If you suspect an alpaca may have an upper respiratory infection, its important to get an immediate veterinary consultation to determine its cause as some infections are considerably more dangerous and harder to treat than others. Typically, a ringworm infection affects an alpacas legs, feet, and face. If you suspect an alpaca cannot urinate, its very important to contact a veterinarian immediately as this is very dangerous for their health. Alpacas can become asymptomatic carriers for years and spread the disease by other animals coming into contact with their infected urine. Use to remove results with certain terms As a preventative measure, you should have a lab perform a fecal test on alpacas every three months to ensure that they are not facing a dangerous parasitic infection and have appropriate treatment policies in place for infected alpacas. Selenium and aging are closely linked. 8 Early Symptoms of Selenium Deficiency: Believe it or not but profound selenium deficiency is actually quite rare. An extremely anemic alpaca may require a blood transfusion. In addition to looking at clinical signs, a fresh fecal sample can be evaluated using the Baermann technique to identify larvae. are the natural host for this virus, camelids, and other species can be affected too. The legacy of this great resource continues as the Merck Veterinary Manual in the US and Canada and the MSD Vet Manual outside of North America. Salt toxicity has been recognized in a number of species. Appetite/Drinking Changes: Anaplasmosis, Anemia, CL, Coccidiosis, Enterotoxemia, Internal Parasites, Leptospirosis, Listeriosis, Megaesophagus, Stomach Ache, Upper Respiratory Infection, Urinary Blockage, Blood: Anaplasmosis, Anemia, Anthrax, Barber Pole, Coccidiosis, Internal Parasites, Breathing/Mouth: Abscesses, Anaplasmosis, Barber Pole, Bottle Jaw, Listeriosis, Lungworms, Slaframine Toxicosis (Slobbers), Sore Mouth, Upper Respiratory Infection, White Muscle Disease, Droppings: Anaplasmosis, Coccidiosis, Internal Parasites, Johnes Disease, Leptospirosis, Tapeworms, Urinary Blockage, Energy/Movement: Anaplasmosis, Anemia, Anthrax, Arthritis, Barber Pole, Dropped Pasterns, CL, Coccidiosis, Enterotoxemia, Foot Rot, Internal Parasites, Leptospirosis, Listeriosis, Mastitis, Mycoplasma haemolamae, Parelaphostrongylus Tenuis (Meningeal Worm, Deer Worm, Brain Worm), Stomach Ache, Tapeworms, Upper Respiratory Infection, Urinary Blockage, White Muscle Disease, Feet: Arthritis, Dropped Pasterns, Foot Rot, Mange, Head/Neck: Abscesses, CL, Listeriosis, Ringworm, Sore Mouth, Legs/Joints: Arthritis, Dropped Pasterns, Mange, Parelaphostrongylus Tenuis (Meningeal Worm, Deer Worm, Brain Worm), Ringworm. When the heart muscle You should get a sample of the pus cultured by a lab to determine the source of infection to prevent other alpacas from possibly getting infected. (Back to top), Mange is a skin condition caused by a very small mite. An untreated case of foot rot quite literally begins to rot, leaving a very bad smelling creamy discharge. Gross signs in chicks include anorexia, growth retardation, drowsiness, weakness, incoordination, emaciation, and ruffled feathers. Mastitis is inflammation of an alpacas udder, usually as a result of a bacterial udder infection. (Back to top), Stomach aches in alpacas can result from many different causes, some of which are far more dangerous than others. Theorized mechanisms include the following: Selenium is believed to induce oxidative injury through multiple pathways involving glutathione: Selenium interacts with glutathione, leading to the depletion of thiol substrates of the enzyme and thus a decrease in free radical scavenging. If it spreads internally, CL can affect an alpacas lungs, liver, and kidneys. These are the symptoms of low selenium (just remember, they could also indicate other deficiencies! Selenium in the food chain originates in plants, which take up the element from the soil. Your local cooperative extension office or veterinarian should be able to offer recommendations. Bottle Jaw presents itself as a very swollen lower jaw in an alpaca. Herbivores are susceptible to selenium toxicosis through the ingestion of high-selenium forage. An anemic alpaca might also be more lethargic, have a dull or shabby coat, lose weight, or stop eating as frequently. Alpacas that were tested deficient in blood selenium and glutathione peroxidase (an enzyme that contains Se and can be used as a marker of Se sufficiency Use OR to account for alternate terms Keratin from the hoof wall has been used as a long-term indicator of selenium status. A rapid decrease in blood pressure coincides with increased heart rate and respiratory rate. Symptoms of a dangerous stomach ache includes a distended abdomen, heavy or labored breathing, general signs of discomfort like refusing to eat, kicking at the stomach, teeth grinding, loud vocalizations, lying down with splayed hind legs, standing with a hunched back, strained pooping, and discomfort when their abdomen is touched. If an alpaca is suffering from an internal parasite, it is likely a strongyle, but there are other, more dangerous parasites such as lungworms, barber pole, and coccidia. Larvae develop into infective third-stage larvae on the pasture- how quickly this occurs depends on environmental factors. It enters an alpaca through cuts or abrasions of their skin (or through nursing in young alpacas) and is highly contagious in both alpacas and humans. Selenium Deficiency Symptom: You're so tired pretty woman waking up and yawning Another common hypothyroid symptom: fatigue. Acute mastitis presents itself as discolored, dark, swollen, and warm udders. Discard or sterilize anything that comes into contact with the pus and monitor the wound for up to a month. If an alpaca seems to have anemia rather suddenly, you must test them for Mycoplasma haemolamae, which can be fatal for alpacas if untreated. We have also seen success treating arthritis pains with more natural