Giving Oral Medications and Supplements to Llamas
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Techniques for administering oral medications to llamas
Liquids
If your llama is not a fussy eater, liquids can be mixed into crushed or rolled grains (not pellets). Do watch to make sure your llama doesn't dribble the medicated grain on the ground. Not only will he or she not get all of the meds, but some substances are toxic to other animals, and so any spills will need to be cleaned up.
If your llama can't or won't eat grain, or just won't touch anything that's been adulterated, a 12ml infusion syringe (ask your vet for a few) will usually do the trick -- unless the liquid in question is too stiff or thick to draw into the syringe.
Measure out the dose in another syringe first (there are no marks on the infusion syringes). Standing on the llama's right side (if you are right-handed), tuck the curved tip into the corner of the llama's mouth so that the tip is facing the llama's throat. Slightly (not too much!) elevate the llama's head so that the liquid will not cascade out onto the ground and push the plunger. Wait until the llama has swallowed before letting go. A spitter may need to have his or her mouth held shut for awhile afterwards.
Powders and pills
Powders can also be mixed into crushed or rolled grains (not pellets). The trick is to get all of the powder to stick to the grain and not be left at the bottom of the bowl. A tablespoon of oil works well (A, D, & E fortified wheat germ oil may be a desirable addition to some llamas' diets). For llamas that like apples, a small spritz of apple juice will provide the necessary moisture. Others may not like apples, but are suckers for watered-down maple syrup. Grated carrots can also do the trick for those llamas who like them.
Pills can be ground into a powder with a mortar and pestle, or with a hand-operated pill powdering device. If you have the option, get capsules instead of pills and just open the caps as needed.
Then there are the llamas who won't touch grain that's been tampered with (as well as those llamas who should not or cannot have grain). Powders can be mixed in just enough syrup or jam (which one depends on the properties of the powder) to make a thin paste that is just barely runny, spooned into a spent ivermectin tube, and administered like a paste dewormer. (To get the ivermectin plunger to slide more easily in the tube, use a bit of oil.) Although this is sometimes a tedious procedure, if you chose a syrup or jam that is to the llama's liking, you'll get a wonderful payoff later: a llama that is very easy to deworm. (Logan was keen on blueberry and maple syrups and loganberry jam, but did not like strawberry or blackberry -- "Too sweet," he said.)
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