The Alpaca Vet

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The Alpaca Vet

This page provides a more interactive link to my official website found at www.ukalpacavet.com.

The Alpaca Vet (formerly known as Camelid Veterinary Services) provides training for owners and vets caring for camelids, consultancy and veterinary services for camelids. I plan to provide news about health issues affecting camelids, mostly in the UK and Europe, but also worldwide where applicable. I will also post information about upcoming courses and other educational events offered by Camelid Veterinary Services. If you have specific questions about sick camelids, please email me directly.

30/07/2025

🚨 Treating Cerebral Hypoxia in Crias

“Dummy cria” syndrome can occur in crias with difficult births. These crias may struggle to nurse or stand and often require TLC and fluid support. Watch closely for failure to thrive—early treatment is critical to help these crias recover and thrive.

Also, you could consider using the Madigan Squeeze technique that has some rave reviews from people who have tried it! Initially developed for foals by Dr Madigan at UC Davis, it has now been used in other species with good success including small ruminants and alpacas. You can read the article on this here: https://www.colusariversidealpacas.com/article/1595/a-cure-for-the-dummy-cria-syndrome--the-squeeze-maneuver

29/07/2025

📈 Daily Weighing: The Most Important Cria Monitoring Tool

Your eyes can be deceiving—but the scales never lie.

One of the most effective ways to monitor a cria’s health is by weighing it daily for at least the first 2–3 weeks of life. A normal cria might lose a little weight in the first 24 hours, but then should start gaining around 0.1 to 0.45 kg daily—with an average of 0.25 kg per day. (For my US friends, that's about 0.25 to 1lb daily.)

📉 Actual weight loss after day one, or even a failure to gain weight when they otherwise should be, is often the first sign something is wrong, even before other symptoms appear. This could point to poor milk supply, FPT, or early sepsis.
If needed, weigh the cria twice daily for more precise tracking—especially for high-risk crias, sick crias, or those receiving supplements.

Monitoring activity is also key: healthy crias should be playful and nursing actively. A cria that’s too quiet, stands with its head down, or fails to engage may need veterinary attention.

💡 In cria care, prevention is power—and daily weighing is your secret weapon.

28/07/2025

Hi everyone! Can you help me?

I'm thinking of doing a webinar for vets entitled "Top 10 Questions Alpaca & Llama Owners Ask Vets". I'd like to know what are the top questions you would want vets to be able to answer about alpacas, or would like your clients' vets to know the answers to!

Please put your suggestions below and feel free to discuss!

I appreciate your help!

Cheers!

Claire

07/07/2025

Fancy a bit of continuing education tonight? You don't really have anything more important to do right?!

Last chance to sign up for a training on infertility problems in female camelids - and what can be done about them! This is taking place TONIGHT at 8pm UK time.

Book here: https://fertility.thealpacavet.com/

Once you're registered, come along tonight and you'll get access to the recording to refer back to!

24/06/2025

Pleased to support members of the British Alpaca Society with a couple of offers for members only... £10 off the #1 Bestselling Camelid Care Handbook for Alpaca & Llama Owners - from our website only.

AND 20% off your first faecal testing submission with us - new customers only. Try us out - you won't be disappointed! We use the most sensitive test for camelids and provide DETAILED interpretation with your report.

23/06/2025

🎓 Want to understand more about infertility in female alpacas?

Join me for my upcoming training:

🦙 Repro Rescue: Turning Failures into Fertility
Because waiting rarely works—and guessing won’t fix it.

You’ll learn:

🌱When to suspect there’s a problem
🌱Why repeated breedings can make things worse, not better
🌱What a proper reproductive exam looks like—and why specialist help matters
🌱Real-life case examples and what worked to solve them.

📅 Monday 7th July
🕒 8pm UK time
💻 Live session + replay available: cost £27 +VAT (if applicable)
🎟️ Book your place now: https://fertility.thealpacavet.com

Don’t miss this chance to get the answers you—and your females—deserve.

20/06/2025

Happy Friday everyone! I invite you to click on the link below to see the latest hot single by The Alpaca Vet!!! 🎼😄

Enjoy!!! 😉 And do subscribe to my channel while you're there!

https://youtu.be/sE--THjfDCk?si=VIe0LQN2wDURCmV3

19/06/2025

🔍🦙 Curious about how we diagnose female infertility in camelids? Let's explore the diagnostic approaches used, from breeding soundness evaluations to hormonal analysis, to ensure the reproductive health of our alpacas and llamas. 🌱💼

Breeding soundness evaluations play a crucial role in assessing the reproductive tract of female camelids, including physical examinations, ultrasound imaging, and vaginal evaluations. These evaluations help identify any structural abnormalities or conditions affecting fertility.

In addition to breeding soundness evaluations, hormonal analysis, such as progesterone and oestradiol testing, can provide valuable insights into reproductive health and hormonal balance. By combining these diagnostic approaches, we can pinpoint the underlying causes of infertility and develop tailored treatment plans to support our camelids' fertility journey.

A breeding soundness examination (BSE) by a vet with specialist training in camelid reproduction is one of the best investments you can make. Book your breeding soundness exam now!

Let's prioritize proactive reproductive care for our herds!

🌟🦙

18/06/2025

Hot weather is particularly risky weather for male camelids! This can have a big impact on breeding success and reproductive health in our herds. 🦙☀️

Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to reduced conception rates and even temporary or permanent sterility in males.

By understanding the impact of environmental conditions on breeding outcomes, we can implement strategies to mitigate heat stress and create optimal breeding environments for our alpacas and llamas.

