DMAR Alpaca and Maremma Blog

Maremmas – Defenders of  Wildlife

This is a recent video that is about a farmer who has maremmas to protect his farm against predators, especially wolves.

I need to add a comment about the video:

You can make any dog sociable or unsociable. Although this family in the video felt the need to not allow their dogs to be lovable with them this isn’t always the case. My maremmas are lovable and part of our family and still will guard our ranch against strangers and predators. I don’t feel we need to be stand offish with them in order for them to do their job. They understand the difference between their owners, who they love and respect, and outsiders.

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Here at DMAR we have 5 maremmas protecting 26 alpacas. We do breed them and sell their offspring. We have been successful in placing them as working dogs for alpaca, goat, and sheep ranches. The new owners have raved about the dogs and their guarding instincts.

Just an update on Gianna, the maremma pup we imported directly from Italy: This picture was taken in April 2009 when she was only 8 weeks old. She weighed 30 lbs.

Here is Gianna now. This picture was taken just yesterday. Gianna is currently 5 mths old and weighs a little over 60 lbs.

So that is a 30 lb weight gain in just 3 mths, so please remember these dogs are going to be large.

Our dogs, Donatella ( laying down) and Vincenzo, will be bred this fall. We expect to have puppies around January 2010 with placements beginning in March.

To read more about DMAR maremmas Click Here. For questions or to be placed on our puppy waiting list, please click on the contact us link and fill out the form.

New medicine found for treating alpacas with ulcers:

In looking at what brought visitors to my site I noticed that lately a lot of them are inquiring about ulcers in alpacas. It was less than 3 years ago that we lost our beloved Hip Hop Babe to perforated ulcers. You can read all about it by Clicking Here.

It was very sad and as most of you know at the time there was little if anything that could be done. Yes, some people were able to use gastroguard, but if the ulcers were in the third compartment (alpacas have 3 stomachs) then you were out of luck as there was no treatment that could reach it until now.

The Alpaca Research Foundation (ARF)  has published the following:

THE ALPACA RESEARCH FOUNDATION,being committed to funding research that will aid in better care and understanding of camelids worldwide, has funded several studies of frequently used ulcer medications for their effectiveness in camelids.

ALPACAS AND ULCERS

Ever have an animal that seemed especially stressed either ‘emotionally’, physically, or both? Did the thought of ulcers then enter your mind as a possible result of that stress?

The veterinary arm of the alpaca industry has utilized several drugs for both ulcer prevention and treatment that were formulated for humans, but until recently had no research data upon which to base the efficacy of those drugs in camelids. We now have some enlightening data to share!

The Bad News First

We know that ulcers can affect both alpacas and llamas of any age, including young crias. Ulcers also have the ability to kill camelids of all ages if they are not adequately treated and resolved. Camelid ulcers occur in the third stomach compartment and have proven somewhat difficult to treat. In addition, the drugs that have been available for use are limited.

Geoffrey Smith, DVM and his colleagues at North Carolina State University, recently published their findings on the use of Gastrogard (oral omeprazole) in llamas. In that study, blood levels were measured over the course of a six day oral treatment at somewhat high doses. Unfortunately, they found that Gastrogard did not produce “concentrations likely to be associated with clinical efficacy in camelids”.

Another Gastrogard study was conducted by Jennifer Lynn Johnson, DVM and colleagues at the University of Minnesota. Their study surgically inserted a cannula into the third stomach compartment of normal alpacas to measure the actual stomach pH. Out of 22 samples taken, none showed a rise in pH to indicate the drug was having any effect.

The Good News NOW

A third study has been conducted by Geoffrey Smith, DVM at North Carolina State University which offers more hope and a much more positive outcome! Pantoprazole has been demonstrated to reduce the acidity of the third compartment when administered either subq or intravenously. The animals used in this study also had a cannula inserted into their third stomach compartment in order to test the pH of the actual stomach contents. When administered either IV or subq, pantoprazole provided a slow, sustained, significant increase in pH, indicating a therapeutic level had been reached! An effective and safe treatment now appears in pantoprazol for the use in both treatment and prophylaxis of camelid ulcers! Thank you Dr. Smith!

Your donated dollars to ARF allow this research project, and many more to continue. Please make your contribution today.

For further information or to contact a member of the ARF board please be sure to visit the Alpaca Research Foundation Website at www.alpacaresearchfoundation.org

Please CLICK HERE to DONATE to support camelid research!

