A Beginner’s
Field Guide
to Birthing
Alpacas
Cria - the first 24 hours
The cria is on the ground! Here is a checklist of steps to go through. You will care for the healthy cria in 3 stages: Visual exam, hands-on exam and initial treatments. Continue to record all your observations about the baby and what time he/she did what on your Field Observation Log Sheet
First spend a few minutes and observe the cria with mom. Remember to start your own breathing again! Look for:
ç Check for normal breathing
o 10 – 40 times per minute
o You should not be able to hear baby breathing unless you are close
o The cria’s mouth should be closed, breathing effortless
ç Make sure mother & baby are in a comfortable environment.
o Shady area in hot weather
o Well-bedded stall in cold weather
ç Baby should attempt to stand within 15 to 60 minutes, normally succeeds by about 30 minutes.
o Several tries to get it right is normal.
o Legs should be reasonably straight, able to walk upright on its feet.
§ A little knock-kneed is normal, but front legs should not rub together.
§ No laxity of flexor tendons or joints (legs unnaturally bent)
§ May be down at the pasterns but should be up on it’s feet normally within 12 – 24 hours.
§ No swelling of joints.
ç Baby should attempt to nurse within 60 minutes, definitely be successful within 4 hours. If it’s more than 6 hours, you will have to intervene to either get Mom and Baby going or to take measures to supplement the baby.
o Some babies have trouble finding the mom (wall babies) or figuring out how to nurse.
§ Be patient. You may need to guide them a little bit, but don’t be too quick to jump in. Give Mom and Baby time to work things out on their own. I’ll usually wait at least 2 hours before I intervene and try to guide the baby.
o Some Mom’s are a bit slow to have their milk come in.
§ You may need to massage the mom’s teats a little or strip out the waxy plug to get her flowing.
§ I squirted some milk on Coco’s teats and got the baby to lick it off. That seemed to work to get Mom’s milk flowing.
o Baby will normally suckle 2 – 3 times per hour for about 5 seconds to 3 minutes at a time.
§ You might see a milk mustache – this is a good sign.
ç Overall appearance
o Ears should be upright within 30-45 minutes - droopy ears can indicate prematurity or general weakness.
§ Check hearing by seeing if baby reacts to sound of clapping hands.
o Appears alert & interested in surroundings.
o Head shape is nice and normal
o Nose is not twisted to one side (wry face – a birth defect)
o Eyes are open, bright and clear
§ Should not appear cloudy
§ Eye color should be black, but blue eyes are not that uncommon. In fact the color can vary from a very light blue to a blue so dark it’s looks black. In the case of white babies, light blue eyes might indicate a hearing problem but this does not appear to be as likely with colored babies.
o No obvious spinal or leg problems, unusual gait
o Nothing else that looks weird or wrong.
ç Watch baby for normal urination & defecation
o Normally will happen between 4 – 6 hours. Make sure you see them go because retention can result in serious problems for the cria.
o 1st Bowel movement (meconium) will be black and tarry looking – this is normal. Afterwards, feces will be lighter colored during nursing
§ If you see it, it will be about 3 – 4 inches long
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Is Cria in Trouble? |
What to do |
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Cria is having respiratory problems – breathing heavy, mouth open panting. |
If membrane is covering the cria’s nose, Clear the nostrils and mouth with a clean towel. If not, call the vet as it could be a serious problem. Consider cria at risk. It’s rare, but a piece of membrane could have broken off and lodged in the nostrils. Check for any mechanical blockage that could be interfering with breathing. Premature cria’s have a fairly high incidence of respiratory problems since the surfactant (lubricant) that helps ease expansion of the lungs is formed late. If this is the possible cause, you will need the vet to help the baby. If it was a difficult birth and Mom was straining and you
noticed fecal staining on the membrane over the cria, it could
indicate the cria inhaled some fecal material and will develop aspiration
pneumonia. Needs
to be seen by a vet. Choanal atresia – birth defect. Can be partial or complete blockage of nasal passage, can only breathe through it’s mouth.. Vet required to confirm diagnosis. Baby cannot survive with this condition. |
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Cria is not breathing. |
Call the vet asap. Try briskly rubbing the head and/or body with a towel. Sometimes that is sufficient stimulation to initiate respiration. Other approaches in escalating order: 1. Tickle the nose with a piece of straw. 2. Pour a small amount of cold water over the cria’s head, carefully lift the cria by it’s back legs and let the head hang down. Allows drainage of fluids from the mouth and neck which may help. 3. Artificial respiration has a low success rate, but you have to try. o Close mouth & place your mouth over nose o Blow hard enough to expand the chest. vigorously 10 times in 15-20 seconds |
2.
