Abstract. Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an emerging infectious pathogen of concern to the alpaca industry. A 4-month-old, intact, male alpaca cria was diagnosed as persistently infected with BVDV on the basis of repeated positive antemortem polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation (VI) assays and negative serologic titers to BVDV. Immunohistochemistry, real-time reverse transcription PCR, and VI performed on tissues collected at necropsy demonstrated disseminated BVDV-1b infection. Virus was detected in multiple tissues, including parotid salivary gland, testes, prostate, kidneys, skin, and gastrointestinal tract. Demonstration of BVDV in previously unreported tissues suggests additional potential routes of BVDV transmission in alpacas.

Purpose: Hospitalized alpacas are often hyperglycemic requiring frequent blood glucose testing. Objectives: To compare the performance of 4 brands of glucometers with a laboratory-based analyzer (LCA) over a range of glucose concentrations in alpacas.Animals: Four healthy male alpacas. Methods: A 2-treatment cross-over study was utilized. The alpacas were given 0.4 U/kg of regular insulin intravenously and then 500 mg/kg of dextrose intravenously with a 1 week washout period between treatments. Blood samples were collected from 10 minutes before until 6 hours after drug administration. Glucose concentrations were measured in whole blood and plasma samples on 4 glucometers, and serum glucose was measured on an LCA.Results: Glucometer performance varied depending on whether glucose concentrations were measured in plasma or whole blood. Based on error grid analysis, the Precision Xtra and One Touch Ultra 2 glucometers were clinically acceptable for testing whole blood samples, whereas the Accu-Chek Aviva and Nova StatStrip Xpress glucometers were clinically acceptable for testing plasma samples in comparison with serum glucose concentrations determined by the LCA. All glucometers had systematic and proportional biases that varied based on sample type.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Human-based glucometers in alpacas should be used cautiously, particularly at higher blood glucose concentrations. The blood sample type (plasma or whole blood) can alter meter performance when compared with serum glucose concentrations and potentially lead to errors in clinical decisions.Key words: Camelid; Glucometer; Hyperglycemia; Hypoglycemia; Insulin.A lpacas commonly experience hyperglycemia because of stress and a variety of disease states. Hyperglycemia in sick alpacas can persist for days until the primary medical condition resolves and normal metabolic feedback pathways reassert control. Alpacas have poor glucose tolerance and are relatively insulin resistant, which complicates medical management and the response to exogenous treatments.1,2 Hypoglycemia is less commonly observed in alpacas but can occur with a variety of conditions such as sepsis, inadequate nutrition in neonates, or insulin therapy.Veterinary hospitals that treat alpacas with these glycemic disorders use a variety of point-of-care (POC) glucometers designed for use in humans. Reports evaluating these glucometers in humans and animals have found variations in performance between meters and with disease states, medications, and sample types. 3,4 A currently available veterinary glucometer has been evaluated in alpacas but is not currently marketed for use in this species.5 Alpacas also have unique, elliptical red blood cells (RBC) that interfere with many table-top blood analyzers, but it is unknown whether there is an effect on POC glucometers. 6 The objective of this study was to compare 4 commercial POC glucometers against the gold standard of a laboratory chemistry analyzer (LCA) over a range of blood glucose concentrations in alpacas. To evaluate whet...

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For the organisms evaluated, all 3 disinfectants applied as a directed mist were effective at reducing CFUs in a veterinary hospital environment. Effective disinfection using this method of application is dependent on adequate cleaning prior to application, and use of adequate volumes of disinfectant.

The POC meter was user-friendly and performed well across a wide range of conditions. The meter was adequate for detection of pregnancy toxemia in sheep via whole blood BHB concentration. Results should be interpreted with caution when the POC meter is used to measure blood glucose concentrations.