Fighting Teeth - Male llamas develop six very sharp fighting teeth, two up and one down on each side, at approximately two years of age which can be very dangerous when competitive males are together. These teeth can easily be removed with an OB wire either with or without a slight sedative.

Foaming Mouth - Sometimes in summer months, some llamas may develop a white foam around their mouth as they lay and chew their cud. This can be due to a substance in the clover called slaframin, also called Black Patch Disease. It also could be due to an injury in the mouth or possibly a poisonous plant so the animal should be checked for normal behaviors.

Hair Loss - Llamas periodically lose hairs as new hairs are emerging from hair follicles. More intense shedding of neck wool, particularly in short wooled llamas, may occur around 18 months of age and probably will not grow back to the youth length. Wool breaking off at a very short length and coming out in handfuls may be caused by a stressful occasion, heat, illness, nutrition, or even birthing. Whatever the stress that caused damage to the hair follicle, probably occurred 3-5 months before you noticed the wool break. Often this is limited to just an area up the back of the neck, but sometimes it includes wool break over the entire body. The wool will grow back to the original length, but it will take close to two years. A complete bald spot, called alopecia, can look crusty, flaky, red, or even thick upon a closer look. This could be mange, ringworm, a fungus, or zinc responsive skin disease. A skin scraping by your vet should confirm the actual cause and therefore proper treatment can be provided. Alopecia on the bridge of the nose is quite common, especially in dark animals, in the summer months and is often caused by fly irritation and rubbing. This area usually grows back in winter months. 

Heat Stress - Llamas need extra care in hot humid weather. Always provide cool, clean water, a shaded area, and fans to keep the air moving. Long woolled animals may be sheared. Cool the animal's legs and belly with the hose - some will lay in a child's wading pool. Offer a bucket with electrolytes in addition to their fresh water. Feed a good quality hay and grain for easy digestion - good nutrition is just as important in hot weather if not more so. Plan breeding and birthing for the cooler months of the year. Signs of heat stress are drooling, open-mouth breathing, drooping of the lower lip, staggering, inability to stand, and not eating. A temperature of over 103 degrees is a danger sign and measure should be taken to cool the animal down immediately. Watch for a respiratory rate over 20 and a heart rate over 90.

IgG - IgG (immunoglobulin G) is an antibody produced by the mother llama in her udder towards the end of her pregnancy and passed to her cria in the very first milk - the thick, sticky colostrum. The maternal first milk is so very important due to the fact that the IgG content of the first milking is double that of the second milking. Since the newborn cria has no immune system of its own, it is most important that the cria first nurse during the first six hours after birth and get an adequate amount of colostrum. As each hour passes, the stomach becomes less porous and the ability for the cria to absorb the colostrum lessens. If the cria does not obtain an adequate passive transfer of antibodies from his mother, he will be at great risk to any infectious disease within the first few months of his life until he is mature enough to manufacture his own IgG. It is recommended that a simple blood sample be taken 24 hours after birth to check the IgG level to assure that the passive transfer of antibodies was adequate. A minimal level of 800 is marginal.

Leptospirosis - A contagious disease of all animals, including man, signs of leptospirosis can be inapparent, mild, or severe. The severe signs include jaundice, fever, depression, no appetite, bloody urine, and diarrhea. Abortions and stillbirths commonly occur.
Leptospirosis is caused by a bacteria which is most often found in creeks, ponds, and places with stagnant water where the organisms can survive for extended periods. The disease enters the body through the contaminated water or food or is acquired by contact of skin or mucous membrane with urine. An animal can become a carrier of the disease and spread the organism in its urine for months or even years. If leptospirosis is common in other livestock in your area, you should confer with your veterinarian as to whether the need for vaccination is appropriate for your animals. Leptospirosis can be passed on to people and other animals.
 
