DEATH CAMAS

There has been several alpacas that have died recently in this area (spring '05) after eating Death Camas.

Print this page in color then take a spring walk in your pasture with a bucket and a shovel!!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vaccinations

Antibiotics

Diarrhea

Eye problems

Deworming

Meningeal Worm Protection

Ivomectin and Camelids-general statement

Whip and Nematodirus worm protection

Fecal testing

Lice

Effective FMD Disinfectants

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

Dehydration, Checking alpacas for same

Nutrition

Vitamin D supplement for Neonates

Grass hay

Hay Testing

Grain ration (3 way, 4 way, sweet mix, etc.)

Calf Manna to increase milk production

Use of 'Equine Senior' for Camelids

Minerals

Weaning crias

IgG testing - What to do and when to do it!

Neonate navel

Birthing crias

Choking alpacas or llamas

Skin Problems

Mange or Munge, Treating

Progesterone Testing (to see if female is preg.)

Prolapsed Uterus

Poison Ivy - They like it!

Poison Plants? - Go to this page

Polioencephalomalacia

Giving Shots

Veterinary Drug Doses for camelids (now on a separate page)

West Nile Virus Links

Stop back by often - these pages are always changing!

A good book to have to continue with this effort would be: Veterinary Lama Field Manual (2nd edition is now out) (A collection of Seminar Articles), by C. Norman Evans, D.V.M. Lama Wellness Service, 810 Dodson Lane, Madisonville, Kentucky USA 42431, (502)-821-7993, fax 502-825-3936 $27.00 Available at most camelid conferences, and suppliers. See Useful Lama Items or Stevens Llama Tique.

Sources include, but not limited to:

ALPACA VET SEMINAR - ESTES PARK WOOL MARKET - 1997

RMLA Mini-Conference April 18, 1998

Bob Hance, Hance Ranch

Wayne Russert, Deartrail Ranch

Alpaca Internet Chat List

Camelid Internet Chat List

Kim Gardner-Graff, DVM (Monument, CO)

Leon Anderson, DVM (Elizabeth, CO)

Debra Mayo, DVM (mobile vet-Golden, CO)

Various Vets around the country

lots of experience

and many other sources...

VACCINATIONS

CD-Tetanus (once annually, adult)

ADULTS:

Vaccinate 45-60 days (some vets recommend 60-90 days) prior to delivery for females. May vaccinate males annually. 3cc per alpaca. SubQ

NOTES ON C.D. & T.

There are many ways to give neonates C.D. & T . Some vets say it does no good for the neonate until they are 8 weeks old. Note: This is true if the dam got her shot 30-60 days before she gave birth.
Some vets say until one month old I'd recommend 2cc at one week. Not much benefit for one cc.

CD&T Vacc. Summary of Schedules for Neonates:

2cc at one week after birth and 2cc booster at 4 weeks old, 3cc annually thereafter.

You can skip the 4 wk booster if the Mom has had her injection recently.

I recommend: If your (Pregnant) female did not have her C.D. & T shot 30-60 days before birth proceed with 2cc at one week to one month to neonate and give the female her 3cc at this time then continue shots to the neonate at the third schedule above. If your female did get her C.D. & T. shot before birthing, you pick a schedule above you like for your cria!
(Giving CD & T shots to pregnant females at 30 days or less before birth is not reccomended... don't do it.)

Use toxoid vaccine, not bactrin toxoid.

Anchor or Bioceutic are best brands.Figure on 3 cc for each adult

BAR VAC CD-T - Anchor 50ml $4.89 Valley Vet Supply 800-356-1005

(May not be listed in all their catalogs, but call, they have it.) It will not be in any Equine Catalogs....

Top

ANTIBIOTICS

Antibiotic (Use penicillin for 5 days after birth to stop infection in uterus. 5cc/day Aquacillin (Sterile Penicillin G Procaine) Aqueous Suspension Injectible Antibiotic. Available from Valley Vet Supply 800-356-1005, $14.00 for 250ml. Brands available:Vedco, Agrilabs, Pfizer. (I wouldn't use unless there is a problem at birth. These females have been giving birth for the last 40,000 years without penicillin.)

