Health and diseases

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

In an emergency situation concerning an alpaca, contact the following for help and advice:

Pat Bentley (01931 714373 or 01931 714380)
Val Fullerlove (01684 310214)
Graham Reed (07802 263589)

In an emergency concerning a llama or other camelid, contact:

Liz Butler (01737 823375)

If you are experiencing problems with bTB, please contact BAS on 01392 437788

TB Action Group
Dianne Summer: 01209 822422; Mobile: 07949 511316

To find details of camelid vets, see www.camelidvets.org

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BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS

Alpacas are at risk from TB. 

Defra Report 'Bovine TB Eradication Programme for England', July 2011

Click here for the section on Non-bovines in the Defra report 'Bovine TB Eradication Programme for England', July 2011

Click here for a link to the complete report

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BAS Information

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Click here for the TB Awareness Information Pack being distributed at the BAS TB Awareness Meetings. (This is a 2.5MB pdf file.)

Click here for the article: You have TB in your Herd – What's Next?

Click here for the BAS Self-declaration Form

Click here for a list of approved disinfectants for TB

Click here for the Animal Health leaflet on Tuberculosis in Camelids

Click here for the latest map of Bovine TB Parish Testing Intervals

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In conjunction with British Camelids Ltd, the BAS has set up a ring-fenced fund for research into bTB in camelids. This is in addition to the funding already given to Defra/VLA for a research project to try to validate a number of bTB tests in camelids.

If you would like to support this vital work, you can make your donation by contacting British Camelids Ltd (camelids@btinternet.com)

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BLUETOUNGE

On 5 July 2011, Great Britain was declared free of Bluetongue.

The key implications for livestock owners in Great Britain are:

• There are no further Bluetongue restrictions on exporting sheep and cattle from Great Britain
• Lvestock keepers will no longer be able to vaccinate against BTV8 or any other Bluetongue serotype under EU law
• Current import controls remain for livestock entering Great Britain from BTV zones across Europe

Bluetongue susceptible animals entering Great Britain from Bluetongue zones in the EU will need to continue to meet stringent import conditions. It is vital that livestock keepers continue to source responsibly and check the health and vaccination status of their animals. Testing of imported animals from high risk countries will be maintained.

Further information is available here

FAQs prepared by Alistair Douglas of the Animal Health and Welfare Division, Exotic Animal Disease Branch, Scottish Government can be downloaded here

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DIAGNOSIS OF CAMELID DISEASES
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency has produced an aide-memoire for the diagnosis of common disease syndromes in camelids. It can be downloaded here. The tests can be arranged through your vet

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• Owners should be aware that a number of plants are poisonous to alpacas and should take steps to ensure that they are removed from paddocks. For details of the effects of various poisonous plants and a list of a number of common ones that can harm alpacas, click here.
   
• Regularly catch and run your hands over your animals. A fully fleeced animal may not necessarily show outward signs of malnutrition. Body score them, check for burrs and brambles, especially between the back legs because faeces and urine can collect and fly strike can occur.
   
• Heavily fleeced animals should have their fibre trimmed around the tail and down the rear legs to avoid faeces and urine contamination. Fly strike can also occur on other parts of the body, therefore a thorough inspection of the entire animal is recommended. Vets can advise on products to prevent fly strike.
   
• If possible, weigh your animals regularly. Weight is often indicative of health; sudden and rapid weight loss should be investigated further.
   
• A sick alpaca is likely to spend more time sitting or lying stretched out and is reluctant to get up. They will get left behind as the rest of the herd moves on and may look hunched and depressed.
   
• Foot trimming should be carried out, on average, two to three times a year. However, nails will grow at different rates on different animals. Check nails by actually lifting the feet. They can sometimes look okay from above but by lifting the foot you can clearly see if nails are longer than the pad. Nails left unattended can twist and deform the toes.
   
• Teeth should also be checked at least twice a year. Like toenails, growth will vary from alpaca to alpaca. Teeth that are too long can cause jaw misalignment and teeth that are too short can cause difficulty feeding. Always seek expert advice to correct any irregularities.
   
• Males should be checked from approximately 18 months old for the presence of fighting teeth and a professional person should remove these.

• Cria should be vaccinated at four weeks and a booster given four to six weeks later. From then on they should fall into the regular schedule of the adult herd (annual vaccinations in line with the manufacturer's recommendation). Ideally the timing of the vaccination cycle should be so that pregnant females are vaccinated about 4–8 weeks prior to birthing in order to boost their immune systems. 
  Discuss with your vet a suitable start-up vaccination programme and products that may be suitable.
   
• There are two processes by which parasitic worms can be controlled. Firstly, by taking regular dung samples for analysis and only worming animals when worm counts are high. Secondly, by routinely worming all animals every six months regardless. Worming of cria is normally commenced at weaning. Discuss with your vet.
   
• Shearing should be carried out annually. Suris can be shorn every other year, but Huacayas need to be shorn every year.
   
• During the long winter months it may be an idea to give your herd a natural boost by giving them A, D and E vitamins. This is especially important for late-born cria because it helps to promote good bone growth and development. A deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets.
   
• In wet conditions, liver fluke can cause problems in some animals. It is more prevalent in some geographical locations. Discuss with your vet and, if necessary, take precautions.
   
• Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease that affects alpacas, particularly young animals. A number of products are available which can be used to control the problem.
   
• Diarrhoea, or excessive scouring, especially in young cria, can be fatal if not treated quickly and veterinary assistance should be sought immediately.

 For a document from the Health Protection Agency, click below:

 "Reducing the risk of human m.bovis infection (bTB). Information for Farmers