Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Alpaca health · Nutritional & metabolic

Rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency) in Alpacas

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team6 peer-reviewed references
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Book a vet visit soon

Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.

A bone-growth disorder of crias and young alpacas caused by low vitamin D and phosphorus, common in winter at higher latitudes.

Category
Nutritional & metabolic
Urgency
Book a vet visit soon
Also called
Hypophosphatemic rickets

Signs & symptoms

  • Stiff gait, reluctance to move
  • Swollen joints (especially knees and fetlocks)
  • Angular limb deformities (bowed or knock-kneed legs)
  • Hunched back
  • Poor growth

Related symptom guides: Lethargy & Lying Down a Lot, Hind Leg Weakness & Wobbly Walk, Swollen Leg or Joint.

What causes it?

Alpacas evolved under intense high-altitude sunlight. At latitudes above roughly 35-40° there is too little UVB in autumn and winter for skin vitamin D production, especially in dark-colored, densely fleeced young animals.

Risk factors

  • Crias born in late summer and autumn
  • Dark fleece colors
  • Northern U.S., Canada, UK and northern Europe
  • Housed animals with little sun

How vets diagnose it

Blood phosphorus and vitamin D levels, plus radiographs of growth plates.

Treatment

Vitamin D supplementation (injection or oral paste) and dietary correction as prescribed by your vet; mild deformities often improve once corrected.

Prevention

  • Supplement vitamin D for crias and juveniles every 1-2 months from autumn through early spring in northern areas (ask your vet for product and dose)
  • Use a camelid ration with adequate vitamin D and phosphorus
  • Allow sunny turnout

Background

Rickets is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children and may have either dietary-deficiency or genetic causes. Symptoms include bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, and trouble sleeping. Complications may include bone deformities, bone pseudofractures and fractures, muscle spasms, or an abnormally curved spine. The analogous condition in adults is osteomalacia.From Wikipedia — “Rickets”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Research & references

PubMed lists 21 peer-reviewed papers on this topic in camelids. The most relevant include:

  1. Nutritional diseases of llamas and alpacas. Van Saun RJ The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice, 2009. PubMed 19825445 · DOI · cited 19×
  2. Survey of current UK alpaca husbandry practices: Vaccination, treatment and supplementation. Middleton A, Blackie N, Crilly JP et al. The Veterinary record, 2024. PubMed 38044333 · DOI · cited 6×
  3. The pathology of vitamin D deficiency in domesticated animals: An evolutionary and comparative overview. Uhl EW International journal of paleopathology, 2018. PubMed 29544996 · DOI · cited 25×
  4. Vitamin D doses for alpacas (Lama pacos). Judson GJ, Feakes A Australian veterinary journal, 1999. PubMed 10376102 · DOI · cited 14×
  5. Rickets in alpacas (Lama pacos) in New Zealand. Hill EI, Thompson KG, Grace ND New Zealand veterinary journal, 1994. PubMed 22133157 · DOI · cited 1×
  6. Factors associated with low vitamin D status of Australian alpacas. Judson GJ, McGregor BA, Partington DL Australian veterinary journal, 2008. PubMed 19076772 · DOI · cited 8×

Frequently asked questions

What is rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency) in alpacas?
A bone-growth disorder of crias and young alpacas caused by low vitamin D and phosphorus, common in winter at higher latitudes.
What are the signs of rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency)?
Stiff gait, reluctance to move, swollen joints (especially knees and fetlocks), angular limb deformities (bowed or knock-kneed legs), hunched back and poor growth.
How do you prevent rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency)?
Supplement vitamin D for crias and juveniles every 1-2 months from autumn through early spring in northern areas (ask your vet for product and dose). Use a camelid ration with adequate vitamin D and phosphorus. Allow sunny turnout.
Is rickets (Vitamin D Deficiency) an emergency?
Book a vet visit soon. Not usually an emergency, but it needs a diagnosis and a plan.

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.