WEST NILE VIRUS PREVENTION IN ALPACASWest Nile Virus prevention has become a focus for us lately. Five horses in our area have been infected with one that died from the infection. Alpacas are considered low risk but tell that to alpaca owners who have had one of their animals die from being infected with the virus. Alpacas can and do get this horrible virus. So how do they get it and what can you do to protect your herd, yourself, your cats, dogs and others suseptible to West Nile Virus (WNV)? West Nile Virus was first isolated in 1937. The first detected case in the United States was in 1999. It spread across the States and the first known case of this virus in Washington State, where we live, was reported in 2002. HOW THE VIRUS SPREADS The virus is spread to alpacas through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The mosquitoes get the virus by feeding on infected birds. According to our health district, only one percent of the mosquitoes where the virus is know to be are infected with the virus. To us this is not all that comforting even though it means the chances of being bitten by an infected mosquito are low. It just takes one bite from an infected mosquito to kill an alpaca. Once an alpaca is infected, the virus will not spread to the rest of the herd through this alpaca. The alpaca must be bitten by an infected mosquito to become infected. The mosquito might travel from one alpaca to the next infecting several in your herd. HOW DO I KNOW MY ALPACA IS INFECTED? It takes 3-14 days for symptoms to show up in your alpaca once they are bitten by a mosquito infected with the West Nile Virus. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Most alpacas show no signs of illness. Or their symptoms are so mild that you do not notice that they are ill. They may have a mild fever, or swollen glands, or body aches that are mild enough that they go about their alpaca life without alarming you to the fact that they are sick. Remember alpacas are very stoic. An alpaca that developes severe symptoms, as listed below, will raise an owners alarm bells. This is a very sick alpaca.
Your Alpacas brain is inflammed and he will have neurological problems. Get your vet! If caught early, your alpaca may have a complete recovery. If caught later, he may have neurological damage or die. WEST NILE VIRUS PREVENTION The best way to combat the West Nile Virus is to prevent it. The best way to prevent it is to keep mosquitoes away from your alpacas. Mosquitos only need a few days and very little water to get set-up on your property. Don't let them have a breeding ground at your house. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in rafts that float on the surface of the water.
Be vigilant about checking stock tanks for mosquito rafts. The larvae look like small wiggling worms attached to the suface of the water. Practice good west nile virus prevention by getting rid of any standing water. Look around your property at what can hold water. We tip our wheelbarrow upside down so no water can collect in it. Do you have dishes out for dogs or cats? Empty flower pots sitting around? Buckets or toys that might collect water? Wading pools? Old tires? Birdbaths? Be sure and get rid of anything that holds standing water that is not needed and dump water weekly in things that are needed or wanted on the property such as animal waterers or ornamental birdbaths. Clean out rain gutters that are clogged. Fix any leaking outdoor faucets. We change our large chicken waterers weekly. Vaccinations used on horses have been given to alpacas. It has not been proven that the west nile equine vaccine is effective in alpacas, although studies are underway. Reactions to the vaccination in alpacas have ranged from none to anaphylactic. The vaccination for west nile virus is given in three doses three weeks apart. It is recommended that the vaccination be given to alpacas only if the virus is in your area. Speak with your vet about whether vaccination is appropriate for your farm and area. West Nile Virus prevention is something that we must think about and act upon to take needed measures to protect our herd. Maybe your farm should be doing the same since it is spreading and more farms are having to deal with the virus.
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