DIARRHEA

From a well respected Local camelid vet. -->> Cure for the GWAS poopies.

Kaopectate 20-30 ML four times a day
Electrolyte water or drench
Probiotics
Should get firmer in about 48 hours

If they stop eating and/or have a temp of over 103
she's treating with Banomine and antibiotics.

Top

EYE PROBLEMS

Most all eye products contain a steroid of some type. Normally this is not a problem except steroids cause abortions in pregnant females. Yes even a few drops can do this.

It is best you contact your vet for further information on this subject.

Look, at the eye lid(s) and look for a hair or something under the eye lid. Get some saline solution (same stuff folks use to clean contact lenses) at the local store. Just Saline... nothing else in the bottle.

Squirt some into the eye and wash it out.

Occasionally the lower eye lid turns into the eye (on neonates). Put some eye ointment under the eye lid to make it flip back out. The sooner you do this the better the results.

Top

DEWORMING (Biannually)

Worm two weeks after the first killing frost (when there is no more flies) and 3-6 weeks after new pasture growth. Around here (Eastern Colorado, USA) the dates would be early to mid November and mid to late May. Rotate two different wormers, i.e. don't use the same wormer consecutively.
Recommended Biannually, rotate deworming brands biannually.

Lately this time frame has had some problems, the weather does not always cooperate. Killing frost sometimes doesn't occur until December or may occur in October, and new pasture in the spring varies as well.

Top
Panacur™ (fenbendazole) Panacur™ (in all forms) should be double the labeled dose for camelids - This kills tapeworms at that dose.

Some folks give this for three consecutive days once a year.

(Safeguard™ is the pellet form). (Although it is just as good and safe as the granular, llamas and alpacas won't eat it. At least I can't get them to eat it.)

Granular form, feed 10 Mg / Lb rate.

Each blue packet contains 5.2g or 5200Mg

I have a chart to determine dosages for the Granules

Panacur Liquid, Use the 20% solution (Oral)
The dose for this is one ml/20 lbs of alpaca (100 lb alpaca gets 5
ml). This is the equivalent of the 20 mg/kg dose that Dr. Norm
Evans suggests. I bet it is a lot cheaper too as the 10% paste gets
very pricey when you have to worm all animals for three consecutive
days (or longer). YOU WILL NEED A DVM PRESCRIPTION FOR THIS.

Comes in a large amount. Share with your friends and other alpaca owners as it will expire before you use it all up!

Top
Strongid-C (Pyrantel) Granular available. Very safe. Feed Strongid™(1X) at .5 ounces/125 pounds. Feed 2X Strongid™ at .5 ounces/250 pounds.. (Serves no purpose to double dose.) To help... give alpacas 1/2 cup of 1X formula, llamas give full cup.. 2X formula = 1/4 cup to Alpacas, 1/2 cup for Llamas....

Dosage chart for Strongid.

IMPORTANT: Pyrantel should not be mixed with rations containing bentonite. (Bentonite is a soft, porous clay from volcanic ash.) Check the labels of your pellets to make sure you're not feeding Bentonite. Bentonite is used to hold together mixtures in pellets for various llama and alpaca feeds (as well as goats and sheep). Studies have been done that indicate Bentonite can aid in the production of fiber on fiber alpacas. (Do a little research on your own, climb on to Google or type in: bentonite "feed additive" Include the quotes). You'll get enough articles to keep you busy for a while.

Dectomax (doramectin) 1cc/70-100lbs - SubQ

This is only in a liquid form for now, you must inject it.

Dr. Pugh, DVM (date: Summer '98 at AOBA Conf.) seminar talked about Dectomax and said it was better and safer and longer lasting than Ivomectin. Was tested on Dairy Cows. He says is real safe. I have noticed many camelid vets recommend this, now.

SUMMARY-RISK: If your alpacas are in small pens, you're going to have to deworm more often. If you have larger pens or pastures, stay with recommended worming schedules. It's all a matter of risk, low risk of getting 'something' stay with the above dosages, high risk? increase schedule frequency

High Risk = small pens - consistently eating near poop piles (cleaned up or not!)