Hands-on Exam
If everything that you observed so far seems OK or you were able to correct the problems, it’s time to do a hands-on well-baby exam. Move dam and cria into a small area and catch the cria. As long as the baby appears to be doing fine based on my visual exam, I like to wait until after I have seen the first nursing if at all possible, otherwise I do the hands-on at about 2 hours.
REMINDER: Some mom’s are very protective and may spit
at you or chest butt you to try to force you away from their baby. You may need an assistant to handle her
while you perform hands-on exam and initial treatment.
ç No obvious bleeding from umbilical.
o Some minor bleeding during first 1 – 2 hours is normal.
ç Determine cria’s sex.
o Little boys usually should have 2 testicles right from birth, oval shaped and similar in size. These may be very soft and difficult to locate, but they should be there.
§ If not, the little boy needs to monitored to make sure both descend during first year.
ç Check the teeth. At birth the 2 most central pairs of incisors should be through the gum line.
o They will look white, like little Chicklets. Unerupted teeth will still be covered with pink gum tissue.
§ If you don’t have both pairs, it could indicate the cria is premature and needs to be considered at risk.
ç Check for an umbilical hernia.
o If one is present, consult with the vet on treatment
ç Check the cria’s temperature ONLY if you have cause for concern based on visual observations.
o But do make sure baby is in a comfortable temperature environment.
§ Use cria blanket if too cold
§ Apply fans if too hot
ç Check to make sure there is an anal opening.(Atresia ani is a birth defect)
ç Check out anything else that looked weird or funny during your visual exam.
ç Keep an eye on Mom for your own safety when you handle the baby. Most experienced moms will be attentive or concerned but will allow you to work on their babies unimpeded, but
o She may charge or spit at you.
o You may need to halter her if she is aggressive.
o If she’s like Coco, she’ll yank your hair – hard! – when she thinks you’ve handled her baby for long enough.
Temperature
problems
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Is Cria in Trouble? |
What to do |
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Cria is shivering or looking cold. |
Move to warmer location or possibly cover with a cria coat. Dry the cria vigorously with a towel. Use a blow dryer in cold weather If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider cria at risk & call the vet. Your goal is a 100 – 102 degF temp range. Move baby to a warmer area – use a heat lamp or heating pad or area heater. Placing the cria in a warm bath is not recommended – they just get chilly when they come out. If rectal temp is less than 90 degF, wrap in blankets and take in for professional help. Even after being warmed up these babies will develop secondary problems that will need help. |
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Baby is listless and uninterested in eating or playing |
Could be a sign of overheating. Try getting them into a cooler location or where you can provide a fan. If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider cria at risk & call the vet. |
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Is Cria in Trouble? |
What to do |
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Baby is bleeding steadily or substantially from umbilical cord |
A few drops is normal. Otherwise, treatment is required. Tie it off with iodine soaked string.. If this doesn’t solve the problem, consider cria at risk & call the vet. |
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Leg joints are swollen or baby is walking funny. |
Many babies are born “a little down at the pasterns” and that is normal and will clear up in a few hours. If it doesn’t or if the problem is more extreme. Consider cria at risk & call the vet |
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When I listen through the stethoscope I hear a heart murmur |
Normal in many newborns. Will go away within a few days. If not, then it could be a sign of a heart defect and you need to call the vet. |
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Baby is repeatedly straining to defecate without passing fecal material. |
An enema may be needed to assist impacted babies.
- DOSS, 10-24 ml or warm, dilute soapy water in same volume Usually a single enema is enough and cria will defecate within 60 min. If not, then a 2nd enema can be given 1-3 hours after first enema if cria continues to strain. If not after 2nd enema, call the vet. |
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Birth defects |
Babies with Choanal atresia (no nasal opening), Atresia ani (no anal opening), Wry face (a slight to severe twisting of the nose), Patent urachus (leakage of urine from the umbilical cord) or Cleft Palate (separation between nose and mouth is incomplete) require vet assistance. |
3.
