Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Toxic

Is Viper's Bugloss Poisonous to Alpacas?

Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare) — a weed. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — viper's bugloss is toxic to alpacas.

Keep it out of pastures, hay and reach of fences, and never feed trimmings.

Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare)
Viper's Bugloss (Echium vulgare). Photo: Giuseppe Frizzi, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Toxic
Scientific name
Echium vulgare
Family
Boraginaceae
Plant type
Weed
Also known as
Blueweed, Paterson's curse (related), vipers bugloss, common viper's bugloss, blueweed
Toxic parts
Whole plant
Toxic compound
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Why it matters

Related Paterson's curse (Echium plantagineum) is a major problem in Australia.

Signs of viper's bugloss poisoning in alpacas

  • Weight loss and poor condition weeks to months after exposure
  • Jaundice (yellow gums/eyes)
  • Photosensitization (sunburn-like skin lesions)
  • Neurological signs from liver failure: aimless walking, head pressing
  • Death from chronic liver failure

Signs can appear within minutes (cyanide, cardiac toxins) or only after weeks of exposure (liver toxins). Many poisoned camelids are simply found dead, so prevention is everything.

What to do if your alpaca ate viper's bugloss

  1. Move the herd away and remove any remaining plant material, clippings or fallen leaves.
  2. Call your veterinarian immediately, even if the alpaca looks normal. Say what was eaten, roughly how much and when.
  3. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
  4. Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
  5. Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
  6. Check every other alpaca that had access, then remove the plant permanently (including roots).

Emergency: call your veterinarian immediately. If you cannot reach them, contact an animal poison control service (in the U.S., the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or Pet Poison Helpline; fees may apply). Bring a sample or photo of the plant.

About the plant

Echium vulgare, known as viper's bugloss and blueweed, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe and western and central Asia and it occurs as an introduced species in north-eastern North America, south-western South America and the South and North Island of New Zealand. If eaten, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle through the accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the liver.From Wikipedia — “Echium vulgare”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 457,442 recorded observations of Echium vulgare L. worldwide, including 6,907 in the United States. It belongs to the Boraginaceae family, together with Fiddleneck, Houndstongue, Comfrey. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is viper's bugloss poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — viper's bugloss is toxic to alpacas. Related Paterson's curse (Echium plantagineum) is a major problem in Australia.
What part of viper's bugloss is toxic to alpacas?
Whole plant.
What are the symptoms of viper's bugloss poisoning?
Weight loss and poor condition weeks to months after exposure, jaundice (yellow gums/eyes), photosensitization (sunburn-like skin lesions), neurological signs from liver failure: aimless walking, head pressing and death from chronic liver failure.
Is dried viper's bugloss safe?
Drying does not reliably make poisonous plants safe. Treat dried leaves and contaminated hay with the same caution.

Keeping pastures safe

  • Walk every paddock and fence line each season and remove toxic plants, including roots.
  • Never throw garden, hedge or lawn clippings over the fence.
  • Check pastures after storms for fallen branches (cherry, red maple).
  • Buy hay from known sources and inspect it for weeds.
  • Keep pastures well managed — hungry alpacas eat plants they would normally avoid.

Browse the full toxic plant checker, the printable list of poisonous plants and the list of safe plants.

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.

Data: plant status compiled from veterinary toxicology references (see sources); taxonomy and occurrences from GBIF; identifiers from Wikidata Q157722.