically (100 oil immersion) –> trypanosomes may be damaged
How can the sensitivity of a wet blood film be increased when diagnosing Trypanosomiasis?
lyse RBCs before examination using hemolytic agents, like SDS
What are some other options for diagnosing Trypanosomiasis?
- thing blood smears
- microhematocrit centrifugation (Woo method)
- dark phase buffy coat technique
What are some serochemical and serological tests used for diagnosing trypanosomiasis?
formal gel test, mercuric chloride test, thymol turbidity test
CFT, ELISA, FAT, CATT
What is the most reliable method for diagnosing trypanosomiasis of camels in a febrile period?
scant trypanosomes in blood —> animal inoculation
- inoculate blood, lymphatic fluid, and CSF into guinea pigs –> if positive, trypanosomes will be seen in the blood within 2-11 days
What are the 4 major differentials for camel trypanosomiasis?
- dipetalonemiasis - edema, enlarged LNs
- wasting disease - like tuberculosis and caseaous lymphadenitis
- heavy tick infestation - anemia, edema, young camels
- gravitational edema
How can trypanosomiasis be controlled in camels?
- prophylactic treatment to herds
- control flies and ticks - repellant pour-on (lasts 2 months)
- keep rearing and grazing areas free from adult flies
When are curative drugs used to treat trypanosomiasis? What are 6 possible drugs used?
cure individual infected, does NOT protect the whole herd
- Cymelarsan
- Lonidine
- Trypacide
- Berinil
- Trypamidium, Samorin
- Novidium, Ethidium
When are prophylactic drugs used to treat trypanosomiasis? What are. 3 options?
when risk is so high at the herd level –> cure and protect camels against T. evansi for 2-4 months
- Naganol (Surami)
- Trypacide
- Trypamidium, Samorin
What 4 supportive treatments are recommended for trypanosomiasis?
- cardiorespiratory stimulants
- hematenic
- glucose IV
- diuretic
