The Alpaca Vet

16/01/2025

Calling all Vets!

I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be doing a FREE webinar next Thursday 23rd January at 8pm on IV Fluid Therapy for Camelid Patients. Please note that this is for vets only. If you're an owner reading this, please share this opportunity with your vets. If you're a vet and you've already attended this webinar previously, please let the other vets in your practice know about this opportunity for valuable free CPD!

In Just One Hour, Discover:
⭐️The critical nature of IV fluid therapy for camelid patients
⭐️Pragmatic approach to IV catheter placement
⭐️Must-do diagnostics and more…

Camelid patients present unique care needs, and this training is designed to demystify the key aspects of their IV fluid therapy, ensuring you can navigate through with ease and assurance.

Here's the link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/3117369568229/WN_pVCoZiinTUG5X70yelsfWw

15/01/2025

🌍 Join Us at the 2nd Global Camelid Owners Conference 2025! 🦙

📣 Are you passionate about the health and well-being of your alpacas and llamas? Don't miss the chance to gain invaluable insights into camelid care at the 2nd Global Camelid Owners Conference 2025!

This year's event will feature a special session on "The Camelid Eye & Eye Problems in Camelids" by the amazing Dr. Anne J. Gemensky Metzler, DVM, MS, DACVO. As a Professor and Section Head of Comparative Ophthalmology at The Ohio State University, Dr. Gemensky Metzler will bring her expertise to help you better understand and manage eye health in your beloved camelids. She has spent many years helping camelid patients at Ohio State, has tonnes of experience treating really dire looking eye problems and even doing cataract surgery. She is my go-to person for eye case advice!

✨ Why attend?
• Learn from top veterinary specialists.
• Network with fellow camelid owners from around the world.
• Enhance your knowledge to ensure the best care for your animals.

📅 Dates:
• Thursday, 30th January: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (31st Jan)]
• Friday, 31st January: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (31st Jan)]
• Saturday, 1st February: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (2nd Feb)]

Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your understanding and connect with a community dedicated to camelid care.

➡️ Register now to secure your spot: https://tinyurl.com/HumConference2025

Let’s make 2025 the year of thriving, healthy camelids! 🦙💙

15/01/2025

🐪🐫🦙 In follow-up to last year being the International Year of Camelids, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have announced a Photo Contest - there are prizes! So you might like to look at that, particularly anyone who has been out to South America in the last few years. GOOD LUCK! 🍀😃

Photo Contest

14/01/2025

‼🔥STOP PRESS! 🦙

Don't miss the chance to expand your knowledge and enhance your breeding practices with the latest insights on Yard vs. Paddock Mating.

Jane Vaughan is ALWAYS a favourite speaker due to her passion, enthusiasm and fun presentation style and she will be presenting on:
✅ Understanding the two different mating methods to optimize your farm's conception rates.
✅ Using ultrasonography to accurately determine gestational age and identify infertile and sub-fertile alpacas in your herd.

This conference is a must for anyone dedicated to the successful management and breeding of alpacas and llamas. Don’t miss out on expert-led sessions, networking opportunities, and cutting-edge strategies to improve your herd's health and productivity.

👉 Register now and secure your spot at this essential event for alpaca and llama owners! https://keap.page/jxy193/2nd-virtual-camelid-conference-updated.html

📅 Date:
• [Thursday, 30th January: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (31st Jan)]
• Friday, 31st January: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (1st Feb)]
• Saturday, 1st February: 6pm to midnight GMT [10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (2nd Feb)]

14/01/2025

So the biggest question I am getting asked about the Conference is whether there is access to the recordings - because folks aren't going to be able to tune in for the entire thing or the timings don't work for whatever reason...

YES, there are going to be recordings!!!! Your conference fee INCLUDES ACCESS TO THE RECORDINGS and you'll be able to view them for a whole entire year... 🦙🍾🥂

So please don't let this be a barrier to registering for the Conference! 😃

13/01/2025

🌍 Join Us at the 2nd Global Camelid Owners' Con 🌟

Parasite management is one of the most significant challenges we face in ensuring the health and productivity of our herds. This year, we're excited to feature Michelle Carman, from The Ohio State University, as she shares the work of their group on the use of the Barbervax vaccine in camelids:
"Parasites and Vaccines: A New Potential Tool for Haemonchus contortus Management"

Join us to explore:
✅ The limitations of current parasite control strategies.
✅ How Barbervax® is revolutionizing parasite management in small ruminants and its potential for camelids.
✅ The vaccine's impact on reducing eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and duration of protection.
✅ Why this vaccine is a potential adjunctive therapy and how it fits into holistic parasite control.

Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead with cutting-edge knowledge and connect with fellow alpaca and llama owners from around the globe!

🔗 Register now: https://keap.page/.../2nd-virtual-camelid-conference...
💡 Let’s work together to secure a healthier future for our camelids.

