Call your vet immediately if an alpaca…
- is down and can't or won't get up
- is breathing with its mouth open or very fast at rest
- has a temperature above 104°F (40°C) or below 99°F (37.2°C)
- is a male straining to urinate
- is rolling, kicking at its belly or lying flat for long periods
- has green fluid coming from the nose or mouth (choke or poisoning)
- has pale white gums or eyelids
- is in labor for more than 30 minutes without progress
- is a cria that isn't nursing or has diarrhea
- suddenly can't walk straight, circles, or seems blind
Parasites
Barber Pole Worm (Haemonchus)
A blood-sucking stomach worm that can cause severe, sometimes fatal anemia. It is the most dangerous gastrointestinal wo…
Coccidiosis
An intestinal infection by single-celled Eimeria parasites that damages the gut lining. It mainly affects crias and stre…
Lice
Small insects living in the fleece that cause itching, fleece damage and, with sucking lice, anemia in young animals.…
Liver Fluke
A flatworm that migrates through and lives in the liver. Camelids are highly susceptible, and heavy acute infections can…
Mange (Mites)
Skin disease caused by burrowing or surface mites, producing crusts, thickened skin and hair loss on the legs, belly, fa…
Meningeal Worm (P. tenuis)
A deer parasite that wanders into the spinal cord and brain of alpacas, causing weakness, incoordination and paralysis. …
Nasal Bots
Fly larvae that develop in the nasal passages, reported in camelids in some regions.…
Nematodirus
A small-intestine worm that can cause sudden, severe diarrhea in crias, sometimes before eggs appear in feces.…
Tapeworm (Moniezia)
Usually a minor parasite whose rice-like segments may be seen in droppings; heavy infections occasionally affect crias.…
Ticks & Ear Ticks
Ticks attach in thin-skinned areas and can transmit infections; the spinose ear tick of the western U.S. causes ear pain…
Whipworm (Trichuris)
A large-intestine worm whose eggs survive in soil for years, making pastures hard to clean once contaminated.…
Infectious diseases
Bovine Tuberculosis
A slowly progressive bacterial disease that alpacas can catch from cattle or wildlife. It is a public-health and regulat…
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV)
A cattle virus that also circulates in alpacas. Persistently infected (PI) crias shed huge amounts of virus all their li…
Clostridial Enterotoxemia
A rapidly fatal toxin-mediated disease of the gut, often triggered by sudden diet changes. Vaccination makes it rare.…
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
A mosquito-borne viral brain infection reported in llamas and alpacas, mainly in the southeastern and Atlantic U.S.…
Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in Camelids
A horse virus that can spread to camelids and cause blindness and neurological signs.…
Johne's Disease (Paratuberculosis)
A chronic, incurable bacterial infection of the intestine that causes progressive weight loss. Camelids can show signs a…
Leptospirosis
A bacterial infection spread in urine of wildlife and livestock that can cause abortion and kidney disease.…
Listeriosis
A bacterial infection of the brainstem usually linked to spoiled silage or haylage, causing circling and facial paralysi…
Mycoplasma haemolamae (CMhl)
A tiny bacterium that lives on red blood cells. Many carriers are healthy, but stress or other disease can trigger anemi…
Pneumonia
Infection of the lungs, often secondary to stress, heat, transport or viral infection. Camelids rarely cough, so pneumon…
Rabies
A fatal viral disease of the nervous system transmitted by bites from infected wildlife. Rare in alpacas but always fata…
Tetanus
A toxin-induced muscle rigidity disease following wound infection; preventable with routine vaccination.…
Vesicular Stomatitis
A reportable viral disease causing blisters in the mouth and on the feet; camelids can be infected during outbreaks.…
West Nile Virus
A mosquito-borne virus that occasionally causes neurological disease in camelids.…
Nutritional & metabolic
Copper Deficiency
Uncommon but possible on sheep-style (copper-free) minerals or where molybdenum and sulfur tie up copper.…
Copper Toxicity
Camelids can accumulate copper in the liver and suffer sudden liver failure, especially on high-copper cattle or goat pr…
Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver)
A life-threatening liver condition that develops when an alpaca stops eating and mobilizes body fat — especially in late…
Obesity
Very common in pet and fiber alpacas. Excess fat hides under the fleece, so owners often miss it until health problems a…
Rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency)
A bone-growth disorder of crias and young alpacas caused by low vitamin D and phosphorus, common in winter at higher lat…
Selenium & Vitamin E Deficiency
Low selenium and vitamin E cause muscle damage (white muscle disease) in crias and reproductive and immune problems in a…
Selenium Toxicity
Too much selenium — from overdosing supplements or high-selenium plants — damages the heart, lungs and liver.…
Digestive problems
Choke (Esophageal Obstruction)
Feed stuck in the esophagus. The alpaca can still breathe, but cannot swallow and may inhale saliva and food.…
Colic
Abdominal pain from many causes — impaction, twisted bowel, obstruction, ulcers or urinary blockage. Camelids often show…
Grain Overload (Acidosis)
Eating a large amount of grain or concentrate causes acid build-up in the fore-stomach that can be fatal.…
Impaction (Constipation)
A blockage of dry feed in the fore-stomach or intestine, most often in winter when water intake drops.…
