My alpaca won't stand up. What are the reasons and what should I do?

She needs to be examined by a vet if she doesn't have enough strength to stand. That is very concerning so please call your vet and have her seen as soon as possible. Your vet can run lab-work to help diagnose and treat her problem.

There are many possible reasons - spinal abscess, hip/pelvis injury, nerve damage, muscle weakness and even toxins such as lead can lead to such signs. A full neurological exam and blood tests to rule out infection and poisoning can be helpful to assess the possibility of recovery

Poor guy. It sounds like Noddy has a serious issue affecting his neurological system or his musculoskeletal system. He needs to be seen right away by your nearest veterinarian for medications to help stabilize his condition. There unfortunately isn't anything you can give him at home for this type of condition, so it is best to take him in right away for bloodwork and potential x-rays to check for any signs of arthritis or degenerative joint disease that may explain his symptoms and offer a reasonable treatment plan to help him.

Check her temperature. If she has a fever, call out your farm vet. Potential causes include infection, vitamin/mineral deficiency (namely vitamin E and selenium), parasites (the most worrisome being meningeal worm) or trauma. Keep her warm and as stress free as possible. If necessary, rig up a sling to help her get around. The easiest is a towel slung underneath her behind the front limbs. Without an exam, it is difficult to determine definitively what is happening. If her symptoms are worsening, consider an emergency vet call out or trip to the nearest veterinary ER.

From the photo, Clyde’s anus looks irritated but the lighting may be off. It’s very concerning that he won’t stand up. It could indicate that he is in pain or that he had an injury to his back. This is unusual for a very active dog and I recommend to have him examined today. Most serious conditions have a better prognosis if they are diagnosed and treated early. If he is in pain, the veterinarian can provide medication to make him feel better. The irritated anus could be unrelated to the reason he will not stand up. Irritation can be related to allergies, anal gland problems or trauma. I recommend to play it safe and have him examined. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. If she has been down for several weeks, it is going to be very tough to get her back up. If she slipped on ice or snow, she may have suffered catastrophic nerve damage, & the longer she is down the more severe the nerve damage will be. The same goes for if she fractured something in her leg or shoulder. Hopefully, you have had your vet out & started her on a course of anti-inflammatory medications. If no fractures were found, you could try assisting her up in a sling, or at the very least you have her propped up with hay bales. Make sure she is shifted off her downside every 4-6 hours to prevent pressure necrosis. All you can do is keep working with her unless you can transport her to a major facility ( university veterinary center ) that can do the specialized diagnostics, surgery & rehabilitation that she may need. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, figuring out why your rabbit is unable to walk is not going to be a simple matter. You should start by asking your self if it is possible that Lupita could have experienced something traumatic resulting in a break, strain, or sprain or a leg / back. Back problems are extremely common in rabbits and can unfortunately result in paralyzing injuries in many cases. Extremely weakness can make your bunny unable to walk, which can be the result of certain neurologic disorders or nutritional deficiencies. There are also certain parasites that can affect the central nervous system that will make your bunny unable to move around appropriately. While I can certainly appreciate your financial hardship, you may want to consider applying for something like CareCredit in order to get the funds needed to investigate this matter further with your veterinarian. Your bunny is going to have to be able to move around and get to the food and water bowl readily if she is going to be able to live a normal life. Hope this makes sense.