ILRe-port October 2005

Welcome to the November 2005 ILRe-port!

Important announcements from the ILR

Seeking volunteer participants to the FALKLAND ISLANDS for a wildlife research expedition doing field studies on the guanaco, wild progenitor of the domestic llama.

Learn about social behavior and how it relates to your animals.

Limited groups size.

Cost includes airfare and expedition expenses.

Runs from December 1^st thru the 20^th, 2005.

Non-profit organization.

Contact Dr. Bill Franklin at: www.falklandresearchexped.org

Tell Us Your "Llama Tales"
Has your llama done something that you would like to share with other llama owners? Submit your "llama tale" to us at ilr@lamaregistry.com with "Llama Tale" in the Subject line and it may be published in the ILRe-port like Glacier The Bell Ringing Llama. Don't forget to send photos if you have them.

A NOTE OF THANKS FROM ONE OF OUR ADVERTISERS

"It has been very easy and pleasant to work with the ILR staff on our Traditional Llama Coalition banner ads in the ILRe-port, and our membership has continued to increase from the exposure. Thanks for all of your hard work and willingness to help."
Heather Bamford for Traditional Llama Coalition

IWantALlama.com
We have received some GREAT photos of llamas Thanks!!! Check it out at www.iwantallama.com

Events Calendar
ADD THEM YOURSELF or SEND US YOUR EVENTS to include on the ILR Calendar of Events on our web site www.lamaregistry.com/events.php! We will be glad to put it up for you. Call 406-755-3438 Mon. - Fri. 8am to 4pm MDT. Or fax your event information to 406-755-3439.

The last week in September I traveled to Chicago, IL to attend the ID INFO EXPO 2005, put on by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture. The purpose was to update everyone on the progress of the National Animal Identification System (NAIA).

There was a wide range of speakers, including Dr. John Clifford, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Veterinary Services and Dr. John Weimers and Neil E. Hammerschmidt, also from USDA, APHIS. There were also speakers from Canada and Australia, numerous speakers from a wide variety of livestock associations as well as industry representatives from companies that hope to supply materials or equipment for the NAIS.

In a nutshell, llama owners should get used to the idea (if you haven’t already) that there will be a national id system and we will be part of it. Right now, the indication is that only llamas that “commingle” with other animals will need to be micro-chipped. That means that if you have a companion llama at home and do not take it off your place, you will not need to have it micro-chipped. If, however, you take it to the veterinary or to the county fair, or packing where you may join up with other pack llamas or encounter other livestock at the trail head, theoretically, you would need to micro-chip your llama.

The word at the moment is that llamas that have already been micro-chipped will not need to be micro-chipped again, even though the new microchips must meet the current international standards and the old chips do not meet those standards. The APHIS representatives indicated that they expected the new micro-chips to be available in a couple months but that probably means that they might be available sometime after the first of the year.

If you need to micro-chip some animals soon, I would recommend that you just go ahead and do it, using the old chips. However, if you do not have to do it right now, I would wait a little longer until the new chips come out. That way you would know for sure that you will not have to replace those chips.

The ILR office is beginning to modify our software and lay the ground work so we can implement this new system with a minimum of inconvenience to llama owners. One of the first things that will involve is modifying our database so we can record “National Premises Identification Numbers.” A National Premises Identification Number is a “nationally unique number” . . . . that will be assigned “to each premises (location) involved in animal agriculture. The premises number will not change when a property is sold.” If you have animals at two different physical locations, you will be assigned a unique number for each of those premises. If you already have a premises id number(s), feel free to let the ILR office know what that number is at anytime and we will record it in our records.\ If you do not yet have a premises id number, you can go to http://www.usda.gov/nais to check if you will need one and how to go about getting one. We would give you instructions here but each state is responsible for the livestock premises within their own borders so each one is doing it in a slightly different way. We are not aware of a deadline to get a premises id but if you are going to need one anyway, you may as well do it when you get a few moments. This is about all we know about the NAIS at the moment. We will keep you posted as more decisions are made and we become aware of new developments.

All cases listed meet the criteria for persistent infection as described below by Dr. Donald Mattson.

Contact Alan (Abe) Rosenbloom, MD for further information and to report a confirmed case of BVDV, aar@pinehurst.net or 919-663-1528

• Farm and owner's name will be kept strictly confidential.
• Information may be transmitted through your veterinarian or a designated contact person.
• Confirmed cases will be identified by geographic region only and posted on this site as soon as information is available.