Megaesophagus
A dilated, weak esophagus that cannot move food properly, leading to regurgitation and weight loss.…
Stomach Ulcers (C3 Ulcers)
Ulcers in the third stomach compartment, often linked to stress and illness. They can perforate and cause fatal peritoni…
Urinary Stones (Urolithiasis)
Mineral stones blocking the urethra, mostly in castrated males. A blocked male can die of bladder rupture within a day o…
Breeding & birthing
Abortion & Pregnancy Loss
Early embryonic loss is common in camelids; later abortions may signal infection, stress, heat or toxins.…
Cryptorchidism & Small Testicles
Retained or undersized testicles in males — believed to be heritable, so affected males should not be bred.…
Dystocia (Difficult Birth)
A birth that does not progress normally. Most alpaca births are quick and uncomplicated, so any delay deserves fast atte…
Mastitis
Udder infection; uncommon in alpacas but painful and harmful to cria growth.…
Retained Placenta
Failure to pass the afterbirth within about 6 hours of birth; it can lead to uterine infection.…
Uterine & Vaginal Prolapse
Part or all of the uterus or vagina protruding from the vulva, usually right after birth. A true emergency.…
Uterine Torsion
A twist of the pregnant uterus in late pregnancy, causing colic and blocking delivery.…
Cria (newborn) problems
Angular Limb Deformities
Crooked legs in crias (knock knees, bowed legs), from prematurity, rickets or inherited problems.…
Choanal Atresia
A congenital defect where the passages between the nose and throat are blocked; the cria must breathe through its mouth …
Cleft Palate
A gap in the roof of the mouth that lets milk escape through the nose.…
Cria Diarrhea (Scours)
Diarrhea in young crias can dehydrate and kill within a day. Never wait to see if it clears up.…
Failure of Passive Transfer
A cria that does not absorb enough antibodies from colostrum in its first day is highly vulnerable to infection.…
Hypothermia & Weak Cria
Newborn crias cannot regulate temperature well; cold, wet weather and weak crias are a dangerous combination.…
Navel Ill (Umbilical Infection)
Infection entering through the newborn's umbilical cord, which can spread to joints (joint ill) and the bloodstream.…
Premature & Dysmature Crias
Crias born early or underdeveloped need intensive care in their first days.…
Skin & fleece
Fly Strike (Myiasis)
Fly maggots feeding in wounds or fecal-soiled fleece. Uncommon in alpacas but serious when it occurs.…
Photosensitization & Sunburn
Sunburn-like damage on lightly pigmented skin caused by toxic plants or liver damage, or by sun on freshly shorn pink sk…
Ringworm (Dermatophytosis)
A fungal skin infection producing crusty, hairless patches, often on the face and ears. Contagious to people.…
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
A skin cancer that may appear on lightly pigmented, sun-exposed skin or around the eyes, lips and vulva.…
Zinc-Responsive Dermatosis
A crusting skin condition — mainly around the eyes, nose, ears, belly and inner thighs — that improves with zinc supplem…
Neurological
Feet, legs & teeth
Corneal Ulcer & Eye Injury
Scratches to the eye's surface from hay, seed heads or fights. Alpacas' large prominent eyes are easily injured.…
Fighting Teeth Injuries
Male alpacas grow sharp fighting teeth at around 2-3 years that can seriously injure herd mates.…
Foot Abscess & Interdigital Infection
Infection of the soft foot pad or between the toes, usually from wet, muddy conditions or penetrating injuries.…
Incisor Malocclusion
Lower incisors that do not meet the upper dental pad, so they overgrow and make grazing difficult.…
Overgrown Toenails
Alpaca toenails grow continuously and need trimming every 6-12 weeks on soft ground to keep feet and legs healthy.…
Patellar Luxation
A kneecap (stifle) that slips out of place, causing hind-limb lameness in young alpacas.…
Tooth Root & Jaw Abscess
Infection of a tooth root or the jawbone causing a hard lump along the jaw, often with a draining tract.…
Weather & environment
Frostbite & Cold Stress
Ear tips, the scrotum and tails can freeze in severe cold and wind, especially in shorn, wet or young animals.…
Heat Stress & Heat Stroke
Alpacas come from cool high-altitude grasslands and overheat easily in hot, humid weather — especially in full fleece. H…
Predator & Dog Attack Wounds
Dogs — including family pets — are the leading predator of alpacas. Bite wounds are often deeper than they look under th…
Snakebite
Rattlesnake and other venomous snake bites usually strike the face, causing swelling that can block breathing.…
Poisoning
Ionophore (Monensin) Toxicity
Camelids are sensitive to ionophore additives in cattle and poultry feeds, which damage heart and skeletal muscle.…
Lead Poisoning
Licking or chewing old paint, batteries, oil or contaminated soil causes nervous signs and death.…
Nitrate Poisoning
Drought-stressed or heavily fertilized forages can accumulate nitrate, which prevents blood from carrying oxygen.…
Plant Poisoning (overview)
Alpacas are selective browsers, but hunger, boredom and garden waste lead to poisonings — some fatal within hours.…
Other conditions
Berserk Male Syndrome
A behavioral problem where over-handled male alpacas treat humans as rival males and become dangerously aggressive as ad…
Juvenile Immunodeficiency Syndrome (JLIDS)
A rare inherited immune disorder of young camelids (mostly llamas) causing repeated infections from about 6-24 months of…
Lymphoma (Lymphosarcoma)
The most common cancer of camelids, sometimes affecting surprisingly young animals.…
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.