Lice - There are two kinds of this tiny wingless insect that attacks the llama - the sucking louse which feeds entirely on blood and can cause anemia and the biting louse which nibble on hair and debris on the llama's skin surface. Lice can be spread among the animals by direct contact or by close housing quarters. Signs of lice include rubbing the affected areas, dandruff, and fiber loss in large patches. Watch for lice especially during the winter months when the llamas are usually in close quarters. The biting louse are white or light tan and can be found moving near the skin surface when disrupted. Examine the skin at the base of the neck or tail and inside the back thighs. Treatment may be a topical dust or a pour on medication. Treatment for the sucking lice is injectible Ivomec SQ, or fenthion pour on (Tiguvon) applied topically at the shoulder blades. Treatment for the biting lice is 50% Methovychlor (Marlate ) or 50% Rose Dust, (Captan) applied topically. Ivomec is not effective for the biting lice. 

Lump On the Jaw - Occasionally you may notice a hard lump develop on the cheek along the jaw line.  This can be nothing more than the llama holding a nice large wad of cud in their cheek, however a lump can also indicate an abcess or a tooth problem, so further investigation is advised.

Mange - Mange is a contagious skin disease caused by one of a variety of mites that live on the animal. It is transmitted by direct contact with diseased animals or indirectly by contaminated quarters or even dust baths. The mite's entire life cycle is on the animal and two to three weeks may be required to complete the life cycle. The Sarcoptic mange is caused specifically by Sarcoptes scabeii. The mite burrows into the outer layer of skin in areas without much hair such as the legs, ears, and belly. The area develops bald spots, flaking, crusts and the skin may become thickened and leather-like as the disease continues. The mites may cause intense itching. Your veterinarian can confirm the mites with a skin scraping. Treatment is Ivomec injected SQ, 1cc per 100 lbs. (Source - Dr. Norman Evans, DVM)

Megaesophagus - A condition of the esophagus, the main sign is regurgitation and choking after swallowing. Generally affected animals are smaller and unthrifty. Associated signs are cough, fever, weight loss, and nasal discharge. Veterinary consultation is necessary.

Meningeal Worm - The larvae of this parasite is passed in the feces of the white tailed deer. The larvae then enter ground snails which can be ingested by llamas and alpacas in the pasture. The larvae then migrate throughout the spinal cord and the brain causing damage to the central nervous system. There is no way to diagnose Meningeal Worm definitely, but sometimes symptoms can be treated effectively. Most common symptoms are rear leg weakness, lameness, staggering and stiffness, circling, abnormal head position, and gradual weight loss. Treatments include multiple doses of a de-wormer and an anti-inflammatory. A preventative treatment in areas populated with white tail deer is monthly de-wormings with injectible Ivomectin.

Parasites - Parasites can be both external and internal. External parasites may be flies, ticks, mites, or lice. Internal parasites can cause some animals extreme discomfort causing them to rub effected areas and further exacerbate skin damage. Signs include visualization of the vile, little creatures; hair loss due to parasite damage and/or rubbing; and scaling and crusting of skin. Treatment — a nice dose of lvermectin should do the trick. Be cautious of powders, collars, dips, and other treatments formulated for animals other than lamoids, as some have been known to cause reproductive problems.

Signs of internal parasites may be a general lethargy, weight loss, a depressed stance, and sloppy stools or diarrhea.

 

 
Rain rot is caused by organism dermatophilus congolensis which is an actinomycete, behaving like both a bacteria and fungi. It presents itself as an inflammation of the skin with dozens of tiny, hair embedded scabs or even large crusty scabs. The skin underneath the scabs is usually pink, turning gray and dry as it heals. Also some people believe it is present in the soil, this has not been proven. It is carried on the skin of the animal and any particular animal may or may not be affected depending on conditions and individual immunity. Wet conditions (like these associated with prolonged rainfall), high humidity, and high temperatures combine to create a perfect environment for the organism to thrive. Muddy fields exacerbate the problem. It is important to remove animals from wet low-lying areas long enough each day so they thoroughly dry out. This, along with plenty of sunshine will go a long way in preventing rain rot.