10/12/2024
Following our post on Friday, we asked you which alpaca you think need to be seen by a vet. Alpaca are very good at hiding their pain and often only show subtle signs in their posture.
Picture 1 shows a normal 'cush' position. As you can see, his legs are tucked up neatly under him and his feet are not visible. His head is also held up high and if you were to walk up to him, you would expect he would either watch you closely or get up at your presence.
Picture 3 shows a very sick alpaca with a very severe colic. He is lying on his side with all feet visible - this is very abnormal! You can also see a disturbance in the hay where he has been rolling. However, despite how sick he is, his head is still up and he is still watching the camera. Alpaca will always try to hide how bad they feel!
Picture 2 is much more subtle. At first glance, you may think he is completely normal! However if we look closely, he is in an abnormal cush position. While his front legs are tucked under him, his back legs are pushed to the side and his back feet are visible. This is a sign of pain and sickness so a vet exam is a very good idea! In this case, he also had a severe colic, but an abnormal cush was the only sign. You may also expect him to be a bit slower than the rest of the herd with a decreased appetite.
Let us know how you went with your guesses! And as always, if you have any questions or concerns about your animals, give us a call!
Pictures not owned by VetEnt. Picture 1: Noddy's ark, Pictures 2 and 3: llama and alpaca care, medicine, surgeyr, reproduction, nutrition and herd health - C. Cebra Et Al - pg 525