Low Risk = large pens - major distance between poop piles

ALSO: Here is an interesting on-line article that compares herbal worming to chemical ones. Discusses Ivomectin and lot of other avenues of worming related to Dairy Goats.

http://www.7mfarm.com/Herbal-VS-Chemical.html

Diatomaceous Earth (DE):

DE will not reduce, combat or kill intestinal worms. There are many, many confirmations on that. It does do a good job on flies as it kills the larvae hatching in the manure. It only works externally, but can be fed as it mixes with the food and thus manure. DE must be food grade for consumption. Reference: Steve Hull, TimberLakeFarms, Inc, Alpacasite 12/18/06

Top
Meningeal Worm Protection

The primary host for Meningeal Worm is the White Tailed deer.

This is not a problem in Colorado

Please also refer to:

"The Medicine and Surgery of South American Camelids",

Murray E. Fowler, DVM,

Second Edition, 1998

ISBN 0-8138-0397-7

To order your copy, contact: Iowa State University Press, at 800-862-6657, fax 515-292-3348 or http://www.isupress.edu

Top

IVERMECTIN GENERAL STATEMENT ON THIS DRUG...

Use the Ivermectin Plus for cattle and administer 1cc/110 lbs (not very much) per adult alpaca subcutaneously, not orally.

There are many doses to give alpacas and llamas (You will see more than one on this page) , I believe the most common is 1cc per 110 pounds. I wouldn't give any alpaca more than 1 1/2 cc. Llamas at 400 pounds about 3cc. Subq (under the skin)

In the Summer 2000 issue of Alpacas® Magazine you will find on page 48 Dr. Kitzel A. Farrah, D.V.M. (a well respected camelid vet in SW Colorado) indicated one should administer Ivomectin at 1cc for every 75 pounds of body weight). It's an interesting article, read it.

This stuff can be overdosed, so make sure what you are giving and the amount, and pull out the syring just a bit and look for red (blood) before you inject. Don't inject directly into blood stream.

This is good to rid an alpaca of lice, ticks, mites, heck just about everything, except Whip worm and a few others.

Ivomec (Ivermectin 1cc / 70-110lb)

Top

Whip and Nematodirus worm protection:

(Again not a real problem in Colorado)
Whip worm is not controlled by Ivemectin.

Dectomax (doramectin) will provide protection.

Fenbendazole (Panacur/Safegard) can be used at the rate of 20mg/kg. If a severe whip worm problem exists, you will have to administer the dosage for 3-5 consecutive days.

Repeat the fenbendazole treatment every 3-4 months.

Parasite research 'words of wisdom' for whip worms, Nematodirus worms and Meningeal Worms provided by Dr. Anderson of Ohio State University (now with Kansas) . In e-mail on Alpaca Chat list dated January, 2000

Top

Fecal testing for worm (eggs in stool):

Should do at least once per year, (can send pellets to local vet for processing)

OR....

Dissolve Epson Salts in test tube. cut/crush up pellet(s) and put in a special solution.

Spin down...or Shake... eggs will rise to top.

Important to take samples from many places (many alpacas). Need a 40 power microscope, recommend a dual lense to see eggs. They are little round clear, almost looks like bubbles on the plate.

You can purchase a fecal kit from the Vet supply houses that will do 50 tests or so.

If you would like to have parasite identification done, you can gather a fecal sample and take it to you local vet.

Parasite research 'words of wisdom' for whip worms, Nematodirus worms and Meningeal Worms provided by Dr. Anderson of Ohio State University (now in Kansas). In e-mail on Alpaca Chat list dated January, 2000

Call them for current pricing.

This analysis is accurate only for the sample submitted. Make sure the sample you submit is representative of the feedstuff being tested.

Don’t use any oil based (injectable) vaccines on camelids. You can use mineral oil to help in constipation, dehydration, etc., but it is not injected.

Lepto (not common here) Vaccine is very bad for Camelids.