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 This is wonderful news, so for all you alpaca breeders be sure to let your vets know!

Cooling down the alpacas at DMAR is an ongoing theme here. Temperatures are reaching 1oo and the alpacas are feeling it. Fortunately for them we have several ways to cool them down:

1. They have plenty of shade and fresh water.

2. We turn on fans for them daily. Some alpacas like it more than others. Shasta literally kisses the fan and leans her head, neck, and upper body right into it.

3. I hose down there legs and bellies daily. Again some like this more than others, but on these hot days I have them lined up giving me kisses or biting my shirt trying to get me to do them first.

4. For days that reach 95 or above we turn on the evaporative coolers. Yes my alpacas are spoiled, but a lot of them are carrying the future crias of DMAR. 

Update on Michelle: I know I said I would keep positive and believe me I have tried, but there were many days in which I was sure she was going to give up the valley fever battle. Well I’m glad to say that Michelle is doing better. Her weight is now at 147.4 lbs. We can no longer see her ribs, which at one point were so pronounced that she was a walking skeleton. Michelle’s appetite is great and she is now running around with the rest of the herd during social time.

Michelle is not cured, but she is definitely acting like an alpaca should. However I don’t ever take her illness for granted. She’s got a long way to recover still.

Maremma on the job:

I received this email from one of my maremma clients, Greeta Mills and wanted to share it with you all:

Hi Janice,
I’ll get a new picture sent your way.  I really love Tessa.  Last Friday night, she was barking, barking, barking!  I went out to check on things since the other dogs weren’t barking.  Like a real smart one, I went out without a flashlight, got over near her, and heard a rattler.  I sprinted to the house for a flashlight and a shovel.  Once I killed the snake, Tessa got a special treat, and I had a good night!
Greeta 

Great job Tessa! Tessa is currently 7 months old and is already proving to be an amazing guard dog. Tessa guards goats in Maricopa.

I can’t tell you how many times my maremmas have gone crazy barking. They alert me to visitors to the ranch or to the roaming coyote. Of course, there are times when Bianca barks at a june bug flying a little to close to her, but that is just Bianca. When all dogs bark is when I know I need to go investigate. Thanks to the maremmas I know my alpacas are safe.

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Maremma Information:

In looking over my key word searches that brought some viewers to my page I want to answer some of their specific questions regarding maremmas.

1.  Maremmas are a large breed dog. This usually means that although their body might physically appear to be adult size their mental age might still be considered puppy. Maremmas are usually considered adults at 2 years of age. Therefore, it is common practice for breeders to begin breeding their dogs at 2 yrs old. Of course it all depends on your dog’s temperment. My dog, Bianca, gave birth at just over 1 yr old and was an outstanding mother.  I had no issues in breeding her so early.

2. Dogs give birth approx. 60-63 days after breeding. Puppies usually weigh in the ounces up to a little over a pound. To me they look like blind guinea pigs. That is the average , but in typical fashion at my ranch we had one maremma pup, Gino, come in at 2.2 lbs. The vet said he was the largest pup she had ever birthed in her 23 years of practice.

3. Go with your gut instincts. I knew Bianca was pregnant even though after two separate visits weeks apart the vet told me she wasn’t. Luckily I was able to convince my husband that she was and he made her whelping box in time for the birth. Sometimes those puppies hide behind the ribs and the x-ray doesn’t pick them up.

4. If you have to give your pups milk, please don’t buy the milk replacer. In my experience they won’t drink it. The best thing to do is to go online and look up a puppy formula. If I remember correctly ours consisted of goat’s milk, yogurt, a raw egg, and a little karo syrup. The puppy loved it and put weight on immediately.

These are just some tidbits. If you have other questions, please post them and I will gladly answer.

Sweater Made from Shasta:

This is Shasta. Her fiber is baby alpaca quality and simply beautiful. I sold 15 ounces of her sport weight yarn to Barbara Hays approximately 2 months ago. Today she came over to show me her finished product. Take a look below:

Isn’t this gorgeous? Best of all Barbara simply designed this knitted sweater from her head. Barbara has been knitting since she was very young and with so much experience it came to her with no problem at all.

I love it Barbara and thanks for sharing!

You too can purchase alpaca yarn at my store at www.dmarstore.desertmtnalpacas.com.