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      Heat stress is often a geographic problem that is influenced by the adaptability of the individual, the climate and interactive forces. The combination of elevated heat and/or humidity, especially incessant conditions, favors development of heat stress. Prerequisites for the development of heat stress in alpacas and llamas include a sum of approximately 160 or greater when totaling the ambient temperature ( F) and the humidity. For example, if the ambient temperature is 80 F or higher and the humidity is at least 80% conditions are opportune for heat stress to develop in susceptible individuals. The sum using degrees Celsius would have to be converted to Fahrenheit. As one factor rises the other factor can be lower than the values mentioned while still enhancing the chances of heat stress. A sum of 180 or above means red-alert for potential severe heat stress risk!

      Other factors predispose animals to heat stress when the thermal balance is upset. There needs to be an equilibrium between heat production and heat loss to maintain a constant body temperature. Direct solar energy slows the loss of body heat. Air movement can increase evaporative cooling. Contact with cooler substances, such as water, allows accelerated loss of body heat through convection.

      Acclimatization to a different climate requires a minimum of two weeks, perhaps over two months up to a year. The degree of difference in the climates plays a major role in determining the period of adaptation. The fitness of the animal, the density of the coat and the activity level all influence the likelihood of heat stress.

      Stresses such as transportation, regrouping, increased activity, illness (especially respiratory disease) and advanced pregnancy increase the risk of heat stress. Other predisposing factors include a nervous personality, overconditioned (i.e. FAT) animals, very old or debilitated patients, imbalances, parasitism and poor ventilation. Being moved to a new farm, or being regrouped, can lead to heat stress. The new hierarchy has to be established. This can mean disputes including fighting, or just as simple as a less cool place for a particular animal to rest. Adding new animals to a group can have the same effect. One new animal can disrupt the balance of the herd.

      Signs of heat stress tend to be nonspecific. Scrotal edema (swelling) is a sign of heat stress in intact males and should be heeded. Hosing should be done as often as necessary to reduce scrotal swelling immediately to stop progression of heat stress and to minimize the deleterious effect on fertility. There are varying severity of heat stress, from mild lethargy (depression) to recumbency (downer) to death. Most animals have a fever; it is especially dangerous when over 105 F (40.5 C). Any fever should be a warning sign, especially in the face of climatic conditions favoring heat stress. Decreased appetite and dullness can be the first signs noticed. It is important to check the animal's temperature as soon as the initial signs are recognized. Depression, increased respiratory rate or effort and drooling with resultant dehydration occur as the condition progresses. Trembling, weakness, open-mouth breathing and edema can develop. Restlessness, increased heart rate, laying down a lot (especially trying to expose their belly) and sweating can be seen. Recumbency (downer), shock and disorientation or severe depression can result from a serious case of heat stress. Due to the high body temperature and/ or impaired circulation there can be muscle damage. The heart as well as skeletal muscles can be affected. The muscle damage can contribute to the animal's inability to rise.

      Laboratory tests can aid evaluation of the severity of the condition as well as assessing the probability of concurrent diseases. Every attempt should be made to determine pre-existing disorders, the severity of the existing disease and the likelihood of complications. All of these factors help to determine how aggressive the therapy needs to be and what the chances are for recovery. CK and AST (SGOT) are important tests to run to assess muscle damage. Positive on the urine dipstick blood square can be from myoglobin, from muscle cell breakdown.

      Therapy needs to be aimed at stopping damage, stabilizing the patient, assisting repair of tissues and physical therapy. It is of utmost importance to keep the body temperature within the normal range (100.0 - 101.5 F). This may mean hosing with cold water for half an hour to an hour. Once the patient's body temperature has been reduced and the environment has been improved reassess the patient's condition.

      Be sure to keep the patient in the shade with plenty of air movement. The animal needs to lay in a "giving " surface - pea gravel (#8) works well by allowing contouring to the body while allowing the water to drain away. The animal should not lie continuously in water. This will make the skin too soft and the water will heat up. Hosing and ice are the two most effective and practical means to reduce body temperature. Correction of dehydration, shock, hypocalcemia and electrolyte imbalances will help insure recovery.