Top
Lice

Pyrethrum products are best. (keep alpaca dry for 24 hours)

If you have regular problems - Delouse annually around Thanksgiving (Late November).

Can also use Sevin Garden Dust. It's ok, just keep it out of the eyes.

Read the labels.

Dehydration, Checking in alpacas
By Stephen Hull, Ph.D. (off Alpaca chat list 12/12/2000)

"Dehydration is easy to assess in alpacas with loose skin and harder in those with "tighter" more adhered skin. Dogs and cats are a snap - camelids a bit harder, pigs are almost impossible.

Pull up a ~ 1/2 inch (~1 cm) fold of skin on the back of your hand. Let go and see that it immediately "flops" back. In dehydration the subcutaneous tissues are stiffer and less compliant. The skin, when pinched up, will stay up when released and resemble a "tent". This this is often called the "tenting response". Skin tugor is the proper name.

I assess skin along the spine at about the same spot I check for condition. Crias are easier to check than adults.

Get used to what "normal" is on your herd (and yourself). This technique is a very precise measure of body hydration."

Top
Nutrition

Vitamin D3 Shouldn't have to use (in sunny Colorado) for winter babies.

Available in a gel/tube (Bob Hance) Vitamin A-D3-E-B12 give one click on a 3-tab gun to cria.

Given every two weeks in some foggy and cloudy areas. 

If crias have front legs that seem to be a little crooked, give them a dose the 1st month after birth., repeat in two weeks. Magically the legs will straighten out!

Top
Grass hay is best. Fresh grass pasture preferred for lactating females. Feed hay in container on ground. Keeps dust out of eyes. Alfalfa pellets are not recommended, some will choke on them. They eat about 2% of their body weight in hay per day. A 400 pound llama will eat about 8 pounds of hay per day. That equates to about 10-15% of a bale of hay weighing about 65 pounds. Hay for an 150 pound Alpaca would be about 3 pounds of hay or about half that of a llama. Hay can be fed free choice, as these critters know when to stop eating. Pile it up a week's hay ahead of time, it's ok. They may waste a lot of it walking on it to get to the newer parts of the bales (Try that with other hay consuming alpacas and you'll have dead alpacas all over the pasture!)

Alfalfa is not recommended as a regular feed, it contains too much protein. It can be fed to them occasionally as a treat. There has been thoughts that too much alfalfa can cause kidney stones and calcium stones in the uninary tract. In humans you go in for surgery and your ok tomorrow, for camelids... it's life threatening.

To remedy this put a cap full of (real) Apple Cider Vinegar in their fresh water every day.

Top
Hay testing:

For pricing, tests done, location, etc. go to:

SDK Laboratories

www.sdklabs.com

Or call 1-877-464-0623

They are located in Hutchinson, KS

Don't look at the heavy metal analysis and see that Selenium costs $55 to do!

It's really only $22... look under Individual Mineral Analyses and Individual Analyses for what you want.

Be sure to use a hay probe for true forage quality testing. You can borrow one at your local County Extension Agent.

Top
Apple Cider Vinegar:

Owners use Apple Cider Vinegar for quite a few reasons:

1) It (reportedly) reduces Calcium stones in the urinary tract and kidneys.

2) It does keeps algae out of the water pale.

3) It (reportedly) promotes female crias. It is well known that females are created when the mother's body chemistry is more acid. It doesn't always work, of course, but many owners use it.
(Of course, if this sounds to good to be true, that's because it is. Some friends used it and got 13 female crias in one year... The next year another tried it and got 13 male crias in a row!)

Make sure you get REAL Apple Cider Vinegar and use one cap full in the water pale or tub each day or when it is refilled.

Top
Grain ration. Use during last trimester and lactation females. Can be used on low weight alpacas.

Your alpaca doesn't eat the rolled corn? Try cracked corn and mix your own grain ration.

(I know what you're saying, "They don't eat rolled corn, how the &^%$ do they eat the other ingredients in the dish and leave the rolled corn?! That's impossible for alpacas to do that.... Well, maybe for horses, pigs, goats and sheep, but not camelids. With their lips they can pick out grains of oats and leave the flat grain of corn. Why do they do this? It may be due to difficulty chewing the rolled corn since many of them that have this peculiar eating practice .... neonates and weanlings.)
Also many will leave harder feed in the dish because it hurts when they chew it, i.e. tooth problems.