Diagnostic Tests and Procedures for Alpacas Persistently Infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus

Introduction:
An alpaca that was persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) has been recognized recently in Canada. Some cases have been diagnosed in the USA and there is much concern among alpaca producers as to the proper methods and procedures used to identify this condition.

Since this is a relative new challenge for the camelid industry, diagnosticians, and veterinarians who serve this industry do not have a great deal of experience dealing with this problem. Accordingly, we must use the information gathered from cattle in establishing criteria for making a diagnosis.

Tests used for detecting BVDV:
Virus isolation (VI) is the gold standard for detecting BVDV. Serum, white blood cells (WBCs), and tissue from infected animals taken at necropsy can all be used for VI. While feces from an animal with diarrhea may appear to be a good sample, there are a number of reasons why this material is not satisfactory. After a sample is received and processed, it is inoculated into cell cultures and virus allowed to replicate. Other procedures are used to detect presence of virus. This test is very sensitive for identifying virus-infected animals if samples are taken properly.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is also a commonly used test for diagnosing BVDV. The same types of samples as listed for VI can be submitted for this test. However, the sample is tested directly without first replicating the virus in cell cultures. The PCR test reacts with a specific segment of the viral genetic material. Since it is so sensitive, it is more prone to giving a false-positive reaction. However, diagnostic laboratories go to great lengths to control this problem; very rarely is a false diagnosis made. It is a very rapid test with results available within a day after the sample is processed.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test is used by some diagnostic laboratories; the test identifies antigens of the virus. Similar samples as listed for VI are used with the ELISA test. In addition, this test can be used to detect virus from skin biopsies. It is a moderately sensitive test and results can be obtained in a rapid fashion.

The immunohistochemical (IHC) staining test is used extensively in identifying viral antigens in infected cells. As virus replicates in the animal and gains access to the blood, (a characteristic of PI animals), it infects a number of cell types including cells in the skin and hair follicles. When a sample is subjected to IHC staining and viewed with a microscope, virus-infected cells can be identified. This test is used extensively in identifying PI cattle. However, a low percentage of animals undergoing an acute infection with BVDV (and are not PI) . may give positive test results for a variable period of time after the acute infection is over. One form of the IHC test is called the immunoperoxidase test or IPX.

Procedures for detecting PI animal using the above-listed tests:
1. A blood sample is taken and placed in a tube with an anticoagulant. In the laboratory, white blood cells (WBCs) or serum are separated and examined for presence of virus. Tests used for this procedure include VI, PCR or ELISA. This initial procedure will detect virus from acutely infected as well as PI animals. A second sample must be submitted 3 to 4 weeks later. An acutely infected animal will test negative on the second sample while a PI animal will remain positive. This is the traditional method for identifying PI animals.
2. A skin biopsy is taken, placed in formalin, and sent to the laboratory where it is subjected to IHC staining. If virus-infected cells are observed and the animal shows typical disease signs of being PI, many veterinarians will make a diagnosis on this basis. This is often the practice when dealing with bovines. However, to verify that the animal was not just acutely infected and viral antigens lingered in skin cells, a second confirmatory test should be submitted. A confirmatory test consists of submitting a blood sample (serum or WBCs) 3 to 4 weeks later and testing for virus by VI, PCR, or ELISA.
3. There is a third procedure that has been used to identify PI bovines. It consists of a skin biopsy that is refrigerated, sent to the laboratory and subjected to ELISA testing. This procedure just demonstrates presence of virus in the sample so a second confirmatory test, as listed for IHC, should be taken 3 to 4 weeks later. Continued presence of virus confirms a PI diagnosis.

Comments and recommendations:
Diagnosis of a PI alpaca is an important issue. It has far-reaching implications in that the animal readily sheds virus to other members of the herd where it can induce a variety of disease conditions. Of special concern is the pregnant animal that becomes infected and passes the PI condition to its fetus. It should be noted that a fetus is vulnerable to becoming PI only during a certain phase of its development. Generally, this period starts when the embryo implants onto the uterus and continues to just a little over the end of the first trimester. An animal can not develop the PI condition at any other time. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University has recently tested a PI alpaca using the IHC skin testing protocol. The veterinarian submitted skin from both an ear notch (a common practice with bovines) and a region of the skin ventral and laterally from the rectum (perineal area). Both samples were strongly positive. With the understanding that alpaca owners will not want to take notches from the ear of their animals, this serves to verify that skin samples may be taken in locations other than the ear. A sample taken from the perineal area would not disfigure the animal. We must address the issue of PI animals openly and aggressively. This problem may or may not be a major issue with camelids. If it is a problem, the more aggressively we diagnose cases the less impact it will have. It is hoped that detecting a PI animal and controlling spread of the virus will not blemish the reputation of any specific producer. In fact, it should serve to identify those individuals who are progressive leaders in health issues related to their animals. It is not an unreasonable request to have your veterinarian submit samples to another veterinary diagnostic laboratory to reconfirm a PI diagnosis. It is extremely rare for an accredited diagnostic laboratory to err in their testing procedures. I recommend that, while the animal is being reconfirmed for being PI, that it be isolated from the rest of the herd. A PI animal will shed thousands of viruses from every secretion and excretion and is a health threat to the rest of the herd.

