The State of Jefferson Alpaca Association - Re:EPE (Mycoplasma Haemolama)

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Gateway Farm
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EPE (Mycoplasma Haemolama) - 2006/01/29 13:57 Anyone have experience with EPE?

We have an old girl whose chronic problem (4+ years) has finally been Dx's as EPE. There does not appear to be a whole lot of info on the subject.

Would like to know if there is an effective treatment that we should attempt, or if it is time to put her down.

Also would like to know just how contagious it is. Best I can find is that it is not definitively known how it is passed, but that biting insects are suspected as a vector.

John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
http://www.gateway-alpacas.com
Alpaca, a natural elgegance... John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
Alpaca, a natural elegance...

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Mulberry
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Re:EPE (Mycoplasma Haemolama) - 2006/01/31 15:43 My research reveals....

Yes, there is a treatment: the standard treatment is with tetracycline usually a 5-7 day course, the problem is in some animals it does not totally clear the infection it just holds it down to an acceptable degree so hematocrits can return to normal. (MH is a hemoparasite that lives on RBC's) And they may have periods where the organism returns and causes bouts of anemia. Dr. Tornquist at OSU is a recently completed a study on the efficacy of Baytril and Florfencol in eliminating the parasite but so far the data aren't encouraging so it looks like tetracycline is the best.

Adrian

http://www.mulberryalpacas.com

Post edited by: mulberry, at: 2006/01/31 15:45

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Gateway Farm
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Re:EPE (Mycoplasma Haemolama) - 2006/02/03 21:46 Yes, 1000mg day of Tetracycline for 14 days.

WOW!! That is a full gram a day.

Vet wants me to test a couple of other animals just to be sure that this is an isolated case.

John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
http://www.gateway-alpacas.com
Alpaca, a natural elegance... John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
Alpaca, a natural elegance...

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Gateway Farm
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Re:EPE (Mycoplasma Haemolama) - 2006/02/06 20:51 OK, since I am now giving this poor girl a gram of tetracycline a day via sub-Q injection, what do folks think about the need for probios, yogurt or something similar.

I am worried about gut flora. Should I be?

John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
http://www.gateway-alpacas.com
Alpaca, a natural elegance... John Merrell
Gateway Farm Alpacas
Alpaca, a natural elegance...

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