Top
Calf Manna. Can be used on momas with limited milk. very hot. high protein.
Others brands are available. Some females do not like the licorice smell/taste? of Calf Manna. Do not get small teats (or bag) on a female confused with low milk production, they can fool you. If you have a concern about this, get the cria tested for IgG in a week after birth.

Top
Equine Senior. High TDN... For older alpacas and some neonates. Easy to digest. (Heated sweet mix and extruded into pellet.) (Can choke on pellet brand of this stuff.?. Feed that with flaked corn if your alpacas have that problem or get the Purina brand, they seem to like it better and don't choke on it.)

Top
MINERALS
These alpacas need minerals, free choice and granular in form.

On the web at:

Cache La Poudre Minerals

http://www.serendipityfarm.com/

or http://www.clpminerals.com

Stillwater Minerals at:

http://www.stillwaterminerals.com/

Top
Weaning:

Wean cold turkey. White blood cells come to bottom of utter when not nursing. When nursing continues neonate sucks out all white blood cells.... Causes inflammation of uterus and possible mastitis. (This is officially called the Utter (other) Method... from Jerry Dunn, a well known and well respected llama owner and trainer in Golden, CO.)

Top
IgG testing using Total Protein Values and Jorgensen's kits.

When to test: anytime after 24 hours after birth.

CD&T vaccinate moms 45-60 days before delivery. This causes high(er) IgG in moms milk.

Can have total Protein of blood tested before IgG is determined. If Total Protein less than 4.5, then transfuse cria. Acceptable range is 4.5 to 4.7 Do test 24 hours after birth.

Can purchase total protein kits (can carry around in pocket..... that small)

(I don't know where, if you do contact me.)

If you have a vet that says he/she can test colostrum intake using cattle, equine, swine, etc. test kits.... They're nuts!

Have your vet call Jorgensen and find out the CORRECT information!

Generally you use Triple J's testing for IgG

Donald Jorgensen - Triple J Farms

23404 NE 8th Street, Redmond, WA 98053

Phone: 425-868-6263 Fax: 425-868-6335

Email: DonJorgensen@msn.com

Web site: http://www.kentlabs.com/

When to test for IgG: Well this is a big question... WOW!

Let me tell you how I deal with it.

1) If you have a female that has produced cria(s) that have a problem making or having the colostrum for the crias, have the crias tested until you have determined the female no longer has the problem....

2) If they don't get milk within the 6-10 hour period after birth
3) If you feed anything other than moms milk within 6 hours after birth.

Top
Navel:

Dipping:

Best is Novasan Teat Dip concentrate (IMPORTANT: Follow instructions to dilute). Can give 1cc penicillin shot (SubQ) instead of navel dip. (Testing shows either is ok.)

If navel drips, blood. Tie dental floss around navel with knot. Remove the next day to drain out any infection material in navel. (Drain and repeat until it stops bleeding.)

Birthing:

If female birth labor continues through afternoon, call your vet.

May give Oxytocin for fast delivery babies. This also shrinks the uterus and prevents prolapse.

Top
Choking alpacas or llamas:

Rub the front-left side of the neck with fist. This tends to release the blockage in neck (esophagus). alpaca will give impression that he/she is having difficulty breathing. Either breathing in or exhaling. If you have/had asthma, you know exactly what I mean!

Top
Skin Problems

Mange (or munge) is the most common problem in camelids. It occurs as a crusty mass on or near the mouth and nose.

Other conditions include loss of fiber on legs, inside hind quarters, etc. Eventually this will cause skin to crack and bleed. Solution: Zinc Your alpaca may have a Zinc deficiency. Do a blood test and have your vet give them an injection and put them on minerals. More than likely your problems is they do not have access to minerals.

