Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Alpaca health · Breeding & birthing

Uterine Torsion in Alpacas

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team6 peer-reviewed references
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Emergency — call your vet now

This condition can kill within hours. Get veterinary help immediately.

A twist of the pregnant uterus in late pregnancy, causing colic and blocking delivery.

Category
Breeding & birthing
Urgency
Emergency

Signs & symptoms

  • Colic in late pregnancy: rolling, restlessness, lying down often
  • Reduced appetite
  • Straining without progress

Related symptom guides: Rolling, Kicking at Belly (Colic Signs), Problems During Pregnancy.

What causes it?

Unknown; associated with the cria's movement and the large late-term uterus.

Risk factors

  • Last trimester of pregnancy

How vets diagnose it

Rectal or vaginal examination and ultrasound by a vet.

Treatment

Correction by rolling the female under sedation or surgery.

Do not wait to see if it improves. Camelids hide illness, and by the time signs are obvious the problem is often advanced. Call your veterinarian.

Prevention

  • Know what normal late pregnancy looks like and call early

Research & references

PubMed lists 8 peer-reviewed papers on this topic in camelids. The most relevant include:

  1. Splenic torsion in an alpaca. Smith JJ, Dallap BL Veterinary surgery : VS, 2005. PubMed 15720589 · DOI · cited 6×
  2. Surgical and nonsurgical correction of uterine torsion in New World camelids: 20 cases (1990-1996). Cebra CK, Cebra ML, Garry FB et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1997. PubMed 9290829 · cited 4×
  3. Cesarean section in alpacas and llamas: 34 cases (1997-2010). Miller BA, Brounts SH, Anderson DE et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013. PubMed 23402415 · DOI
  4. Uterine torsion and cesarean section in llamas and alpacas. Anderson DE The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice, 2009. PubMed 19460653 · DOI · cited 3×
  5. Treatment, survival and subsequent fertility following uterine torsion and dystocia in alpacas. Balasopoulou V, Meyerholz-Wohllebe M, Knoch S et al. Tierarztliche Praxis. Ausgabe G, Grosstiere/Nutztiere, 2026. PubMed 42030957 · DOI
  6. Surgical treatment of uterine torsion in a llama (Lama glama). Hopkins SM, Althouse GC, Jackson LL et al. The Cornell veterinarian, 1991. PubMed 1954745 · cited 2×

Frequently asked questions

What is uterine Torsion in alpacas?
A twist of the pregnant uterus in late pregnancy, causing colic and blocking delivery.
What are the signs of uterine Torsion?
Colic in late pregnancy: rolling, restlessness, lying down often, reduced appetite and straining without progress.
How do you prevent uterine Torsion?
Know what normal late pregnancy looks like and call early.
Is uterine Torsion an emergency?
Emergency — call your vet now. This condition can kill within hours. Get veterinary help immediately.

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.