The following points will help you maintain the fertility of your males:
🌱Shear before the heat of summer to minimise the effects of heat stress.
🌱Ensure that your animals have adequate access to shade. This doesn’t have to be a built structure like a barn or shed – trees provide excellent shade and this usually comes with in-built ventilation while some sheds or barns are poorly ventilated and can become heat-traps.
🌱Water baths are great for allowing animals to cool. They can only really lose heat from the less hairy areas on the bellies, inside hind legs and armpits. If they dunk in a pool of water, this aids in evaporative heat losses.
🌱Make sure there is plenty of fresh water available to drink. Alpacas will drink a lot more when it is hot and the pasture is dry. They need to maintain their hydration.
🌱Do not allow mange to affect the sc***um of your stud males! Mange thickens the skin. This reduces the ability of the scrotal temperature to be lower than the body and can inhibit s***m production.
🌱 If using your males for breeding, only let them breed in the early morning, before temperatures increase. And don't cart them around the country for stud breedings in a hot van or trailer!

👉 If you notice any scrotal swelling in any of your males, get them out of the heat immediately and cool the sc***um with cold-water hosing. This will need to be repeated multiple times per day. Scrotal oedema will inhibit s***matogenesis due to increasing temperature in the sc***um. If undetected, this can result in atrophy of the testicles and permanent infertility.

Let's prioritise the reproductive health and well-being of male camelids by ensuring they have the support they need to thrive in any climate! ☀️

👉

17/06/2025

In the UK, we’re set for some pretty hot weather over the next week or so… 25°C, and getting hotter each day… ☀️☀️☀️

It’s important to think about how you can keep your animals safe in this heat. Hot weather isn’t something they’re well adapted to dealing with. Darker-fleeced animals are particularly susceptible and dams that are lactating have an increased need for water to keep up with the demands of nursing crias. Here are a few things you can do:

🥵 Hopefully you don’t have unshorn alpacas out there... Fleece is designed to insulate and I can't imagine anyone that would be keen to wear a wool suit today! If you have unshorn alpacas, they will be particularly at risk of heat stress.

🌳 Ensure animals have access to shade... This can be natural shade from trees and tall hedgerows (remembering that the position of the sun affects the usefulness of these!). Man-made shelters and barns are also useful. The best shelter has good ventilation and some of the best conditions are created under trees. Three-sided shelters can be pretty hot inside as ventilation is poor, depending on the design. Open barns are preferable when it’s hot.

💧 Make sure that there is plenty of fresh clean water available for the animals and that it is in an accessible place. If the animals are in the shade and the water is on the other side of the field, give them a big bucket of fresh water where they are! Do remember to check the water troughs – occasionally even mains supplies fail…

🌬 Fans can be employed in barns and shelters to improve air circulation.

🛀 Paddling pools are very much enjoyed by camelids…. They love to paddle and even sit in the water to cool their undersides.

🥵 Annoyingly, alpacas do love to sunbathe, and this can sometimes get them in trouble. If you spot the sunbather, just make sure that they haven’t gone and got themselves overheated and can still jump up!!

Do share photos of your tips and tricks for keeping your animals cool, and of alpacas keeping cool! 👇 🦙🦙🦙

16/06/2025

🦙 Struggling with skin issues in your alpacas or llamas? You're not alone — itchy, scaly, or hairless patches are one of the most common complaints among camelid owners.

But here's the thing 👉 Not all skin problems are the same, and neither are the treatments!

🔍 Step 1: Get a proper diagnosis – Mange? Ringworm? Rain scald? Your vet can help figure it out (and if they need backup, I’m here to consult!).

🧴 Step 2: Don’t skip the topical treatments!
Yes, it’s more work than an injection, but cleansing and soothing the skin is essential. Think of it like taking a shower when you’re itchy. 💧

✨ I’ve pulled together my favourite non-prescription products to help you manage common skin problems more effectively:

✅ Benzoic Shampoo – Great for red, scaly, crusty skin
✅ Ozone Ointment – Softens thickened skin between treatments
✅ Stimuderm Ultra Shampoo & Serum – A power duo for hair regrowth!

💡 Remember: Sarcoptic and chorioptic mange need different treatments—ivermectin doesn’t work for both.

📦 Shop all these in the One Stop Camelid Shop and treat skin problems with confidence! https://www.ukalpacavet.com/product-category/camelid_care/skin-care/

13/06/2025

Kind of a busy day today...

My lab tech has been away for a vet school open day so I've been on lab duty for faecals and IgG tests! 😉

Also had a uterine torsion to visit... Such a hot day!! (Yes I am aware that is the wrong end of the alpaca!! 🤣 Thought it was a funny photo!)

Then a meeting with the new Head of Regulatory Affairs at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate - he wanted to meet to get an understanding for some of our camelid industry difficulties which was great! The most pressing concern is making sure that plasma processing is facilitated for next year... As you may know, anyone processing blood for next season in the UK will need to have a Non-Farm Animal Blood Bank Authorisation from the VMD. This is to ensure the safety of the plasma product and the welfare of the donors and recipients. At the moment the only NFABBA licensed blood bank is the Pet Blood Bank so all blood will have to be processed there unless others acquire the authorisation. They are definitely keen to help us so that was good to hear...

Address

The Old Barracks, Lady Grove, Goring Heath
Woodcote
RG87RU

Telephone

+44 (0) 1491 680313

Website

http://www.ukalpacavet.com/

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