Camelids :) Flashcards
how can you differentiate alpacas from camels so your clients don’t think you’re silly and incompetent?
Alpacas will have a convex top-line with a low set tail. In general they are smaller, have shorter ears and a uniform fleece
Llamas will have a straight top-line and high set tail. In general they are larger with banana shaped ears and have a course outer fleece with a soft undercoat
Suri alpacas have __ quality than huacaya fleece which is dense and fluffy
higher
what are guanaco and vicuna camelids?
wild south american camelids
dromedary camels have __ hump while bactrian have __ humps
1, 2
female llama/alpaca
hembra
male llama/alpaca
macho, gelding
baby llama/alpaca
cria
female camel
cow
male camel
bull
baby camel
calf
alpacas are mostly used for showing, what are they judged on?
conformation and fiber quality (better = more crimp)
alpacas need their friends __ than llamas. what should you do if an alpaca is coming into the clinic?
more, have the alpaca owner bring them a companion so they don’t get too stressed out
camelids can survive on __ only and are __ efficient than ruminants
pasture, more
camelid reactions to restraint
cush, scream, jump, run, spit, kick
you’re placing a halter on a camelid for the first time, what should you consider?
make sure its far enough back on the muzzle (closer to eyes) that its not compressing cartilage making it difficult to breath
an aggressive camelid will push its ears __ and tail __
down, up
llamas live __ than alpacas
longer
what must you do to properly BCS a camelid?
feel through the fiber to properly assess the animal
male camelids have __ canines that are called__and can be cut off with a b-wire
4, fighting teeth
t/f: its normal for camelid teeth to have short points and you shouldn’t grind them down
t
camelids are walking on __ and __ and need routine nail trimmings
P2, P3
sacculations in the stomach of the camelid __ surface area for digestion and __ is the “true stomach”
increase, C3
camelids are __ in demeanor
stoic
what parasite most commonly affects camelids and how should you assess the animal for its parasite load?
haemonchus, FAMACHA score
describe the jugular anatomy
The skin is up to 1 cm thick in upper cervical region. Processes of the cervical vertebrae curve ventrally around the jugular and carotid vessels. When sticking try to use the right side to avoid esophagus.
describe normal clinical pathology of camelids
- Erythrocytes are adapted for high altitude making them eliptical, flat and small with hemoglobin crystals
- The PCV will be lower with higher RBC numbers than other species
- leukocytes are similar to other species with counts 8-22,000/uL
- hyperglycemia
mycoplasma haemolamae
- detaches from RBC’s if slides are not made quickly
- mild, moderate or severe anemia
- most cases subclinical
- healthy animals mount immune response
- treatment does not clear organism
parasites of camelids? How do they control the feces?
trichostrongyles
nematodirus
haemonchus
camelids defecate in a common dump pile
paralaphostrongylus tenius
- snails and slugs intermediate hosts
- white tail deer normal DH
- camelid is aberrant host
- cause spinal cord disease
- prevention is frequent deworming with ivermectin
haemonchus contortus
- larvae in C3 cause blood loss
- often just present for being off feed with PCV < 8%
- resistance is a huge problem in camelid populations
- FAMACHA scoring
- fecal flotation
Eimeria macusaniensis
- very large coccidia that can cause weight loss, anemia and hypoalbuminemia
- need high specific gravity fecal solution to detect
- often resistant to sulfas or amprolium
- ponazuril can be used to treat
T/F: all vaccinations for camelids are off label
T
what vaccines are considered core for camelids?
- clostridial perf typ D, C and clostridium tetani (others if implicated)
- rabies
most delay camelid castration until __ months. why?
18, long bone growth plates dont close till 18-24 months and early castration leads to prolonged bone growth causing joint hyperextension and osteoarthritis
camelids are __ ovulators with breeding taking __ minutes or more
induced, 20
neonatal care of camelids
- females don’t have much physical touch but are very interested
- neonate has epidermal membrane since theres not as much amniotic fluid
- females have 4 teats and crias suckle from each teat for a few seconds
t/f: crias relay on colostrum for immunity
T
