Farm Skills: Alpacas Flashcards
Adult alpaca TPR
- HR: 60-90 bpm
- RR: 10-30 breaths per min
- Temp: 37.5-38.9C
True/false: vaccinating alpacas against clostridial is a good idea.
True
* Primary course is 2 injections 3-6 weeks apart
* Boosters annually
* Booster for pregnant animals 4-6 weeks before unpacking
Differentials and treatment
Differentials: manidbular abscess, osteomyelitis/ lumpy jaw
Mandibular abscess
* There will be lateral swelling ± draining tract
* Tooth extraction required - lateral incision over teeth, split the tooth (must done under GA)
Osteomyelitis/ lumpy jaw
* Signs include drooling, weight loss, ill thrift
* Requires radiographs/ CT/ MRI
* Surgical debridement + antibiotics described
What is hepatic lipidosis and which animals does it affect? How can you diagnose and treat it?
Hepatic lipidosis = fatty liver
* Affects all ages but especially pregnant/ lactating females and anorexic animals
* Diagnosis: increased serum triglycerides and lipids; ultrasound changes in echogenicity
* Supportive treatment: fluids
Diagnosis, clinical signs and treatment
Megaoesophagus
Clinical signs
* Weight loss
* Regurgitation
* Hypersalivation, frothing
Diagnosis: barium contrast study
Treatment: easy swallowing and feeding from an elevated surface
Clinical signs and treatment of gastric atony
Clinical signs
* Anorexia
* Loss in BCS
* Depression
Treatment: fluids.
Anorexia for 3-5 days = death of bacteria and protozoa in C1 and C2 -> requires transfaunation
Differentials for diarrhoea in adult alpacas
- Feed changes
- Eosinophilic enteritis
- Coccidiosis (Eimeria)
- Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (fatal)
- Parasites
Differentials for diarrhoea in crias
- Milk scour
- Diet change (can lead to blockage of spiral colon and colic)
- Rotavirus
- Coronavirus
- Cryptosporidium
- E. coli
- Coccidiosis around weaning (stress-induced)
- Giardia
- Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- Salmonella
Treatment of diarrhoea in alpacas
- Fluids
- Electrolyte replacement
- Antibiotics if indicated
- NSAIDs
Clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment
Gastric ulceration of C3 and proximal duodenum
* There are partial or full thickness erosions
* Stress-induced
Clinical signs
* Anorexia
* Colic
* Bruxism
* Depression
Treatment
* IV pantopazole or omeprazole to increase C3 pH
* ± blood transfusion
Clinical signs, treatment and prevention of Vitamin D deficiency
Clinical signs
* Lameness
* Hunched back
* Weight loss
Treatment
* Oral paste or injectable
Prevention
* Young animals - 3 doses - Nov, Jan, March
* All ages - Nov
* Pregnant females - 2 doses - Jan, Nov
Cria TPR
Weight: 7-11kg
HR: 60-100bpm
RR: 30 breaths per min
Temp: 37.8C
Clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of failure of passive transfer
Cria should ingest 10-15% BW within 24hrs.
Clinical signs
* Dull and depressed
* Unable to stand
* No suck reflex
* Hypothermia
* Septicaemia
* Diarrhoea
Diagnosis: IgG <5.5g/dl at 18-24hrs
Treatment: 1 unit (300ml) plasma taken from an older vaccinated male from the same herd if possible
Common congenital abnormalities in crias
- Choanal atresia (fatal as obligate nasal breather)
- Umbilical hernia
- VSD
- Segmental aplasia
- Atresia ani/ coli
- Syndactyly/ polydactyly
- Angular limb deformities (valgus, arthrogryposis, tendon laxity)
- Prematurity
- Wry nose/ face
- Blue eyed deafness
- Juvenile cataracts
- Blocked nasolacrimal ducts
- Tail defects
- Female urogenital defects e.g. clitoral hypertrophy, hypoplastic ovaries, double cervices
- Male urogenital defects e.g. testicular hypoplasua, corkscrew penis, persistent frenulum
Clinical signs of prematurity in cria
- Domed head
- Floppy ears
- Excess foot periople
- Silky fur
- Failure to stand
- Poor suck reflex
- FPT
How can you sedate an alpaca?
