Camelids

More in Camelids

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  Camelids

  Alpaca Dental Health: Common Problems and Warning Signs Every Owner Should Know

  Learn how to protect alpaca dental health with this clear guide to teeth, dental checks and common problems. It covers misaligned or overgrown incisors, sharp cheek teeth, tooth root abscesses, gum disease and fighting teeth. Spot warning signs such as weight loss, slow eating, dropped food, drooling, bad breath, facial swelling and nasal discharge. Regular veterinary dental checks, especially for older alpacas, help support grazing, body condition, comfort and long-term wellbeing.

  20 August 2026

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  Camelids

  How to Keep Your Alpacas' Eyes Healthy: A Practical Guide for Owners

  Learn how to protect alpaca eye health with simple daily checks and early veterinary care. This guide covers healthy alpaca eyes, common problems such as injuries, corneal ulcers, conjunctivitis, cataracts, uveitis and entropion, plus warning signs including cloudiness, squinting, tears and discharge. It also explains how safe grazing, clean bedding, shade and regular monitoring can help prevent eye problems and protect alpaca vision.

  13 August 2026

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  Camelids

  A Complete Guide to Vaccinating Alpacas

  Alpaca vaccination keeps animals and herds safe from fast, serious infections. In the UK most vaccination programmes focus on clostridial diseases, such as tetanus, enterotoxaemia and pulpy kidney. Work with a veterinary surgeon experienced in camelids to choose vaccines, doses, routes and booster timing. Baby alpacas, called crias, need special timing because they get antibodies from their mother’s first milk. Boosters maintain protection and records of vaccine name, batch, date, who gave it and booster due date should be kept. Store and give vaccines as the product leaflet and your vet advise, and watch for mild reactions like small swelling or more serious signs like breathing problems, in which case call your vet straight away. Other vaccines, for example for leptospirosis or bluetongue, may be used if local risk makes them sensible. Vaccination works best with good biosecurity, parasite control, proper nutrition and regular health checks, so plan a herd health programme with your vet.

  2 August 2026

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  Camelids

  A Complete Guide to Tetanus in Alpacas

  Tetanus, or lockjaw, is a deadly disease of alpacas caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The spores live in soil and manure and enter through wounds, even small cuts from shearing, castration or bites. Signs usually appear 3 to 21 days later and include a stiff gait, reluctance to move, reduced jaw movement, difficulty eating, rigid posture, painful muscle spasms and trouble breathing. Diagnosis is based on recent wounds, vaccination history and classic signs. Treatment may use tetanus antitoxin, antibiotics, wound cleaning, pain relief and intensive nursing, but recovery is rare once nerve signs develop. Prevention is vital: vaccinate (two primary doses then yearly boosters, with a pre-birth booster for pregnant females), give antitoxin after severe wounds in unvaccinated animals, clean and treat wounds promptly, use sterile needles and keep housing dry and free of sharp objects. Tetanus in alpacas has a high welfare and financial cost, so contact your veterinary surgeon straight away for unexplained stiffness, wounds that look infected, difficulty swallowing or muscle spasms.

  22 July 2026