• Leave room in your schedule for a nap in the sun
• Keep your distance until you get to know someone
• Stay close to those you trust
• Greet old and new friends with a kiss
• It is better to do things together
• Listen to your elders
• Respect pregnant women
• Make your intentions clear before you act
• Spit happens
• If life seem bad, chew your cud awhile
• Don’t worry about bad hair days
• We often teach our teachers as much as they teach us
• Approach new things with caution and reserve
• Respect personal space
• Everyone is happier if you keep your area clean
• Protect those smaller and weaker than yourself
• Playing in the dirt is fun
• Watch the sun come up every day
• Passive resistance can be very effective
• Think before you act
• Keep your ears tuned to the world
• Boys and girls ARE born different
• New additions to the family are precious and deserve to be spoiled
• Browse over a wide variety of foods before choosing your diet
• Accept each individual for who they are, not what they are
• Cuddling up with your friends when you are cold warms you both inside and out
• Some of us are black and some are white, but we can live in peace and harmony together
• Alternate leadership makes everyone happier
• Running away from your problems doesn’t always solve them (but sometimes it does)
• Everyone must leave their Mom, but it is hard on both sides
• Doors left open are fair game for exploration
• Repetition doesn’t usually hurt
• Repetition doesn’t usually hurt
• Watch your feet on rocky ground and thin ice
• Facing problems with your friends is much less frightening than tackling them alone
• Walk with pride and hold your head high
• Sometimes we must agree to disagree
• Words are not the only way to talk to one another

by Tracy Miesner, DVM & David E. Anderson, DVM, MS, DACVS
International Camelid Institute, www.icinfo.org

From the August 2005, Volume 19, Number 3 Quarterly Newsletter of the Ohio River Valley Llama Association (ORVLA)

The loss of an animal that you have been caring for is never an easy pill to swallow, especially if there was little or no warning of the potential loss of life. Death that occurs suddenly and without warning often leaves caretakers with many questions and few clues that would lead to an explanation. The International Camelid Institute, along with many other veterinarians, has often been asked to explain sudden death. This is typically when the discussion of post-mortem exam arises. Discussing the disposition of a loved animal's remains is difficult at such an emotional time, so it seems a pre-emptive discussion of the details and importance is prudent. Veterinarians can provide no reliable information on the cause of an animal's death if no post-mortem examination is done. These exams are preferably done by a pathologist at a diagnostic lab, but on-farm examinations can be informative. Veterinarians are frustrated when we are asked to explain why a farm has lost 4 llamas or alpacas over the past year, but no diagnostic tests or post-mortem examinations have been performed on any of them.

Post-mortem literally means after death. So, a post-mortem exam, or sometimes called necropsy, is the examination of an animal's remains after they have died, Veterinarians do not use the term "autopsy" because that refers specifically to examination of humans after death. The timing of these exams is critical to the ability of a pathologist or veterinarian to interpret their findings. Decompositions starts immediately after death and the rate is based on the climate that the body has been stored in: heat and humidity accelerate the decomposition process. When an animal dies or a fetus is aborted and post-mortem exam has to be delayed, refrigeration of the body and fetal membranes is required. Freezing significantly alters tissues and should be avoided. Not many people have access to a large enough refrigerator for an adult camelid, so call a veterinarian immediately if you are considering a necropsy exam on your animal. If you are fortunate, you have access to a veterinary school or state diagnostic laboratory. That can be a particularly attractive option for those that have the unfortunate responsibility of dealing with the remains of a departed animal.

