ALPACAS ¶sites
Alpacas are sensitive to all of the parasites that infect ruminants. Liver fluke is particularly vicious in alpacas and a common cause of sudden death in endemic areas.
No wormers are licensed for use in the camelids, however we have a range of treatment options with well researched dose rates
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Recommended testing frequency: 4 times per year
Highest risk periods: after flooding, 3-4 month old cria
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ROUNDWORMS
aka the Nematodes:
Teladorsagia, Trichostrongylus, Cooperia, Oesophagostomum
SYMPTOMS
Diarrhoea
Poor coat quality
Poor body condition
Slow growth rate
Midline or jaw oedema
Death
haemonchus
aka Barbers Pole Worm:
Haemonchus contortus
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SYMPTOMS
Anaemia
Weight Loss
Lethargy
Sudden death
Normal Poos
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tapeworm
aka the Cestodes:
Monezia, Thysanosoma
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SYMPTOMS
Look horrible when wriggling out - but surprisingly harmless!
Heavy burdens in Cria cause:
Anorexia
Reduced gut motility
Gut rupture & peritonitis
coccidia
aka Coccidiosis:
Eimeria
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SYMPTOMS
Mainly affects cria:
Diarrhoea (often pasty)
Blood & mucus in faeces
Skinny & weak
Abdominal Pain
Permanent gut damage
Healthy adults will often have coccidia in their faeces - interpret positive samples with care before using a coccidiostat
LIVER FLUKE
aka Fasciola:
Fasciola hepatica, Fascioloides magna
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SYMPTOMS
Anorexia & depression
Weakness & dry faeces
Increased respiratory rate
Ascites (belly fluid)
Colic
Sudden death
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LUNGWORMS
Dictyocaulus filaria, Muellerius capillaris, Protostrongylus rufescens
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SYMPTOMS
Cough
Nasal discharge
Increased respiratory rate
Poor condition
Weight loss
cYSTICERCOSIS
Cysticercus tenuicollis - the larval stage of the dog tapeworm Taenia hydatigena
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SYMPTOMS
Mainly asymptomatic
large numbers cause liver failure:
depression
weakness
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM
aka Crypto:
Cryptosporidium parvum
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SYMPTOMS
5-10 day old Cria
active, alert & feeding well
very liquid diarrhoea
yellow diarrhoea
Worming Treatment Options
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The main wormers suitable for Alpaca are listed.
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Levamisole is not listed due to too many adverse effects, an exact weight is required to safely use this drug.
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Milk & Meat withdrawal times are listed - just in case anyone needs to know!
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POM-V products require a vet prescription, POM-VPS are obtained from a licensed pharmacist (inc online) who will ask some relevant questions
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The 'Top-Shelf' wormers such as Zolvix (Monepantel), Supaverm (Closantel & Mebendazole) are not listed - these should only be used after in depth discussion with a vet.
controltips
Good parasite control is about more than using a drug every 3 months,
you can reduce risk & use of anthelminthic drugs:
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do not graze with sheep or goats (they share worms)
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do graze with horses (they 'hoover-up' ruminant worms)
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Avoid previously flooded grazing
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Avoid mud-snail areas, eg by streams
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Encourage foraging behaviour
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Feed hay in a rack, never the floor
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Rotational graze
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Increase dietary protein in cria
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Ensure new animals have a clear faeces check
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Be fastidious with food & water bowl cleanliness
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Follow our Small Holding at Orlestone Farm for 'Worm of the week' and 'Plant of the week' tips:
Focus On: Coccidia
The dreaded coccidia!
Why is it such bad news?
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This tiny parasite (Eimeria) infects the gut lining of young Cria. The initial inflammation causes severe diarrhoea.
This inflammation then permanently scars, the animal will always be a 'Poor-Doer'.
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The biggest problem - this scarring starts before shedding coccidia in faeces, so a positive test in a sick Cria is already too late.
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To add to this complex bug's trouble - healthy adult Alpaca will have a normal population of coccidia living in their bowels - giving a positive test result when nothing is wrong.
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As if that all wasn't bad enough - the treatment is difficult. No drug kills all the parasites. Decocquinate, Lasalosid and Monensin and Diclazuril will all help to reduce parasitic load, and should be used to treat in-contact crias.
Diclazuril (Vecoxan) can be given to all crias at 4-6 weeks of age on farms known to have a coccidia problem.
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To add insult to injury - the bug is extremely difficult to kill in the environment. Sunlight & Ammonia are the only two things to kill this bug reliably.
The key to Coccidia Sucess? Prevention is Better than Cure.
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