Nursing hints for sick alpacas

Alpacas are very hardy animals, but along with all other animal species they do get sick or injured from time to time.

 I think we would all agree the necessities of life are food, warmth and shelter, and this applies to the sick alpaca as well.

Any alpaca who is not up and eating alongside its  herd mates, and is away on its own, or sitting a lot, or the last animal dawdling behind the rest of the herd when you move them, requires further investigation. A happy alpaca is eating heartily, and very active within the herd. On investigation, you may decide to ring the vet.

 Meantime, nursing care we would advise is to get the animal into a sheltered spot, - preferably a shed.

 In an emergency, a makeshift shelter can be provided with a bale or two of hay around the animal, or a tarpaulin over a fence to help shelter it from the prevailing wind. If the alpaca needs to stay in the paddock until help arrives, and it is cold or shivering, pack plenty of hay loosely around and over it, and this will warm it up quickly. Alternatively, blankets, rugs etc will do the same job.

Ensure the animal has fresh drinking water available.

Tasty treats to tempt the appetite of a sick animal include, tree lucerne, lucerne hay, bunches of freshly cut willow, karamu coprosma, maybe a little molasses drizzled over some lucerne chaff, some alpaca nuts.

Hygiene plays an important part  when treating a sick animal. Ensure it has fresh dry bedding, changed at least daily, and consider swapping the area the sick animal is in, maybe from one part of the shed to another. This ensures a damp urine area is not slept on.

Consider bringing an "alpaca friend" to stay with the sick animal. They are often happier, and recover more quickly, if they have a friend with them.

As the animal improves, you may wish to let it outside in the sunshine for an hour or two, on fresh grass, during the warmer part of the day. 

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