Top
Mange/Munge Treatment

Idiopathic Nasailperioral Hyperkeratotic Dermatosis (Munge or Mange)
Lesions consist of variable degrees of heavy, adherent crusts affecting the nose area, including at times, the bridge of the nose. The may be severe enough to cause nasal obstruction.

Initial treatment for mild conditions one should attempt to treat area daily with (100/0) povidone iodine scrubs and the application of 7% tincture of iodine. This may be combined with an antibiotic
(e.g., penicillin, 40,000 U/kg subcutaneously, every 24 hours for 7-10 days; trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, 10 mg/kg diluted to 120/0 every 12 hours subcutaneously;
ceftiofur, 1 mg/kg every 12 hours subcutaneously;
or long-acting oxytetracycline, 18 mg/kg every 3 days for 15 days).
The above treatment, with iodine and penicillin, is best for pregnant females.

Lesions that fail to respond to antibiotic therapy can be treated with topical glucocorticoids such as triamcinolone acetonide (Panalog, Solvay, Mendota Heights, MN), dexamethasone (Tresaderm, MSD-AGVET, Rahway, NJ), or fluocinolone (Synotic, Syntex Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA) or a more potent (and costly) preparation marketed for humans, such as clobetasol (Temovate, Glaxo, Research Triangle Park, NC). The treatment of Panalog or triamcinolone acetonide typically has dramatic results. You will see lesions magically disappear in 1-2 days.

NOTE: Many of these treatments contain a steroid such as triamcinolone acetonide and will cause pregnant females to abort crias. DO NOT USE ANY TREATMENT THAT CONTAINS STEROIDS ON PREGNANT FEMALES. USE THE IODINE AND ANTIBACTERIAL TREATMENT INSTEAD. (YOU WON'T FIND THIS INFORMATION IN THE BOOK)

In severe cases the base of lesions may also be injected with triamcinolone acetonide 2 mg/mL, repeated as necessary. This also has a dramatic effect.

Alternatively, oral prednisone beginning at 1 to 2 mg/kg/day can be used for 1 to 2 weeks; the dose is then halved for 1 to 2 weeks, then used every other day for 2 weeks. The glucocorticoid then is gradually tapered and discontinued.

Some have also suggested that oral zinc supplementation may be of benefit, but it may take high dosages of the zinc supplement to produce a response (e.g., 2 g zinc sulfate/day or 4 g zinc methionine (Zinpro)/day. Treatment is continued until remission and a couple of months beyond. Maintenance is attempted with the previously described zinc/mineral mix.

This information was provided by:
The Veterinary Clinics of North America
Food alpaca Practice
Update On Llama Medicine
Volume 10 Number 2 July 1994
Pages 234-5
ISSN: 0749-0720
Published by W.B. Saunders Company, Orlando, FL 800-654-2452

Top
Progesterone Testing

Used to determine if a female is pregnant...

Send a small vial of blood with alpaca name(s) on it along with your:

Name

Address

Telephone

Fax number

What kind of test you want done (Progesterone) and the species of alpaca - Llama or Alpaca and

$8.00 per test to:

Mel Hoskin 
M & M VETERINARY LABORATORY 
13615 Wabash Rd.
Milan, MI 48160-9293
(313) 439-2698
(313) 439-3949 fax

Put the vial and paperwork in a small bubble-wrap envelope or a small box if more than one. Make sure you put the name of the alpaca(s) on the vial(s). No ice pack is required to mail... Use the red top blood tube.

They don't always process tests on weekends, although I have had them send results on a Saturday.

Ask Mel to fax or e-mail back the results. You should have it in 2-3 days

If you send it via Priority Mail, you may get results a day sooner.

Results above 1.00 are generally an indication the female is pregnant. Those below 1.0 indicate she is not pregnant.  Those near 1.0 you should retest.

Generally you're going to find the tests in the 3.0-6.0 range if she is pregnant.

Mel also does other tests, contact him for further information.

Top
Prolapsed Uterus

This takes two people (or one good vet!)

What to do:

Put a halter on the female and get her to sit down (kush).

Give her an Ocytocin shot (double or triple the dose 2-3cc per 100lbs.) This shrinks the uterus.

