NORMAL VERSUS ABNORMAL

1.      Weight at birth (may not be valid for South American imports)
     A.     18 lbs. or less – suspicious; probably premature; be aware of the ‘failure to thrive syndrome”
     B.     18-20 lbs. – guarded
     C.     20-22 lbs. – monitor carefully
     D.     22-30 lbs. – average, normal birth weight
     E.      30-35 lbs. – may be slow
     F.      35 & over – monitor carefully, can be slow and dumb, but are not necessarily so.
2.      Should be on their feet within 30 minutes.
3.      Should nurse within 1 -1 ˝ hours.
4.      Meconium and urine expulsion within 3-4 hours (recommend giving a warm Fleet enema slowly shortly after birth)
5.      Should be alert and act bouncy and stronger each hour – lethargy, droopiness, hunching up, or continually lying down all indicate a problem.
6.      Temperature: 100 – 102 F.
7.      Should be quiet (i.e. not crying or acting uneasy).
8.      Pulse: 60-100/min.
9.      Respirations: 30-36/min.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE – ALL BABIES NORMAL OR ABNORMAL

1.  Treatment of navel: Betadine navel as soon as possible after birth; take 10 cc syringe of betadine or iodine/betadine mixture and free flow into open end of umbilical cord, coating and filling the inside and outside.  Do not use pressure when filling inside.
2.  Consider use of vaccines as directed by your veterinarian:  i.e. clostridial or corona virus vaccines.  This is not necessary if the female has already been vaccinated.
3.  Fleet enema (or warm water with a few drops of Ivory liquid or lubrivet) given slowly.
4.  Carefully observe respiration.
5.  Check for umbilical hemorrhage or patent urachus (urine leaking from umbilicus).
6.  Colostrum within 3 hours if not nursing on its own.  Try bottle with lamb’s nipple (holes enlarged) first.  Tube if no sucking response.  The recommended amount of colostrum to be given would be would be 100 cc every 2 hours until a total doseage of at least 9 ounces has been given.  This should be done before the baby is 15 hours old.  Remember, should the baby  not receive colostrum it does not mean that it will die.
7.  Weigh baby and record birth weight.  Know that a cria needs to receive 10% of its body weight every day in the form of milk, be it llama, cow, or goat.
8.  IgG test 24-48 hours after birth to check for passive transfer.  We recommend a plasma transfusion for any baby with a test value below 400 mg/dl.  (RID plates for IgG tests and plasma can be purchased and shipped overnight from Triple J Farms, Bellingham, WA ph: 360-398-9512.)

ABNORMAL BABY CHECK LIST

1.  Examine lungs and check respiration rate.  If irregular, give oxygen and consider administration of respiratory stimulant as directed by your veterinarian.
2.  Heart and pulse (for patent ductus arteriosi, etc.)
3.  Weight – see birth weight chart.
4.  Temperature – normal range 99 – 102 F.
5.  Congenital abnormalities seen by us:
    A.  Umbilical hernia – apply pressure bandage.
     B.  Patent urachus (appears to be common in females as well as males); treatment includes betadine flush and use of silver nitrate sticks.  The AgN04 sticks should be used 3X daily.  It takes 5-7 days to heal and the baby should be placed on systemic antibiotics while treating.
     C.  Stenotic naso-lacrimal duct (uni or bilateral) – constant or recurrent tearing and conjunctivitis.
     D.  Heart murmurs.
     E.  Choanal atresia – partial or total absence of nasal passage (may be uni-or bilateral); easy to check by placing a small mirror in front of nostrils; baby will be breathing through mouth.
     F.  Cleft palate.
     G.  Hydrocephalus.

     H.  Absence of anus and/or vulva (atresia ani or vulvar stenosis.)
     I.   Hermaphrodite (very rare).
     J.   Other congenital abnormalities include cataracts, angular limb deformities, polydactylism, deformed limbs, etc.

SIGNS OF TROUBLE

1.      Ears that begin to droop or flop from the base – this is a major warning signal that baby is not OK.
2.      General weakness.
3.      Crying.
4.      Umbilical hemorrhage (tie or clamp off and apply pressure bandage.)
5.      Patent urachus (urine leaking from umbilical area).
6.      Straining to urinate or defecate with no obvious results.
7.      Staggering or wandering and other possible CNS (Central Nervous System) signs.
8.      Obvious non-bonding with mother from the beginning.  It is very important to leave mother and baby along after initial examination.
9.      Normal temperature is not indicative of the animal not being critically ill.

EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND SUPPORTIVE CARE

1.      Oxygen (3 liters/minute.)
2.      Do not be afraid to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation – it works!
3.      Blood analysis (CBC and routine llama panel RLP).
4.      Fluids when dehydrated:
     A.     IV Lactated Ringers (warmed)
     B.     SQ (sub-cutaneous) Lactated Ringers, D5W (warmed)
     C.     Oral-colostrum and/or electrolites, milk, milk replacer.
5.      Plasma transfusion – dose 10cc/lb. body weight given slowly and warmed (whole blood can be used if there is no time.)
6.      Antibiotics – Naxcel, Penicillin, Amikacin, Gentocin, Enrofloxacin, and are most commonly used.
7.      Dopram – 0.2mg/lb SQ or IV (if failing to breathe properly.)
8.      Hypothermia:
     A.     Heating pads or electric blanket (heat lamps excellent also).
     B.     Immersion (place baby in garbage bag – head out – and keep moving in the hot water bath.)
     C.     Hot spoons on tongue and hot water enemas (not too hot.)
     D.     Wool socks on legs and foil wrapped around body covered by wool blanket.
9.      Hyperthermia:
     A.     Cold spoon on tongue.
     B.     Immersion in cold water.
     C.     Cold water enemas.
     D.     Antipyretics (Banamine and Dipyrone)
10.  Vitamins – IV, IM, orally (ABDEC human baby vitamins or a generic are excellent.)

THE NAVEL AND SEPTIC ARTHRITIS

A navel that looks OK is not necessarily so.   Keep a close watch for 10 days to two weeks.  Watch for hemorrhage, edema, hernia, abscesses (note pain and heat in umbilical region.)  The stump should dry up and fall off within four weeks.  Be extremely suspicious of any lameness in or swelling of an joints.  If either of these is noted, call your veterinarian immediately.  He/she may decide that a CBC (complete blood count) should be done and vigorous treatment initiated: i.e. culture aspirated joint fluid, antibiotics of choice, hot packs, etc.

HOW TO HANDLE MOTHER

1.      Put a halter and lead on Mom.  Most of our mamas will follow us if we pick up the baby.
2.      Keep baby between you and mother – whether working with it or carrying it.
3.      No eye to eye contact with Mom (that is an aggressive action and they are all protective.)
4.      Talk quietly.  Llamas are extremely sensitive to body language and vibrations.
5.      Have assistant if at all possible while treating baby.
6.      When restraint is necessary, gently take hold of both ears.  Having another person hold the tail is also helpful if Mom won’t stand quietly to be milked out.
7.      Do not become upset if spit upon – it all washes off and along with stamping and kicking is Mom’s main means of defense.
8.      Adult llamas have a tendency not to like animal skin hats, coats or clothing.  These items have been known to initiate an attack response.

CARE OF MOTHERS AND UDDERS

1.      Placenta:
     A.     If no afterbirth is expelled within 4 hours we give 1 cc Oxytocin every 2 hours until it is passed.
     B.     If a female gives birth late afternoon, we give 1cc Oxytocin IM as a matter of course.
     C.     If the placenta is not passed within 12 hours a veterinarian should examine the animal manually; if still attached, he/she may elect to flush the uterus, and /or place Novalsan boluses in the uterus and continue with oxytocin.  DO NOT PULL ON THE PLACENTA or MEMBRANES under any circumstances.
     D.     All animals which have a retained placenta or have had a dystocial birth are commonly put on systemic antibiotics.
2.      Udders:
     A.     Strip each teat – two squirts are usually sufficient to clear plugs.
     B.     Oxytocin and suckling of baby (which releases the body’s own oxytocin) help bring the milk down if there is not much at first.
     C.     For edematous or meaty udder, either Lasix (2cc IM) or Naquasone (1/2 bolus orally) plus frequent milking, hot packs and udder massage will help.  Plenty of fresh water should be available.
     D.     Blood in the milk indicates mastitis of some kind or trauma to the udder by rough milking techniques and should be treated accordingly with systemic as well as local antibiotics.  Milk the mother out gently and frequently.  Supplement baby at this time per your veterinarian’s recommendations.  If not too serious, many times the baby can stay on the mother or go back on her after few days.  In many cases, a culture may be taken to identify possible pathogens.
     E.      Watch to make sure baby latches on to nipple and suckles.  If it bobs from one teat to the other every few seconds, it may not be getting enough.