      Transportation to a facility, which is prepared and staffed to care for the heat stressed animal, can be safely done. Cool the patient down and stabilize with ice packed around the body. Put plenty of ice, in bags at the armpits, groins and the base of the neck in the recumbent (down) animal. Take a companion along to reduce stress of going to a new place. A delay in proper treatment could increase the damage done and delay recovery. Subsequent damage can be as serious as the initial damage. Do not hesitate to call and make arrangements for aggressive treatment. Once an animal is down it needs aggressive therapy and continuous monitoring. Their course can be a seesaw. Delays or setbacks can immensely extend the duration of treatment needed.

      Cooling can be accomplished and maintained using cold water, ice, fans and shearing. The most critical sites to hose with or immerse in cold water are under the belly, in the armpit and groin. These are also the key sites to pack with ice for rapid cooling. Cold water enemas are effective but they negate the ability to monitor core body temperature. If the animal is not too stressed cold water can be given by mouth: let them drink it, gently put some in their mouth, drench or tube. This can be quite effective but must only be done if the patient can tolerate it and should be done gradually.

      Fans aid evaporative cooling. They are useful on a long-term scale as well as short term. Keep the air moving low where the patient will cush. Keep plenty of access to the fans so all inhabitants can stay cool without fighting. Consider other species which cohabitate, including our feathered friends. It is amazing to see how most species really enjoy the fans during hot humid weather.

      Shearing should be done immediately. The body temperature often will not reach normal until the animal is shorn. It is especially important to shear the under-belly, armpit region (behind the front leg) and groin or flank region (ahead of the back leg). These are areas that need to be exposed for efficient heat loss by the animal. It is best to do the entire body, including the neck. A pretty animal is useless if dead and nonproductive if sterile! The neck is an important site for heat loss and cooling when hosing. Just think of how good a cold wet cloth around the neck feels when we are hot.

      Access to clean COLD WATER which is changed often is critical. A salt/mineral block should be kept close by to encourage intake with resultant increased water consumption. Loose salt/mineral is good too. Electrolytes in the water is okay as long as fresh water with no electrolytes is also available at all times. Some animals do not like the smell/taste of electrolyte water. It would be counter productive to diminish water consumption.

      The primary disease should be treated. Normal body temperature and hydration need to be maintained. Proper heart function needs to be assured. Nutritional support becomes more important the longer the animal is affected. Thiamine is indicated to assist muscle cell repair and to prevent the development of polioencephalomalacia. Vitamin E and selenium will help stabilize muscle cells and other tissue cells. Antiinflammatories (phenylbutazone, aspirin, dipyrone, flunixin meglumine) will not reduce the fever in heat stress, but can reduce subsequent damage caused by the tissue damage and aid the body's attempt to repair itself. Oral or intravenous fluids may be needed to correct the dehydration or offset ongoing losses. Often the secondary reactions are more debilitating than the primary disease. The fluids are also important to flush the kidneys to prevent damage by myoglobin, released when muscle cells are damaged from the high temperature.

      Physical therapy must be persistent in the recumbent patient. Besides correction of the environment, gentle movement of the limbs, massaging the legs and deep bedding are important to ensure recovery. Down animals need to be "rolled" every 2-4 hours, kept dry and slung as soon as they are stabilized. Slinging needs to be done atraumatically. We have designed special slings for llamas and alpacas which fit them well so they are comfortable, can be adjusted and minimize the potential for pressure sores. The duration will depend on how well the patient is handling the treatment. Slinging should be done such that the patient is intermittently up and down. The length of time in the sling increasing as long as it is well tolerated. Down time should be no more than two hours, unless the patient is crawling and shifting weight well. It will usually take at least one to two weeks for an animal down from heat stress to be able to rise again.

      If treatment and physical therapy are not aggressive enough, and started early in the course of the disease, recovery will take longer. Maintaining normal body temperature is critical. These animals are prone to overheat the rest of the hot summer and fall. Their thermostats get reset and often do not regulate well. In subsequent years these animals can be more prone to heat stress. Monitoring is crucial. Early shearing is helpful. Sometimes they need to be resheared during the heat of the summer.

      PREVENTION of heat stress must start with planning. The planning should have started yesterday, last month or more likely last year. Once there is a problem it is beyond the point of optimal results. Shearing, whole body or regional, of any animal previously affected or ones which have dense coats. Shearing needs to be done prior to the onset of hot, humid weather. This necessitates planning. Proper shearing technique requires practice and patience.

