Unfortunately, mites are a global issue and common in alpacas and can be transmitted between your herd and cross over from passing wildlife. So, you will no doubt encounter this issue when keeping alpacas. But don't panic, keep reading to find out how to spot signs of, prevent and treat mites.
What are Mites?
Cousins to ticks and spiders, mites are arthropods (invertebrate animals that possess an exoskeleton, segmented body & paired jointed legs). Typically, mites feed on dead plant material & other insects; however, some prefer to latch onto animal hosts. Mites crawl on the skin of animals & burrow in to lay their eggs, which sets off an allergic reaction that causes the animal to scratch. Sarcoptic mites & chorioptic mites are most common in alpacas, but Psoroptic & Demodecosis mites are known to exist.
Left: Sarcoptic Mite (Image source: Biomedcentral.com), Right: Chorioptic Mite (Image source: flockandherd.net.au)
What's the difference between Sarcoptic and Chorioptic Mites?
Sarcoptic Mites burrow under the skin to lay eggs and eats cell fluids, whilst Chorioptic Mites remain on the surface of the host animal, eating exfoliated skin cells.
What are the Symptoms of Mites?
In alpacas, mites cause itchy, scabby skin which typically first appears in between the toes, around the ankles or on the ears. If left untreated, this skin irritation can spread to the rest of the body. The affected alpaca(s) will be itchy, uncomfortable and scratch excessively. As symptoms worsen, poor fleece growth and/or hair loss is likely to occur. If battling mites for an extended time, alpacas can become malnourished and underweight. They may even cause self-injury through excessive itching, scratching and biting of the affected areas, which can lead to breaks in the skin and subsequent bacterial infections. In the photo, you can see a severe case of sarcoptic mites that has lead to fleece loss and skin damage.
A note on Zinc deficiency
It may be worth considering Zinc deficiency, as this can cause hair loss & dry skin, particularly if the skin scrape comes back inconclusive and/or treatment is provided and it does not reduce or remove the symptoms. To prevent Zinc deficiency, ensure your alpacas are fed a camelid specific feed which contains the necessary Zinc levels they need.
How to Treat Mites
Treatment will depend upon the type of mite present, which are pretty much invisible to the naked eye, so a skin scrape for investigation under the microscope by your veterinarian must be carried out to first identify the species of mite so an effective treatment can be selected. The vet will use a scalpel blade to scrape the skin to obtain a sample for analysis. As the blade used is so sharp, this should only be carried out by your vet to avoid injury to the alpaca.
Mites can be difficult to treat and affected alpacas will require effective and persistent treatment. If one alpaca is suspected to have mites, ALL alpacas in that group must be treated. As they are so difficult to treat, it is strongly recommend to quarantine all new alpacas to your farm or smallholding for a minimum of 6 weeks to check them for signs of mites.
Read on to find out how to treat specific mite types...
How to treat Sarcoptic Mites in alpacas:
To treat sarcoptic mites in alpacas, administer 4 doses of an Ivermectin 1% drug (such as Ivomec or Panomec) 7 - 10 days apart, via subcutaneous injection at a rate of 0.5ml per 10KG of bodyweight. The more expensive ‘plus’ versions of these medications are not necessary to just treat mites; however, they can be considered if you also need to treat for liver fluke. Avermectin injections do not work to treat mites in alpacas. Completely mucking out their shelters, disinfecting the area and leaving it to dry before putting fresh straw back down will reduce the level of mites present in the substrate and help with the alpaca’s recovery.
How to treat Chorioptic Mites in alpacas:
Topical treatment is required to treat chorioptic mites - Ivermectin will not work, which is why an initial skin scrape is so important.
To treat chorioptic mites in alpacas, bathe the affected alpaca using Keratolytic shampoo (such as Sebomild or Sebolytic) and leave it to soak in for 20 minutes before rinsing and then, once dry, apply a topical anti-mite spray to affected areas (such as Frontline or Deosect) and rub it down to skin level (wear disposable gloves to do this). Be careful not to spray it into the eyes - if you need to treat around the eyes, first apply spray to a sponge and then use sponge to apply on the face. Using anti-mite spray should also be done from toes to knees/hocks in animals from the same group, even if no clinical signs are seen. Completely mucking out their shelters, disinfecting the area and leaving it to dry before putting fresh straw back down will reduce the level of mites present in the substrate and help with the alpaca’s recovery.
There is also the option to use Lime Sulphur foot dip to treat chorioptic mites in alpacas. But, this method will stain any fleece that comes into contact with the solution yellow. Use the following method every two weeks for treatment of mites or less regularly for maintenance and prevention.
Prepare foot bath and handling system
Place X3 500ml bottles into 60 litres of water
Move alpacas to the handling system and let them stand for 30 seconds in the foot bath
Ideally, release them onto concrete so the dip dries (it washes off on grass)
How to Treat Damaged Skin After Mites
Although you may have treated your alpacas for mites, they will be left with sore and damaged skin that needs some tlc to encourage healthy skin and fleece to regrow.
Cattle Salve Apply cattle udder salve to all affected areas to help moisturise and soothe the skin. We use Gold Label Udder Cream which is bright pink, so you can see where it has been applied and can usually be purchased from your local farm supplies store. For mild cases, once to twice-a-week applications should be enough, but daily application may be required for severe cases. Over time, the scabs will begin to drop off and reveal fresh, pink skin.
Xtra Care Gel Available from Eggs-port, Xtra Care Skin Gel aids the growth of skin, fleece and foot which is aimed at alpacas with poor, dry, flaky or bald patches - ideal for alpacas that have suffered a mite infestation. Adults should receive 10ml every other day for 2 weeks and a visible improvement should be apparent after 28 days of using the product.
Disclaimer: Fostings Alpacas are not a veterinarian body. Always consult your vet when creating a health plan for your herd and before administering medication.
Learn how to look after alpacas
This 110 page E-Guide is packed full of information for new and prospective alpaca keepers, covering Alpaca 101, Essential Requirements, Diet & Pasture Management, Costs to Purchase & Keep Alpacas, Routine Husbandry and Common Disease & Parasites in Alpacas. The E-Guide is downloadable upon purchase so you can dive straight in! For the full contents list and to get your copy, just click the image below!