📅 Event Dates:
• Thursday, 30th January: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (31st Jan))
• Friday, 31st January: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (1st Feb))
• Saturday, 1st February: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (2nd Feb))

12/01/2025

🌍 Join Us at the 2nd Global Camelid Owners' Conference 2025! 🌟

Parasite management is one of the most significant challenges we face in ensuring the health and productivity of our herds. This year, we're excited to feature Michelle Carman, from The Ohio State University, as she shares the work of their group on the use of the Barbervax vaccine in camelids:
"Parasites and Vaccines: A New Potential Tool for Haemonchus contortus Management"

Join us to explore:
✅ The limitations of current parasite control strategies.
✅ How Barbervax® is revolutionizing parasite management in small ruminants and its potential for camelids.
✅ The vaccine's impact on reducing eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and duration of protection.
✅ Why this vaccine is a potential adjunctive therapy and how it fits into holistic parasite control.

Don't miss this opportunity to stay ahead with cutting-edge knowledge and connect with fellow alpaca and llama owners from around the globe!

🔗 Register now: https://keap.page/jxy193/2nd-virtual-camelid-conference-updated.html
💡 Let’s work together to secure a healthier future for our camelids.

📅 Event Dates:
• Thursday, 30th January: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (31st Jan))
• Friday, 31st January: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (1st Feb))
• Saturday, 1st February: 6pm to midnight GMT (10am-4pm PST, 1-7pm EST, and 5-11am AEDT (2nd Feb))

10/01/2025

It's COLD at the moment! Brrrrr!! ❄️❄️❄️

Cold weather causes stress for your animals. This puts an extra strain on their bodies and immune systems so any animals that are slightly under the weather or just about coping metabolically will decompensate when the cold weather arrives.

👉Watch out for any animals that suddenly appear unwell and get your vet out to check them THOROUGHLY as soon as possible. Get lab work checked to investigate any underlying health issues - this includes getting a blood sample AND faecal analysed at least!! A cursory examination may miss underlying problems. Don't delay in getting diagnostics checked.

09/01/2025

It's super COLD at the moment! ❄️🌨💨

We don't get too much cold weather like this here in the UK, but the next few nights are set to be especially cold! Some tips for helping your animals deal with the cold:

🔥Providing fresh dry supplementary forages - that's hay or haylage folks! Camelids need forage for their stomachs to function properly. Concentrates alone are not enough, and camelids will struggle to eat frozen grass or to find grass under snow. Besides, would you like to eat that?

🔥You may need to increase their feeding (eg using sugar beet and alfalfa) as requirements for energy increase, but make sure you add it in slowly to allow their gut microbes time to adapt. Chopped dried grass (bought in bags from feed merchants) provides an excellent tasty supplement of good quality.

🔥Make sure you check your water troughs regularly to ensure that they are not frozen solid. With temps not getting above freezing you will need to do this several times a day. If you have troughs on mains, you may need to turn off the water to prevent burst pipes and manually fill troughs. Camelids that don't drink will get dehydrated! Problems follow...

🔥 If you have any animals that are skinny, provide them with a coat to help them keep warm without spending further energy having to just keep warm. Bringing animals in overnight is great for those animals that need just a little extra TLC but will also reduce your feed costs because if they are warmer they won't need as much extra feed.

🔥 If you have any sick animals, provide them with warmed water to drink. It's considerably more palatable than icy cold water when they don't feel well!

Cold weather causes stress for your animals. This puts an extra strain on their bodies and immune systems so any animals that are slightly under the weather or just about coping metabolically will decompensated when the cold weather arrives. Watch out for any animals that suddenly appear unwell and get your vet out to check them THOROUGHLY as soon as possible. Get lab work checked to investigate any underlying health issues - blood AND faecal!!

08/01/2025

🎄🎄🎄CHRISTMAS TREES!!!

I see quite a few posts online about feeding Christmas trees to alpacas, as everyone is turfing theirs unceremoniously out of their houses!! One year I asked Camelid Nutrition guru Bob Van Saun about this...

He said that the needles are of reasonable nutrient composition and don't pose any health issues. The only toxic Christmas type tree that he was aware of was the Ponderosa Pine - although that doesn't look like it would ever be used as a Christmas tree.

Do always be aware that because Christmas trees are sold by a wide variety of merchants and have to be indoors for extended periods of time looking lovely, some retailers may sell treated trees. Check to make sure that yours isn't treated with any chemicals if you feel like offering it to your animals.

Also remember that too much of anything different can sometimes caught gut upset, so don't feed too much at once! One tree among a bunch is probably going to be fine...

PS I'd also suggest taking the ornaments off first, unlike the AI that created this image!! ;)

08/01/2025

‼️ Yesterday, we had our first Haemonchus case of the year on our faecal testing service... We've only just finished the first week of the year... An alpaca with anaemia was found to have an egg count of 810epg of strongyle type eggs. We can't be certain that these are all Haemonchus of course without staining the eggs, but given the clinical anaemia reported by the client, there is most likely a significant load here...

👉 Remember that the egg count doesn't necessarily reflect the burden in the animal because the L3 larvae suck blood as well as adults. Adults are the ones that produce eggs, so larvae can be sucking blood and causing anaemia before they are capable of showing their presence in egg output.

