As alpaca owners, we know that these remarkable animals are experts at hiding illness until conditions become serious. Being proactive about monitoring your alpacas' health can help you catch issues early and potentially prevent emergencies.

Daily Health Monitoring Indicators

Eating Habits

• Normal behavior: Observe each alpaca's typical eating patterns
  • Are they aggressive eaters or more passive?
  • Do they get pushed away from food by others?
  • How quickly do they approach fresh hay?
• Warning signs: Decreased appetite, reluctance to eat (nibbling is not eating), or complete food avoidance

Social Behavior

• Normal behavior: Note each alpaca's typical social preferences
  • Some prefer being in the center of the herd
  • Others naturally keep their distance from the group
• Warning signs: Changes in social positioning, isolation when typically social, inability or unwillingness to rise when approached

Posture and Resting Position

• Normal behavior: Document preferred resting positions
  • Cushed (all four legs underneath)
  • Front legs extended
  • Side-lying
  • Elevated head carriage
• Warning signs: Unusual positions, discomfort when resting, inability to maintain normal positions, or on ground/laying along back head carriage

Hydration Habits

• Normal behavior: Establish baseline drinking patterns
  • High-volume drinker vs. frequent sipper
  • Preferences for water sources (hose, sprayer, trough, bucket)
• Warning signs: Significant changes in water intake (either increase or decrease)

Bathroom Habits

• Normal behavior: Monitor typical stool consistency
  • Perfect "beans" vs. clumpier pellets
  • Frequency and volume
• Warning signs: Changes in stool consistency, diarrhea, straining to defecate, blood in stool or urine, or prolonged or frequent visits to the 'poop pile'

Body Condition

• Normal behavior: Regularly palpate animals in order to assess weight and body condition
  • Feel the spine and ribs through fleece
  • Monitor overall muscle tone
  • Check Famacha score (color of membranes)
• Warning signs: Unexplained weight loss, decreased body condition, or rapid changes in either

Emergency Information Checklist

Basic Information

• Animal's age
• Animal's Weight
• Pregnancy Status and gestation (for females)
• Temperature
• Health records
• Usual Body Condition Score

Nutritional Status

• Current feed program (pellets, hay, pasture) 
• Recent changes in feed
• Known dental issues
• Current grazing patterns
• Recent consumption (how much has the animal consumed daily for the last three days?)

Symptoms

• Primary changes observed
• When symptoms were first noticed
• Progression of symptoms (better, worse, or unchanged) 
• Body temperature reading
• FAMACHA score (anemia assessment)
• Posture
• Gait abnormalities
• Respiratory rate
• Recent changes in weight or body condition score

Medical History

• Weight
• Body Condition Score
• Date and results of the last fecal test
• Last deworming treatment (product, dose, duration)
• Last Ivermectin injection for medigeal worm (if applicable)
• Current medications and supplements (with dosing)
• Treatments already attempted for current symptoms
• Vaccination History

Herd Information

• Are other animals showing similar symptoms?
• Recent additions to the herd
• Changes in environment or management
• Recent travel history

Alpacas are stoic animals that instinctively hide illness until conditions become serious. By the time symptoms are obvious, the animal is likely much sicker than it appears. This is why establishing baseline health indicators and being vigilant about changes are critical for alpaca owners.

With experience, you'll develop an intuitive sense for your animals' well-being. Trust your instincts—if something seems off, it's worth investigating further.

Early intervention can transform potentially life-threatening situations into manageable health challenges. Maintain regular contact with your veterinarian and develop a relationship with experienced alpaca owners who can offer support during concerning situations.

By maintaining detailed health records and monitoring these key indicators, you'll be prepared to act quickly when your alpacas need medical attention.