      Avoid late pregnancy (last trimester) during the hot, humid months, i.e. summer and early fall. Late pregnancy predisposes an animal to heat stress and other complications. There appears to be increased chance of prematurity and poorer milk production by the mother. This results in an escalated chance of death and slowed growth of the surviving crias. Premature birthing can also result in lack of adequate colostrum production, which in return leaves the cria open to fatal infections.

      Cool water to drink, lay in, stand in or be sprayed should always be available. Running creeks or ponds are ideal but wet sand, water holes or children's wading pools work well. The water should be fresh and in a cool shaded area. Automatic waterers are ideal as they can be cleaned daily, or several times a day, to keep cold water in them. You do not want to have a big tub, which is awkward to empty and wastes a lot of water when changing it. Insulated buckets for a few animals are good too. These need to be changed at least twice a day during hot humid weather.

      Feed should be fed in a cool shaded location. Feed which is high energy and easily digestible produces less heat during digestion. The addition of thiamine (vitamin B1) has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of heat stress in some species. The consumption of one mg (milligram) per pound of body weight per day during hot weather is helpful. This should be part of the concentrate (grain) fed daily spring, summer and fall, or all yearlong. I prefer to keep the feed the same all year, as some animals are very sensitive to any change. We do not want to contribute to decreased consumption when it is extra important for the animals to consume their feed with the vitamins and minerals needed for good health.

      Good HEALTH is very important. Animals should be grouped appropriately such that they can be fed to insure proper weight and to reduce stress. New arrivals should be isolated while adjusting to the new environment, and should be gradually introduced to native animals after the suitable time. Care should be given to ensure the lack of respiratory disease. Breathing is a method of heat exchange. Any disorder of the respiratory system can make an animal more susceptible to heat stress.

      SHADE is of ultimate importance. There needs to be more than enough shade at all times of the day, with adequate room to prevent crowding or fighting. The shady areas should also have adequate ventilation. Feed and water should be in the shaded areas. Wet sand, if available, should be in the shade. The areas should be kept clean and tidy to encourage the animals to stay in the shade, and to reduce the risk of disease.

      A combination of acclimatization, adequate shade, proper ventilation, clean water, salt, an easily digestible diet, fit healthy animals, shearing, avoiding stress or transportation during hot weather, early recognition and aggressive treatment are all important to minimize the risk of heat stress. Early signs of heat stress need to be recognized. Once one animal in the herd has been affected it is especially important to monitor the others. Start checking rectal temperatures before it gets warm so you know a baseline for your animals. Have an extra thermometer on hand in case one brakes when you so need it! Be aware and be prepared. Shear early. Do not overstock i.e. crowd your animals. Keep fans running.

      Transportation during hot weather should be done after sundown and before sunup if possible. When traveling during the day put bags of ice in the trailer, van or truck to cool the floor and keep the ambient temperature lower. There needs to be drainage to prevent slippery footing as the ice melts. Fans or vents to encourage airflow while moving are also helpful. Vehicles which are air-conditioned are great. Be prepared for a back-up plan if stopped in traffic for an extended period of time. Bags of ice continue to cool whether or not you are moving. Have a halter and lead for each animal being transported. Be prepared to unload and reload if you have a breakdown and are stranded for a while.

      Keep WATER for drinking and in the pools COLD. This usually means changing the water several times a day in hot weather, or adding frozen two-liter plastic soda bottles filled with water to the pools and water tubs. Keep cushing area clear of feces, urine and bedding. Hose every two hours when it is really hot and humid. Thiamine and niacin in the feed are protective in some species and are indicated for llamas and alpacas. Adequate selenium and Vitamin E are important. Feed a well-balanced easily digestible diet. STAY COOL!

Llama Association of the MidAtlantic States - better knows as L.A.M.A.S.: The Llama Association of the Mid-Atlantic States (LAMAS) was formed as a non-profit organization to educate its members and the public as to the breeding of, raising of, and caring for llamas, and to promote and advance the interests of the llama community as a whole, while maintaining a high standard of conduct.

Alpaca Research Foundation: The Mission of the Alpaca Research Foundation is to encourage and support scientific research which benefits the North American alpaca industry, primarily in the areas of alpaca health and husbandry, genetics and fiber.

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