Protein-Energy Malnutrition in Alpacas

Abstract

Alpacas commonly present with clinical signs of weight loss and illthrift but often have no other abnormalities on physical examination, making diagnosis difficult and frustrating for veterinarians. Protein-energy malnutrition is a diagnosis of exclusion supported by basic protein-energy calculations, body condition scoring, and feed analysis. Although protein-energy malnutrition has been described in domestic ruminants, this syndrome has not been studied in camelids.