Scabies is a fairly common disease in alpacas that requires the intervention of the breeder. A neglected disease can lead to a significant deterioration in the animal’s health and even to death. Every breeder should know the symptoms of scabies in alpacas and learn about common treatments.
Scabies is a parasite that inhabits the skin of alpacas, which multiplies when immunity drops. When scabies becomes pathogenic, it begins to cause symptoms such as:
- severe itching – alpacas affected by scabies may scratch and rub against surfaces, e.g. fences, to relieve itching;
- skin changes – scabies can cause skin eruptions, rashes, ulcers and cause baldness in certain places. Lesions are most common around the ears, neck, abdomen and legs;
- increased sensitivity to touch – mainly in places affected by scabies;
- restlessness and decreased activity – persistent itching can lead to restlessness of the animal and cause a decrease in activity.
How to treat scabies in alpacas?
Treatment of scabies should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian. There are 3 types of scabies in alpacas:
- Chorioptes – usually covers the tail, feet, genitals;
- Psoroptes – occurs mainly on the ears and muzzle;
- Sarcoptes – covers areas such as the abdomen, armpits, groin and legs.
The specialist can perform a thorough microscopic examination to determine the type of scabies or recognize scabies by the location of the lesions. Often, however, several types of the parasite coexist, so accurate diagnosis is not always necessary.
Treatment of scabies in alpacas is most often carried out with the use of appropriate antiparasitic creams for alpacas. If mange is found in one alpaca, it is recommended that other alpacas in the herd be treated, even if they are asymptomatic. Although they do not have to show visible symptoms, they can be carriers of scabies and can be a source of infection for other animals. Prescribed medications should be used as directed by the manufacturer, unless otherwise directed by a physician.
During and after the treatment, you should also take care of the skin of the alpaca, ensuring its proper hydration. We invite you to familiarize yourself with our offer of cream for alpacas.
Can alpaca scabies be prevented?
It is difficult to protect alpacas against scabies because, unlike sheep, these animals do not have lanolin, and thus the drug does not persist in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, but only works at the site of application. The key to prevention is therefore regular control of the herd. It may also be helpful to reduce the density of alpacas in the herd.
