Camelids :)

Question 1

how can you differentiate alpacas from camels so your clients don’t think you’re silly and incompetent?

Answer 1

Alpacas will have a convex top-line with a low set tail. In general they are smaller, have shorter ears and a uniform fleece

Llamas will have a straight top-line and high set tail. In general they are larger with banana shaped ears and have a course outer fleece with a soft undercoat

Question 2

Suri alpacas have __ quality than huacaya fleece which is dense and fluffy

Answer 2

higher

Question 3

what are guanaco and vicuna camelids?

Answer 3

wild south american camelids

Question 4

dromedary camels have __ hump while bactrian have __ humps

Answer 4

1, 2

Question 5

female llama/alpaca

Answer 5

hembra

Question 6

male llama/alpaca

Answer 6

macho, gelding

Question 7

baby llama/alpaca

Answer 7

cria

Question 8

female camel

Answer 8

cow

Question 9

male camel

Answer 9

bull

Question 10

baby camel

Answer 10

calf

Question 11

alpacas are mostly used for showing, what are they judged on?

Answer 11

conformation and fiber quality (better = more crimp)

Question 12

alpacas need their friends __ than llamas. what should you do if an alpaca is coming into the clinic?

Answer 12

more, have the alpaca owner bring them a companion so they don’t get too stressed out

Question 13

camelids can survive on __ only and are __ efficient than ruminants

Answer 13

pasture, more

Question 14

camelid reactions to restraint

Answer 14

cush, scream, jump, run, spit, kick

Question 15

you’re placing a halter on a camelid for the first time, what should you consider?

Answer 15

make sure its far enough back on the muzzle (closer to eyes) that its not compressing cartilage making it difficult to breath

Question 16

an aggressive camelid will push its ears __ and tail __

Answer 16

down, up

Question 17

llamas live __ than alpacas

Answer 17

longer

Question 18

what must you do to properly BCS a camelid?

Answer 18

feel through the fiber to properly assess the animal

Question 19

male camelids have __ canines that are called__and can be cut off with a b-wire

Answer 19

4, fighting teeth

Question 20

t/f: its normal for camelid teeth to have short points and you shouldn’t grind them down

Answer 20

t

Question 21

camelids are walking on __ and __ and need routine nail trimmings

Answer 21

P2, P3

Question 22

sacculations in the stomach of the camelid __ surface area for digestion and __ is the “true stomach”

Answer 22

increase, C3

Question 23

camelids are __ in demeanor

Answer 23

stoic

Question 24

what parasite most commonly affects camelids and how should you assess the animal for its parasite load?

Answer 24

haemonchus, FAMACHA score

Question 25

describe the jugular anatomy

Answer 25

The skin is up to 1 cm thick in upper cervical region. Processes of the cervical vertebrae curve ventrally around the jugular and carotid vessels. When sticking try to use the right side to avoid esophagus.

Question 26

describe normal clinical pathology of camelids

Answer 26

- Erythrocytes are adapted for high altitude making them eliptical, flat and small with hemoglobin crystals - The PCV will be lower with higher RBC numbers than other species - leukocytes are similar to other species with counts 8-22,000/uL - hyperglycemia

Question 27

mycoplasma haemolamae

Answer 27

- detaches from RBC's if slides are not made quickly - mild, moderate or severe anemia - most cases subclinical - healthy animals mount immune response - treatment does not clear organism

Question 28

parasites of camelids? How do they control the feces?

Answer 28

trichostrongyles nematodirus haemonchus camelids defecate in a common dump pile

Question 29

paralaphostrongylus tenius

Answer 29

- snails and slugs intermediate hosts - white tail deer normal DH - camelid is aberrant host - cause spinal cord disease - prevention is frequent deworming with ivermectin

Question 30

haemonchus contortus

Answer 30

- larvae in C3 cause blood loss - often just present for being off feed with PCV < 8% - resistance is a huge problem in camelid populations - FAMACHA scoring - fecal flotation

Question 31

Eimeria macusaniensis

Answer 31

- very large coccidia that can cause weight loss, anemia and hypoalbuminemia - need high specific gravity fecal solution to detect - often resistant to sulfas or amprolium - ponazuril can be used to treat

Question 32

T/F: all vaccinations for camelids are off label

Answer 32

T

Question 33

what vaccines are considered core for camelids?

Answer 33

- clostridial perf typ D, C and clostridium tetani (others if implicated) - rabies

Question 34

most delay camelid castration until __ months. why?

Answer 34

18, long bone growth plates dont close till 18-24 months and early castration leads to prolonged bone growth causing joint hyperextension and osteoarthritis

Question 35

camelids are __ ovulators with breeding taking __ minutes or more

Answer 35

induced, 20

Question 36

neonatal care of camelids

Answer 36

- females don't have much physical touch but are very interested - neonate has epidermal membrane since theres not as much amniotic fluid - females have 4 teats and crias suckle from each teat for a few seconds

Question 37

t/f: crias relay on colostrum for immunity

Answer 37

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