Vaginal Prolapses in Full Term Alpacas - A Case Study

Vaginal prolapses in full term Alpacas -  A case study

With having over 150 Alpaca births a year, we get too see some strange and interesting cases in some of our females.

We have had a couple of minor cases of Vaginal Prolapses but when Rosebud had a full Vaginal prolapse, we were a little concerned about the possible outcome and how she was going to deliver her Cria. 

These vaginal prolapses are more common in females that have had more than one cria before. 
Perhaps stretching of the tissues around this area, make these prolapses more likely. 

It started off with Rosebuds vagina looking wrinkly and just a little swollen, and each day it seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. When Rosebud went to the toilet it seemed that she was trying to push the Cria out every time she passed urine. 
It was easy to just push it back in each time it seemed to be coming out, but as the days went by, it came out more and more.

What is a Prolapsed Vagina ? ……….
When a close to term female or a female that is close to her expected date of unpacking, starts to swell or starts to “bulge” in her Vagina area, this is called a prolapsed vagina.

This is due to an already softening of the dilated vagina, while the cervix is still closed and of course the Cria is in behind the closed cervix. 

It is presumed that this is caused by premature hormonal softening of the pelvic tissue.

When the vulva just kept falling out, it was time for the vet to come and have a look at this strange situation. We had been talking to the vet about this for a couple of days and he seemed to think it was nothing to be concerned about.

However when the uterus was in full prolapse, it had to be sutured (stitched up).

The Solution ……
We had to suture the vulva with multiple continuous sutures or loops using Alpaca Yarn. 
This was so that of the Cria did come when we were not around that the wool would break allowing the Cria to be delivered unassisted. 
If however we were around when she went into labour, all we had to do was cut the bottom stitch and it would just unravel. 

Once we had stitched the whole vulva it looked like a piece of topside. This however worked a treat with no discomfort to Rosebud at all. We of course had to leave the bottom unstitched so she could pass urine when she needed to go to the toilet.

In sewing up the vulva, this also prevented the uterus from prolapsing as well, which can result in the loss of the Cria along with a lot of other complications.

The Result ………….
When Rosebud did go into labour, 4 days later, we were around and it was just a matter of a wee snip with the scissors and out came the Cria as normal as you like. Two hours later most of the swelling went down and within 3 days her vagina was as normal as another female in our herd.