Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Male alpaca in trouble

 

Ken, Sub-Q means subcutaneous - under the skin as opposed to in the muscle. You can give the injections wherever you can find a loose area of skin - usually around the neck or shoulder.  Loose halters are almost worse than snug ones.  They can slip down onto the nose and cut off breathing; they can get caught on things and strangle the wearer, and animals can get their feet stuck in them trying to scratch an itch on the face.  Try using a lead around the top of the neck to steady them while you halter them.  You  may need to set up a handling area where you can drive them into a small pen so you an catch and handle them more easily (look at how Premier displays the chutes and gate system they sell for sheep farms - www.premier1supplies.com)  You can do this with stacked bales of hay or straw, moveable panels or an other resource you might have available; doesn't have to look as good as theirs as long as it facilitates your catching and handling them.

 

If you are in M-worm territory (anywhere that white tail deer flourish) you should be injecting Ivomec monthly. Most people do so year-round.  Yes, they hate it and so do we, but it's important to protect them.

 

Judith Korff

LadySong Farm

Music to Your Wallet

Randolph, New York 14772 

Cell: (716) 499-0383

www.alpacanation.com/ladysong.asp

 

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From: Ken <bushwacker37@hotmail.com>
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, November 10, 2009 2:17:49 PM
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Male alpaca in trouble

 

Thank you all for the advise. No real change in Coco, he is eating well and mobile, still leans and holds his head to the left.

I do not have a vet that is alpaca knowledgable. And worse yet, two weeks ago I joined the ranks of unemployed. My x-company saw fit to lay me off only after working me six weeks without pay and dening two weeks vacation pay as well. So financially I am unable to pay a vet for a farm visit. I will look for a source for the Banamine and Thiamine. And will start them on the pelleted Safeguard I bought. I have a reusable needle to draw the Ivomec from the bottle, so I guess tonight I will get them into the shearing stall I built.

My questions are:
What does "Sub-Q" mean ?
Where are the shots administered ?
Do I understand correctly that you give the entire herd a shot once a month year round ? My animals are even less trusting ever since I sheared them ! They may not even come for feed if I start sticking them with a neede once a month !

As to leaving the haulters on... They are loose fit and I watch the area for issues. However, getting a hold of any of my animals is impossible unless I get a hand on the halter. A neck hold mean they drag me away. They were wild when I got them and are just now willing to eat from my hand if approached carefully. But petting them is a rare and fleeting treat.

Ken

--- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com, "Susan Forman" <susan@...> wrote:
>
> Ken:
> The protocol for treating M-worm is oral safeguard, injected banamine, thiamine, and Ohio State also gave my girl (last year) an antibiotic. Note that I said that is the TREATMENT. Please call your vet since I am not a vet or even a tech. Oral ivomec will do nothing in any situation that I am aware of. PREVENTION is carried out using sub-q ivomec on a monthly basis of anywhere between about 1 cc per 80-100 lbs. Please note there is a big difference between treatment and prevention. Ivomec does not cross what is called the blood brain barrier so that it does not work once the m-worm has found it's way to anywhere near the brain or spinal cord. However, while the worm is still migrating from the gut to the brain, it does work. Hence, it is prevention. I would dose the other alpacas (and even this one) with ivomec. The one that's all funky I'd immediately give safeguard to at least at the rate of 1cc per 10 lbs......again, I am not a vet and urge you to contact someone who is qualified to make a good diagnosis and give you the latest info on treatment. the kind of symptoms you outline I imagine could also be an injury or other things, but I doubt that safeguard or ivomec would cause any harm. Even banamine and thiamine are fairly safe drugs if given at the proper dosage, but it sounds like this guy needs a look see by a vet.
>
> Good luck with him and let us know how he gets on.
>
> Susan

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