Camelids
Dental Problems:
Incisor malocclusion
The incisor teeth of the alpaca are constantly erupting/growing. If they are not in ideal alignment with the hard pad of the upper jaw, they may grow over the edge of the hard palate and hinder the animal’s ability to graze. Because the condition is inherited, responsible breeders are attempting to eliminate this from UK stock by not breeding from affected animals. However, if you own an animal suffering from this problem, treatment can be provided by a number of methods without pain to the animal itself. A burring apparatus (as commonly used by horse dentists), can be used to burr down the incisors. This may be undertaken by a vet, or by a horse dentist.
Fighting teeth
Males develop fighting teeth, behind the front incisor teeth and in front of the molar teeth. These are the equivalent to canine teeth and are used for fighting. They can be dangerous and for management purposes are often removed. This is usually carried out by a veterinary surgeon as restraint and sometimes sedation may be required. It should only be done once the male has reached full adulthood and the teeth are protruding, at approximately 2 – 3 years of age.
Tooth root abscesses
Tooth root abscesses are a common problem in alpacas. They do not normally resolve of their own accord and require treatment of some kind. We are unsure as to why alpacas are more prone to these abscesses than, for example, sheep, but it may be to do with the richness of grazing they experience in the UK, compared to the relatively high fibre, dry arid pasture grasses that they are accustomed to in the Andes.
Cause: The abscesses begin when food material becomes wedged between the gum and the tooth, setting up small pockets of material in which bacteria can grow. These bacteria then slowly move their way down the side of the teeth to the tooth root causing abscesses to form.
Signs: The abscess will invade the jawbone and gradually this area will swell. This jaw swelling may be the first sign that you notice, although some animals can also lose weight due to the pain involved. However, weight loss is not always a feature, as many alpacas will be apparently unaffected by the problem. In many cases the jaw swelling will burst, with white/yellow pus exuding from the swollen area.
Treatment: Approximately 50% of cases will respond to high doses of antibiotics given under the skin over a long period. The remaining 50% of cases will require some form of surgery under general anaesthesia to curette the diseased bone material and allow the area to drain. In some severe cases multiple teeth roots are affected and the prognosis can then be poor.
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Last Updated : 29 January 2008 (C) Larkmead Veterinary Group