Initial treatments
First 0 – 6 hours If everything seems normal with the cria based on visual and hands on examination, proceed with the initial treatment.
ç Treat the umbilical cord within a couple of hours after birth, followed by 2 additional treatments within the first 24 hours.
o Lay baby on its side on a clean towel
§ Peel the clear membrane from around the umbilical cord
§ Fill a small cup with 0.5% chlorhexidine solution (Nolvasan)
§ Press the cup upside-down against the baby’s belly. Hold in place for 10 – 20 seconds. Soak the cord completely. (Repeat 2 more times in first 24 hours)
ç Remove and examine sac membrane and toe pad covering
o Should be bluish white immediately following birth, dries transparent.
o It’ll dry off and you can brush or pick it off later.
o You can briskly rub cria with a dry towel to remove sac
ç Get an initial birth weight on the baby. Weigh baby daily for one week, weekly thereafter. Take weights at the same time of day each day.
o Normal birth weight ranges 14 – 18 lbs, 12 lbs is a minimum healthy weight.
6 – 24 hours After the first 6 hours, the emphasis shifts from the basics, such as breathing or moving around, to making certain the little one is getting proper nourishment. Colostrum is the first milk a mother produces. It contains antibodies that help the baby establish its immune system.
ç Observe and verify that Cria is nursing appropriately.
o Pay attention to any baby that is listless or sleeping too much.
§ May not be getting enough milk.
§ Re-check everything.
o 6 hour rule. If the cria has not gotten sufficient colostrum by 6 hours post partum, you need to intervene. The baby must receive colostrum within the first 18 - 24 hours of life. After that, the baby cannot absorb the antibodies into its system.
§ total volume needed = 750 to 900 ml
§ to feed every 4 hours would be 6 feedings of about 125-150 ml per feeding
ç Baby should be alternating between periods of activity and sleep.
o Activity will consist of exploring and bouncing around the pen, interacting with others.
ç If baby was down in the pasterns, should be up on it’s toes by 24 hours
ç Treat the umbilical cord 2 more times, same as in initial treatment
ç If no bowel movement within 12 hours give baby warm water enema (DOSS)
ç Let Mom and Cria bond. Adore them from a distance except for necessary handling!
ç Have the vet in for a well-baby check even if you have seen no problems.
o Normal values for the cria
§ Temp 100.0 – 102.0 deg (only take temp if you feel it’s needed)
§ Respiratory rate 10 – 30 breaths per minute
§ Heart rate 62 - 90 beats per minute
o Possibly draw blood for IgG test
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May need vitamin or mineral supplement
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Problem seems to be on the
baby’s side – Mother appears to have milk. |
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Cria is too weak to feed, won’t stand. Can’t hold a sternal or kushed position. |
Make sure there is
nothing wrong with the legs.
Sometimes it’s enough to simply position the baby under Mom. Baby may be premature. Call the vet. See instructions for Supplemental Colostrum |
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Cria can’t or won’t suckle. |
The ability to suckle is
an indication of the cria’s strength and (less directly) it’s mental
capabilities. If the baby is not
trying to suckle at all, it may be premature. Call the vet. See instructions for Supplemental Colostrum |
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Cria is wandering around the shed, seems to want to eat but can’t find Mom. (Wall Babies). |
It’s fairly normal. Some babies have trouble finding the teats and look in any place that’s kind of dark. Move mom and cria into brighter light area where underneath her is the only shadow. Position baby under Mom. |
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Cria seems disoriented or unsteady on their feet, can’t find Mom (Dummies) |
At the extreme, the cria
may be blind, unable to stand, or periodically have convulsions. Possibly from hypoxia from a difficult
delivery resulting in brain damage. Call the vet. It’s important not to give up on these babies as they are very resilient and may fully recover within 3 to 6 days after birth |
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Milk is coming out of the babies nose while or after it finishes nursing |
Be suspicious of a cleft palate. Can vary considerably in its severity. Must be evaluated by vet. |
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Baby started eating fine but now he’s nursing less frequently and is less aggressive, not as active |
Could indicate a digestion problem. Needs vet assistance. Sometimes it happens in cria’s that have been tube fed for an extended time. |
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