Whe she is kushed, pull her back legs out the back of her (while she is sitting).This relazes the muscles so you can clean and restore the uterus within her without any struggle from the female. (Works with most four legged mammals.)
Actually pull the legs out to her side and them back.

You may have to have somebody put very light pressure on her lower back to keep her in 'the' position.

Clean off the uterus with Novasan and luke-warm water. Don't use Iodine to clean it.

Push the uterus back into the female.

If it comes back out you will have to stich up the area around the uterus. You may wait until the Ocytocin shot takes affect to see if it will hold it in.

Use 6 small loops in the skin 3 on each side.. Don't worry about any pain they rarely feel the pain in this condition. Then lace the string through the loops like you would you shoe lace. Make sure you're not to high as to block the rectum discharge. Leave it for 1 month.

It is best if you call your local vet to help out with this procedure... (needless to say!)

Top
Poison Ivy and Camelids:

Poison Ivy will not affect Camelids (the way it does humans). The real danger is when these alpacas get the Poison Ivy on their coats and you (the human) stroke that coat... Then 'you' have a problem.

Goats, sheep, camelids and other ruminants seem to love the stuff. It causes no ill effects to them. (A bit hard to believe, but ask your vet.)

Like I said the real danger is when humans touch the fiber of an alpaca that has come in contact with the plant.

Ok, so you'd like to get rid of it! One of the ways is to burn it. Build a burn pile over it and set it afire. Burn it often and hot - scorch the earth with it.

You can mow it (or cut it down) often and it will eventually die as well.

Avoid letting it grow until the berries appear... these are the seeds! Then you have a bigger problem!

BEWARE: The smoke from fires, especially those that are smoldering has all the volatile oils from the Poison Ivy plants.
DO NOT BREATH THE SMOKE OR FUMES FROM SUCH A FIRE - PEOPLE (AND alpacaS) DIE OFTEN DUE TO THIS.

I also assume Poison Oak has a similar effect on the alpacas.... but check first...

Giving Shots

You should find many articles on the subject in various Camelid magazines and newsletters. One of the recent is in Summer 2000 issue of Alpacas® Magazine on Page 49. It has pictures as well.

Vaccinations and other shots should be given in the appropriate areas:

(SubQ) Subcutaneous indicates betwen the skin and muscle.

(IM) Intermuscular indicates in the muscle.

Some vets and owners use alcohol to disinfect the area before giving the shots.

It is my understanding that any liquid that is not wiped clean can be used to contamanate the area where you're giving the shot.

Considering how difficult it would be to wipe the alcohol from such a fiber alpaca.

I took allergy shots for a few years and the nurse always cleans my arms with a small alcohol wipe, but then allows for it to dry or wipes away the excess from the area where the shot is being given.

The best time to give shots are right after they are sheared (real easy to find skin) and are still incapacitated on the shearing table.

I believe in this case of the Alpacas (and other furry creatures) it is best if you just find some skin and quickly poke them without using alcohol. Every vet I have used has done this. It is possible to shave these critters and then use alcohol to clean the area, since you don't have the fiber to contend with.

One should aspirate the syring, i.e. pull back on the plunger in the case of IM injections to see if you have contacted a blood vessel. If so pull out the needle and repeat in a different location.

Doing this prevents the drug from entering the blood stream directly and causing problems.

Polioencephalomalacia (aka Polioencephalo-malacia) is a thiamine-responsive disease of ruminants.
Clinical signs of polioencephalo-malacia range from dullness, head pressing and blindness to opisthotonus, muscle tremors, twitching, hypersalivation, coma and death.
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1997/fall/polio.shtml

GO TO TOP

If your looking for the Vet Drug Doses, it's moved to it's own page.

Top
Drugs to avoid
Valbazen (can cause deformities in pregnant females)

Ivermectin aka ivomectin (avoid unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE to use it!)

Ivomectin (pour-on) --- this does not provide adequate protection.
Ivomectin shot - may be given when necessary for shows and interstate travel requirements at the rate of 1cc /110 lbs. Ivomectin will not kill tape worms, use Strongid or Panacur as stated above.