Triple stun IM
* Xylazine
* Butorphanol
* Ketamine
Pre-op care e.g. for alpaca undergoing castration
- Clostridial vaccination
- Starve for 12hrs due to regurgitation risk
- NSAIDs
- Antibiotics: penicillin
- Local anaesthetic into testicle after sedation
Endoparasites affecting alpacas and general clinical signs
Endoparasites
* Coccidiosis
* Cryptosporidium
* Haemonchus
* Liver fluke
* Lungworm
* Nematodirus
General clinical signs
* Anaemia
* Diarrhoea
* Ill thrift
* Malaise
* Death
Must do individual FEC.
Clinical signs and diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica
Fasciola hepatica
* Affects bile ducts
* Shedding in faeces at 10-12 days but not always seen
Clinical signs
* Ill thrift
* Poor growth
* Death
Diagnosis
* Increased serum bile acids, increased ALP, increased AST
- Must be up to date with clostridial vaccinations -> increased risk of Black’s disease (Clostridium novyi)
Clinical signs of copper deficiency
- Depigmentation of fibre
- Wire texture
- Poor growth
- Predisposed to disease
Treatment and prevention: dietary supplementation
Dorsal nasal alopecia
* There is dermatitis on the bridge of the nose with skin that is scaly, hyperpigmented, thickened.
Potential causes:
* Dark nose syndrome (seen in dark coloured animals)
* Burrowing mites
Diagnosis
* Skin scrapes ± biopsy
Treatment options:
* Parasites treatment
* Topical or systemic steroids
Clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment of zinc-responsive dermatosis
= idiopathic hyperkeratosis
Clinical signs
* Seen at any age
* Non-pruritic papules with tightly adherent crust
* Less densely haired areas or perineum, ventral abdomen, inguinal region, medial thighs, axilla, medial forearms, face
Diagnosis: skin biopsy
Treatment: oral zinc sulphate/ topical zinc shampoos
Clinical signs and differential diagnoses of mange
- Severe dermatitis: heavy, adherent, hyperkeratotic crusts especially on paranasal/ perioral regions
Differentials:
* Viral contagious pustular dermatitis
* Dermatophilosis
* Dermatophytosis
* Bacterial dermatitis
* Immune-mediated disease
Clinical signs, differentials, diagnosis and treatment
Clinical signs
* Alopecia
* Hyperkeratosis
* Scaling
* Pruritus
Differentials:
* Sarcoptes, Psoroptes, Chorioptes, Demodex
* Zinc deficiency
Diagnosis
* Skin scrapes, skin biopsies
Treatment
* Ivermectin repeated q14 days (must be IM or SC; not oral)
Diagnosis of lice and treatment
Biting louse = Damalinia breviceps
Sucking louse = Microthoracius cameli
Diagnosis: sellotape test
Treatment
* Sucking louse - ivermectin
* Biting louse - topical pyrethrin
Clinical signs of ticks
- Tick paralysis
- Inner ear issues leading to Horner’s syndrome ± encephalitic death
Clinical signs of TB
Mycobacterium pinnipedii, bovis, microti
Clinical signs
* Lethargy
* Anorexia
* Weight loss
* Coughing
* Resp signs - mild to severe
* Sudden death
Zoonotic!
Diagnosis of TB
- Often made at PM: granulomas in lungs and lymph nodes, presence of acid-fast bacilli
Mycoplasma haemolamae
* Causes mild to fatal anaemia
* Diagnosed on blood smear or PCR
* Treatment: oxytetracycline ± blood transfusion
