Protecting our investment

On Sunday, we gave Ivermectin shots to all of our female llamas and alpacas as well as a couple of boys who are inside the barn. This coming weekend, we'll finish up this round of shots with our group of older boys. We do this regularly to protect our herd from meningeal worm (sometimes called "brain worm").

Meningeal worm is a parasite that is carried by white tail deer and passed in their feces. It can be spread to alpacas and other animals by slugs that feed on the deer feces. An alpaca, llama or other animal that is grazing in the pasture may injest one of these infected slugs while eating grass. Once the parasite is inside the body, it can make its way to the brain stem and cause neurological damage to the animal. Signs to watch for are instability or wobbliness in the animal's back legs and difficulty standing up or laying down. If it isn't treated quickly, the animal will die. On the bright side, animals who are diagnosed and treated quickly can survive and be productive members of your herd. Preventive care is the best way to ensure that none of your animals will become infected.

Ivermectin is effective for about 30 to 45 days. We could also use Dectomax instead of the Ivermectin. The Dectomax is effective for 45 to 60 days. Both are given "Sub Q" which means we inject the needle just below the skin rather than into a muscle.

The main reason we use Ivermectin instead of Dectomax is that it is readily available at our local Tractor Supply Store and is usually more cost effective. However, it's easy to order Dectomax online and it's more convenient since we don't have to use it as often as the Ivermectin.

It's important to know the weight of each of your alpacas and llamas in order to give the proper dosage of any medications. We have a livestock scale in our barn and it is one of the most important tools we own as far as our animals are concerned. Be sure to consult your veterinarian for more information or for any questions regarding dosages for your animals. Also, an excellent resource that we refer to a lot is the Alpaca Field Manual from C. Norman Evans, DVM. This book has great photos and information that has been very helpful to us.

The internet has a wealth of information to help you properly care for your animals whether you are a new or experienced alpaca owner. Be sure to research all that is available to you to ensure that your animals stay healthy and productive!