Why is it necessary to thoroughly examine the remains of an animal that died for unknown reasons? Why can't my vet just tell me what happened? The fact is that many of the "symptoms" that are described at the time of death, such as seizures, do not necessarily have anything to do with the cause of death. Pre-death seizures can simply be what we call agonal signs; things the body does as a result of dying. The lists of diseases and conditions that can cause sudden unexplained death in an apparently healthy animal are extremely lengthy. Sometimes you get lucky and find evidence on external exam, but often internal and microscopic examination is required in nearly all cases. When there are other animals on the farm, many people want to try to make sure that their other animals are not a risk BEFORE others are affected, and nobody can assess the risk to the other animals when they don't know why the first one died. Additionally, attempts to determining cause of abortion or pregnancy loss also must be similarly investigated. One of the comments we hear is, "they can never tell me the cause." Remember, a negative finding on necropsy is just as significant as a positive finding. It is frustrating not to know the cause of death in that one animal, but a "negative" necropsy exam has tremendous benefit in trying to determine rule-out diagnoses, especially for future problem cases.

What about plant toxicity or intentional poisoning? In this situation, the investigation includes a list of suspected culprits and a toxicology analysis. The contents of the stomach are required in these situations, but in the situation where long term, chronic ingestion of toxic plants or poisons are involved, other samples will need to be taken and analyzed. In veterinary medicine, there is no such thing as a "tox screen." Testing blindly for any possible toxin would cost tens-of-thousands of dollars. You have to know what you want to test for and you have to ask for it specifically. Thus, it is crucial to discuss the case with a specialist in animal toxicology to determine a lit of "reasonable" guesses. Some state diagnostic labs might make some recommendations based on there previous experiences with toxic plants and poisonings in your area during a given season, but some will not.

Sometimes post-mortem exam reveals a long standing chronic problem that went undetected. Some animals are particularly stoic and don't show signs of illness for fear of appearing weak to predators. In some instances, illness that progresses slowly over time will allow an animal to "compensate" and no illness will be detected by caregivers. As an example, anemia or too few red blood cells can get extremely severe if it occurs over a long period of time, such as is the case in severe parasitism or other chronic illnesses that affect red blood cell production. Normally, an animal's blood will be around 30% red cells; we have seen animals that are still functional with red cell counts as low as 4%. If you quickly removed that much blood from an animal, they would die, but if it happens slowly over time, then you might not see any evidence until the animal is critical. In a situation where parasites are to blame, then the other animals on the farm might be as risk and this would be a situation worth investigating.

Of course, there are always situations where something catastrophic, but isolated occurs to an animal that was either unpreventable or untreatable. For example, lightening strikes or other electrocutions, rupture of major blood vessels due to aneurysms or other anatomical anomalies, sever head traumas, and other sorts of things that would be unlikely to afflict others in the herd. In these situations it is worth the piece of mind to know that the others are not likely at risk and that you couldn't have prevented the outcome.

A necropsy is an opportunity to look at your nutrition. This may give insight as to the cause of death, but may also give you an idea of how your farm is doing nutritionally. We recommend that you have a piece of liver, collected within 12 hours of death, frozen and shipped to a nutrition laboratory (e.g. Michigan State University Diagnostic Laboratory) for trace mineral analysis. In sick animals, this is not useful for looking at herd situations, but is useful to look for possible causes of death. In an acute death such as trauma, liver is very insightful as to the adequacy of farm nutrition.

Some post-mortem exams or necropsies do not reveal the cause of death. This is frustrating for both the owner or caregiver and the veterinarian doing the exam. We all prefer to have a solid explanation; it makes us feel more in control. However, we can not emphasize enough the necessity of post-mortem exam on every death and every abortion. If you look you might not find anything. If you do not look, it is predetermined that you will learn nothing. Not to try is inexcusable; to try and fail is a part of life.

This leads to the hard part, making the decision to have an exam done on the body of a beloved animal. It is hard when you think of it as a desecration of the body. The fact of the matter is that it is invasive, and it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to do it "cosmetically" AND thoroughly. And, the likelihood of a diagnosis often is determined by the skill and expertise of the individual performing the exam. Most diagnostic labs can offer assistance to veterinarians in the field to secure adequate and appropriate samples for shipping to the laboratory. This can be a good alternative for those owners who wish to bury the remains of their animal on the farm.

Ultimately, when one can force themselves to be objective, a post-mortem exam is the most practical and desirable option for trying to determine the cause of an unknown or unexpected death of loss of fetus. We recommend that every death, every stillborn, every abortion should be examined by a pathologist every time.

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Events - don't forget to check the ILR Event Calendar

Llamas for Sale

Services

Miscellaneous