Help my llama has a skin condition

Hello all i’m resorting to posting anywhere i can to try to determine whats wrong with my llama. My black 20 year old llama started developing elephant like skin on her butt by her tail 2 years ago. It has since progressed to her legs, back and stomach. I’ve contacted our vet and he says he isnt sure whats wrong with her   But treated her with an antibiotic shot. That didnt work so he tried a dewormer and that to didnt work. Im not sure what else to do and its getting worse! Does anyone know where i can get information? I dont believe its a mite issue because my black llama is the only one that has it. This llama isnt friendly so it's hard to handle her. Since this skin condition started her tail became matted and she wont let anyone touch her. We have to sedate her if we want to handle her.

I occasionally have a similar problem with my goats. Not sure what it is, but the best treatment I have found is a product called Nu-Stock. It comes in a tube as a paste and the medicinal ingredients are non-toxic and simple: sulphur and pine oil. It's considered safe to use on all animals, even cats. It's applied every three days as needed, but I have rarely had to do more than a couple of applications before healing begins and hair grows back. It's available from most veterinary supply houses.

My dog has a similar condition.  I can't tell from the picture if your llama skin looks like my dog's.

There are two opinions:  my vet says my dog has an immune disorder and to use A & D ointment on the affected areas and for her to take Omega 3 vitamins.

The 2nd opinion is our daughter who is a marketing rep for veterinary supplies says she has shown the pictures of our dog to several vets who say it is lice and recommend using Clotrimazole.

The advice that Leigh has given sounds good to me and is worth a try to get things going.

Anne Miller wrote:The 2nd opinion is our daughter who is a marketing rep for veterinary supplies says she has shown the pictures of our dog to several vets who say it is lice and recommend using Clotrimazole.

If it is lice, then it makes sense that the Nu-Stock is so effective because of the sulfur. Sulfur has long been recommended in holistic livestock keeping to control lice. It can be given both topically and orally (I add it to my Pat Colby mineral mix in summer).

As far as I know, Clotrimazole is typically used for fungal infections, but if available, would be worth a try too, I think. The problem may very well be fungal in origin.

Welcome to Permies!

I don't know much about Llamas, but I do love them. I hope the prior replies give you something to start working from.

Because I'm nosey... you happen to have any other pictures of this beautiful Llama?

We've had two skin conditions that look like this.

1. is a mineral deficiency.
The solution, double check they are getting enough minerals and salts.  Free choice camelid powdered minerals from your local farm store would be the best choice.  This way they will have a formula specific to your regional needs.

While you are there, talk about minerals in the salt block.  Selenium is deficient in our local soil, so we get a Se and cobalt salt lick.  But if you have a lot of Se in the soil, this can cause more harm than good.  The farm supply shop will know more for your region.

Either way, boosting the availability of the minerals in the diet will help with the other problem.

2. pests.

This might need some medicine, but to be honest, the best results we had were from a homemade lotion.  For a while I was making a lot of this for other farmers, but my source of cheap lard ran out (I like pig lard best - lard being the fat from near the outside of the animal)

Melt (these are rough measurements)
2 parts lard
1 part edible oil (I used pomace olive oil)
enough tea tree oil to make it stink (10-20 drops) but not so much that it can burn the skin.

When melted, take a spoonful out and let it cool.  It should be a very stiff lotion that softens at hand temperature and is quite firm at room temperature.  Adjust oil/lard ratio to help it get to that texture.

Apply daily for the first week, then weekly until one week after the symptoms are gone.  


...

Another thing we used to treat this kind of skin condition, regardless of cause, is non-medicated zinc cream like we use on baby humans' diaper rashes.  Make sure it's the non-medicated version.  This is a daily application until one week after the symptoms go away.  Zinc deficiency is another cause of skin conditions here (note - here - so check with your local farm shop what the deficiencies are in your area) and the cream part helps to smother the bugs if that's the cause.  


Hope he gets better soon.