These clinical findings were suggestive of shock, either hypovolemic, cardiogenic, or maldistributive in origin. First compartment motility and intestinal borborygmi were absent. Petechiae were present on the buccal mucosa and bilateral engorgement of scleral vessels was evident. Mucous membranes were hyperemic and tacky with capillary refill time > 3 s. The alpaca was hypothermic, tachycardic (> 100 beats/min, RR: 60 to 90 beats/min), and tachypneic (value not recorded). Physical examination revealed a body condition score of 2.5/10, moderate depression, and frequent attempts at caudoventral flexion of her neck. Signs of colic (vocalization, rocking side-to-side while cushed, intermittently rolling into lateral recumbency) were evident.
Upon arrival at OSU, alpaca #1 (body weight 41.4 kg) was unable to rise. Previous herd medical problems included internal parasitism, enteric salmonellosis, and an episode of multiple cases of grain overload 2 y ago. Both alpacas (#1 and #2) and 12 other breeding-quality females had been moved to a different pasture 2 wk previously. All animals on the farm had been vaccinated against clostridial diseases 9 mo earlier. Fresh water and a loose mineral supplement formulated for camelids were present at all times. Feeding history included native grass pasture, grass hay ad libitum, and a 1/2 flake of alfalfa and 0.25 kg of rolled oats per adult animal fed twice daily. The alpacas originated from a breeding farm of approximately 200 animals. The herd veterinarian diagnosed colic of unknown etiology at that time another alpaca from the same pasture (#2) was noted to be cushed (sternally recumbent) frequently and both animals were referred to OSU-BVMTH. With strong encouragement the animal would rise but would not walk more than 15 m and appeared uncomfortable during ambulation.
The first alpaca (#1) had been found in the pasture that morning in a sternally recumbent position. Two 2 1/2-year-old nulliparous female huacaya alpacas from the same farm were presented to the Oklahoma State University Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (OSU-BVMTH) with an 8-hour history of recumbency and reluctance to rise.
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