Management Practices

There are several classes of gastrointestinal parasites which affect camelids to varying degrees. The intestinal nematodes affecting North American camelids include Trichostrongyle spp., Nematodirus spp., Haemonchus spp., Ostertagia spp., Trichuris spp. and Capillaria spp. The cestode, Monezia spp., may also be of some clinical significance. Protozoal concerns include Eimeria spp., Cryposporidium parvum and Giardia spp. Trematodes have also been shown to cause clinical disease in the biliary system of camelids, including Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium dendriticum. This document will focus on the control of gastrointestinal nematodes and coccidia of camelids. more »

Camelids are very susceptible to gastro-intestinal parasitism and this is probably one of the most common cause of illness we see as veterinarians, yet it is mostly preventable by employing some basic strategies. Alpacas have little natural resistance to parasites due to a lack of parasites in the climate and environment of the South American Andes. This poses a problem under the more intensive systems in which they are kept in the UK, where typically gastro-intestinal parasites are highly prevalent in all farmed species and on our pastures. more »