🔥This is why you should ALWAYS combine body condition scoring and mucous membrane checking (for paleness) in your routine monthly checks, and use faecal egg counts as required to check animals for parasite burdens. Check out our faecal testing service at https://www.ukalpacavet.com/laboratory-services/faecal-testing-for-camelids/. We provide specialist testing for camelids with detailed interpretation to help you decide how best to treat any parasite burdens.

Need a refresher on how to check body condition score or for anaemia? Check out the resources page on our website here: https://www.ukalpacavet.com/resources/

Here in the UK - and in northern/eastern USA from what I've seen on the news - we've had some pretty cold weather just come in. This causes weather stress for our animals having to cope with the changes in temperature and means that their immune systems can struggle to cope. So keep a close eye on your animals, check them regularly, and faecal test where needed!!

07/01/2025

🌟 Don’t Miss the 2nd Global Online Camelid Conference for Owners! 🌟
📅 January 30th - February 1st, 2025

🦙 Dive into the fascinating world of camelid care, breeding, and health with expert speakers from across the globe, all without leaving your home!

This year’s conference brings an exciting focus on camelid genetics, with beginner-friendly introductions and deep dives into cutting-edge research.

✨ Highlights include:

Dr. Kylie Munyard on basic genetics and the science of coat colours and patterns.
Terje Raudsepp exploring alpaca chromosomes and disorders.
Gustavo Gutierrez presenting genomic tools for breeding.
Brian Davis discussing big data comparative genomics.
But that's not all! Learn from familiar favourites like:

🥼 Jane Vaughan on advanced breeding techniques.
🩺 Bob Van Saun on nutrition and fibre.
🔬 Chris Cebra on camelid viral infections.
🌟 Erica McKenzie with a comprehensive session on neonatal cria care.
💡 Whether you're a beginner or an experienced breeder, this conference is packed with practical insights, cutting-edge knowledge, and the chance to connect with camelid enthusiasts worldwide.

🎟️ Still at last year’s price! Don’t miss this incredible investment in your camelid care journey.

💬 Here’s what attendees said last year:
💬 “It was llamazing! It should be a must for ANY camelid owner.” – Lisa Fox, UK
💬 “This was the best informational event I have ever attended.” – Tommie Smith, USA

🔗 Register now: https://tinyurl.com/HumConference2025

💻 Post-conference access to recordings ensures you won’t miss a single moment!

02/01/2025

As we say goodbye to 2024, The International Year of Camelids 🦙🐪🐫, we welcome 2025 and all the joys it has to offer...

⭐️ The International Year of Camelids was a good stimulus for me to write my first book! All the writing has been done, and it's in editing at the moment... I expect to launch it in April. WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

⭐️ I wanted to find new ways to reach you guys and provide valuable information to help you care for your alpacas and llamas, so I will also be launching a PODCAST!

⭐️ Of course, in just a few weeks we will have the 2nd Global Online Camelid Conference for Owners! This is open for registration right now, so start the New Year off with a pledge to learn something that will help and fascinate you in your camelid journey!! [HINT: You will find a post pinned to the top of this page with links to take you to the registration page!]

⭐️ I'm planning to be able to offer courses in other languages to help those of you who would struggle to access important camelid training in your own language! If you're interested in this, please contact me to express your interest and comment below!

01/01/2025

Happy New Year to all our friends and clients!

Wishing you the most spectacular and hum-tastic year!

25/12/2024

Relax! It's Christmas!!! 🎄🎄🎄

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas from the Team at The Alpaca Vet!

Claire, Sam and Libby
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25/12/2024

Wishing all our friends, patients and clients a wonderful Christmas! Hoping you enjoy a good rest!

24/12/2024

Don't forget to grab your place at the 2nd Global Online Camelid Conference for Owners!!! Click her now to treat yourself for Christmas.... https://keap.page/jxy193/2nd-virtual-camelid-conference-updated.html

18/12/2024

The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here! 😉

A chance to buy the ultimate Christmas present for the person in the family that you don't know what to buy for them!!! 🎀 Or of course, to simply treat yourself at Christmas time to the gift of knowledge....!!!

It's time to secure your place at the 2nd Global Online Camelid Conference for Owners!!!! 🍾

This year's conference takes place at the end of January - in the evenings for the UK audience. The focus, by special request, will be on camelid genetics this year since there have been many exciting developments in our knowledge over the last 10 years. Our speakers are involved in cutting edge research in this field. There's an introduction to genetics session too to help you understand the rest of these talks so don't miss this one!

We also have a number of other topics including the use of the Barbervax vaccine to help in the control of Haemonchus, neonatal care, herd health planning, eye problems, reproductive management, otitis, and many more! Check out the following link for more details: https://keap.page/jxy193/2nd-virtual-camelid-conference-updated.html

If you wish to pay in US dollars, just click on the link on the webpage above and you will be redirected. 😃

[If the above isn't clickable, just copy and page the link!!!!]