The Alpaca Library Catalogue

Eimeria macusaniensis ( commonly called Emac ) is a type of coccidium seen only in alpacas. There are four types of coccidia seen in alpacas. Emac is rarely seen or identified and even in research very few cases are ever identified. Coccidia as a whole is a necessary part of life in any species, and exposure helps build tolerance and potential immunity. Without this the animal will not survive, as coccidia is everywhere and so if an animal is never exposed to coccidia, they will have no immunity to fight it, because it is impossible that any animal will not be exposed to coccidia at any stage of life. For treatment, if there are less than 100 eggs on a slide, it does not need to be treated with Panacure (SafeGuard). However, Emac, which is type of coccidian, can be lethal and must be treated if you see just one egg. more »

A discussion on aligning show ring standards to suri alpaca fiber processors needs and abilities in Australia. more »

Once an alpaca shows obvious signs of infestation from meningeal worm, recovery is unlikely. Partial recoveries, probably with residual physical impairment, are possible with extraordinary veterinary measures. Because the signs mimic other neurologic disorders, early detection and positive diagnosis are problematic. more »

Scientists from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine evaluated 32 privately owned camelid (16 alpaca and 16 llama) farms in the southeastern United States to determine if anthelmintic (dewormer) resistance was evident in the Haemonchus contortus (barberpole worm) populations on these farms. more »

Blood transfusion would be a potential source in alpacas, however unlikely. The other method that West Nile Virus can be transmitted – at least in horses and in people – is transplacentally, which means a pregnant mother who has been infected can infect the unborn child. Transmission by blood transfusion or across the placenta have not been demonstrated in camelids. more »