remedies such as Botswella (also known as Indian Frankincense) to successfully lower inflammation as well as anecdotally, CBD oil. Blood tests for this deficiency are not readily available. (Back to top), When an alpaca walks on their pasterns rather than their feet, typically this is because they are experiencing foot pain, either from arthritis, foot rot, or mange. The most typical case of urinary calculi in alpacas comes when a male alpaca is fed too much grain or generally has a calcium phosphorus imbalance in their diet, sometimes from an alfalfa-rich diet. When an alpaca walks on their pasterns rather than their feet, typically this is because they are experiencing foot pain, either from arthritis, foot rot, or mange. If you think an alpaca is suffering from Listeriosis, its critical that you get a veterinary evaluation. Certain diseases will require additional care and treatment of the abscessed alpaca. Foot rot refers to a bacterial infection of one or more feet of an alpaca, which can come on from chronically damp or muddy walking conditions for the alpaca as well as a zinc deficiency. In alpacas, listeriosis is also known as circling disease, as it causes an alpaca to become weaker on one side of their body, leading them to only be able to walk in circles until they become completely paralyzed and die. Symptoms include weight loss, depression, lethargy, anemia, watery blood, stiffness in hindquarters, and collapse. This is not an exhaustive list of everything that can happen to an alpaca, but can help you get a sense of what challenges a resident under your care may face in their lifetime. Advanced anemia in alpacas can lead to Bottle Jaw (see below). If you suspect an alpaca may have an upper respiratory infection, its important to get an immediate veterinary consultation to determine its cause as some infections are considerably more dangerous and harder to treat than others. In animals that can receive a selenium injection, a positive response can be as This fungus primarily infects red clover but can infect other legumes as well. 67 Heres what you should be looking out for: Advertisements Joint pain Fatigue Muscle pain Muscular weakness Tenderness in the body People with chronic muscular problems often test positive for selenium deficiency. Please confirm that you are a health care professional. Chronic myocardial necrosis with areas of fibrosis is possible in animals with chronic selenosis. If you suspect anemia, contact your veterinarian immediately. Anthrax can quickly spread to other animals from the infected alpaca, including humans. The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Last review/revision Aug 2022 | Modified Nov 2022. This often results in obstruction/impaction of the oesophagus and consequent regurgitation and in some circumstances aspiration pneumonia. Prevention, through monitoring selenium status and dietary sources of selenium, is key. o [alopecia OR hair loss ], , DVM, DABVT, Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University. External CL refers to abscesses on the skin, which can become internal through blood or the lymphatic system, moving on to affect an alpacas lymph nodes and organs. Be careful about feeding alpacas an exclusive concentrate food as this can quickly imbalance their nutrition. Its important to ensure that the sores do not develop secondary bacterial infections. Symptoms include less motion, laying down more often, weight loss, shabby coat, strange gait, and swollen joints. alpacas can become resistant to tapeworms relatively early on in life, so they do not pose too great of a health risk. A garlic odor to the breath has been commonly described. Selenium is integral to numerous enzymes and proteins, including glutathione peroxidase, which prevents oxidative injury, as well as several enzymes involved in thyroid hormone homeostasis. alpacas can become resistant to tapeworms relatively early on in life, so they do not pose too great of a health risk. Symptoms include fever, depression, lack of appetite, blood in urine, diarrhea, and jaundice. If an alpaca is suffering from an internal parasite, it is likely a strongyle, but there are other, more dangerous parasites such as lungworms, barber pole, and coccidia. You should be checking for lice every time you conduct an alpaca health checkup! If an alpaca seems to have anemia rather suddenly, you must test them for Mycoplasma haemolamae, which can be fatal for alpacas if untreated. Diagnosis of lungworm infections can be difficult. Detoxification of infected pasture and hay is not possible, but there may be strategies you can implement to reduce the levels of slaframine present. Selenium toxicosis usually results from chronic intake of a high-selenium diet; however, occasional occurrences of acute toxicosis are due to oral or parenteral dosing with improperly formulated supplements. Anaplasmosis presents itself as anemia, fever, and yellowing mucus membranes. Symptoms of an upper respiratory infection include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, increased body temperature or fever, and loss of appetite. It runs its course in three to four weeks. The best preventative measure is to make sure that you feed alpacas products that are appropriate for foraging alpacas. Chronic selenosis is associated with hair and hoof abnormalities. Blood tests for this deficiency are not readily available. All rights reserved. In some cases there is a sudden onset of severe symptoms rather than a gradual worsening of the condition. Historically, irrigation and mining operations have mobilized water-soluble selenate and selenite, leading to localized high selenium concentrations in wetland areas and resulting in selenium toxicosis in local aquatic birds. Contact your veterinarian if you suspect foot rot, because it can cause tissue and nerve damage. In alpacas, abscesses refer to lumps, boils, or bulges, typically near their neck or shoulder, but with the possibility to form anywhere.