Have you ever come across your alpaca with white froth/foam coming from its mouth? 

I have and when I first saw it I felt quite alarmed!  After some research I have discovered some possible reasons for this foaming:

1. Some veterinarians have suggested that it is probably due to a digestive anomaly due in part to dehydration.  On the few occasions that I have noticed an animal frothing at the mouth it was always the same animal (Kimberly) and always first thing in the morning.  She did not display any other signs of illness:- ate, drank, and behaved normally - with the frothing/foaming disappearing quickly once she began grazing for the day.  She is at the bottom of the “pecking order” in the herd and I have often witnessed others chasing her away from the water supply so maybe that does explain why she is the one who presents with frothing/foaming from time to time.

Solution? 

I have now tried to ensure that there are at least 2 water supplies available in each paddock and have not experienced any more problems since then.  Providing the 2nd water supply gives the animals at the bottom of the “pecking order” twice the opportunity to get their needed daily water intake.

2.  Foaming mouth, crusty mouth and bad breath are all potential signs of an alpacas high stress levels, and possibly the development of ulcers.

Solutions? 

Can you eliminate whatever it is that is causing your alpaca to feel stressed?

3. Sometimes in summer months some alpacas may develop white foam around their mouths as they lay and chew their cud.  This can be due to the toxic affects of a fungus found on the Red clovers in your field once ingested by your alpaca. It also could be due to an injury in the mouth or possibly a poisonous plant eaten by your alpaca, so the animal should be checked for abnormal behaviours.

If in doubt – get the vet out

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The information presented here is from our own experiences, adapted from others to suit our situation, property and our animals. We don’t claim to be experts and you are welcome to disagree, if you find something useful – great. Everyone is welcome to comment and provide feedback – see Contact Us.