IS YOUR BABY GETTING ENOUGH TO EAT

Observe for the following:
1.      Birth weight (should begin gaining ˝ lb or more per day after day.  Initial loss of weight is not abnormal for the first day.
2.      Staying under and nursing.
3.      Switching nipples often (probably not getting enough milk.)
4.      Tail up while nursing (probably latched on and getting enough.)
5.      Tail down while trying to nurse/nursing (be suspicious of not being connected.)
6.      General discontent and/or crying (problem).
7.      Tummy feels full when palpated.
8.      Rule of thumb: baby should receive 10% of its body weight per day by bottle or tube.  A baby nursing off its mother will occasionally get diarrhea or have pasty stool if mother is a very heavy milker.

HANDLING PAIN IN BABIES

Do not be afraid to give Banamine in small doses IM or orally, but not more than 2X daily.  Phenylbutaxone may be used IV or in tablet form, also not more than 2X daily.  Both of these drugs should be used only under a veterinarian’s supervision.

MOST COMMON PROBLEMS SEEN

1.      Starvation
2.      Impaction (repeated warm rectal enemas given carefully usually solve this)
3.      Pneumonia
4.      Septicemia

GRAFTING

It is not difficult to graft a baby onto another mother, but it does take patience, persistence (and prayer.)  Grafting may be necessary if a mother does not have enough milk; has mastitis; has a serious dystocia; has a caesarian-section; or dies.

1.      Put scented oil or cologne on baby from nose to tail and also on mother’s nose and head.
2.      Place baby and adopted mother in a small, isolated area (stall is best) initially.
3.      Halter and hold the surrogate mother and praise her when she is good, reprimand when she tries to kick, spit or lie down.  Any llama can be trained by one person to stand quietly with no restraints in a stall for milking by the “Patience and Praise” method.  This includes unhalterbroken llamas that spit, kick, and try to run away or lie down.
4.      Push baby gently under surrogate mother and coax to nurse.
5.      Monitor carefully and be sure baby nurses every few hours even if you have to step into the stall to hold Mom or just be there so she will stand for baby to nurse.
6.      Heavy milkers can raise two babies successfully (if close in age); weight on both babies must be closely monitored to make sure each is gaining a similar amount.  Supplementation of one or both crias may be necessary until both are gaining pretty evenly.
7.      When necessary, you can wean a baby 4 months old or older and graft a newborn onto the mother.  Make sure that baby has had colostrum first.  The surrogate mother should be known to be a good mother and milker (that does not necessarily mean that she has to be a sweetie to handle.)

Patience is rewarded when you see a happy baby (especially if it is a male) romping with its new mother and know you won’t have to bottle feed it for several months.  We recommend a 2-3 week bonding period before turning mother and baby into the herd.

While we realize that it is virtually impossible to cover every situation you may encounter with your mother and baby, we believe this overview has outlined most of the basics.  If you think you have a problem, first call your veterinarian.  He (she) is the one you will be most closely working with.  An “on hands” diagnosis by your veterinarian is much more accurate than long distance “guestimates.”

Kay Patterson Sharpnack

Kay has been closely involved in the breeding and daily health care of over 5,000 llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and camels since 1965.  She is a founding member of ILA (International Llama Association) and the ILR (International Lama Registry - also a past president), charter member of ALSA, organizer of the first llama medical seminar for veterinarians in 1981, member of the steering committee for the Heifer Project International Bolivian Llama Improvement Program, committee member of the first Lama Strategic Planning Group (chosen at Llama Assembly ‘94), and on the Board of Directors of the Patagonian Research Project.

Kay is an internationally recognized and respected author and speaker.  Love for animals, medicine and the education of llama lovers on all aspects of management, breeding, obstetrics, and neonatal care remain priorities as she continues caring for a herd of over 200 llamas at Hinterland Ranch in Sisters, Oregon with her husband Eric Sharpnack, DVM.