Pathological findings in South American camelids presented at a farm animal clinic in Northern Germany (2005-2021)

Saskia Neubert; Christina Puff; Sven Kleinschmidt; Patricia Kammeyer; Alexandra von Altrock; Michael Wendt; Matthias Gerhard Wagener

doi:10.1007/s11259-024-10369-1

Pathological findings in South American camelids presented at a farm animal clinic in Northern Germany (2005-2021)

Vet Res Commun. 2024 Apr 17. doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10369-1. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Saskia Neubert¹, Christina Puff², Sven Kleinschmidt³, Patricia Kammeyer³, Alexandra von Altrock⁴, Michael Wendt⁴, Matthias Gerhard Wagener⁴

Affiliations

¹ Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30173, Hannover, Germany. neubert.saskia@web.de.
² Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
³ Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, Food and Veterinary Institute Braunschweig/Hannover, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
⁴ Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30173, Hannover, Germany.

PMID: 38630427
DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10369-1

Abstract

To expand the knowledge about common diseases in llamas and alpacas in Germany, a screening of the cases of South American camelids presented at the Clinic for Swine and Small Ruminants of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany from 2005 to the end of November 2021 was performed. A retrospective evaluation of necropsy reports from this period was conducted. Overall, necropsy reports were evaluated from 187 alpacas, 35 llamas and one vicuña (n = 223). A total of 50.2% of the dissected animals were thin or cachectic. Pathological alterations of the gastrointestinal tract were the most common findings (44.8%). In addition, liver changes were recorded, most frequently in adult animals. In contrast, diseases of the respiratory tract and the nervous system were found more frequently in juvenile animals. This study provides an overview of common pathologies in South American camelids in Germany and thus may help to recognise different disease symptoms at an early stage.

Keywords: Alpaca; Diseases; Llama; Necropsy; South American camelids; Veterinary pathology.