Successful management of severe hypoventilation and hypercapnia in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) with short-term mechanical ventilation.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the successful management of an alpaca with severe hypoventilation and hypercapnia, suspected to be secondary to an anesthesia-related event.


METHODS
A 3-year-old, female alpaca underwent a routine eye enucleation under general anesthesia after traumatic globe perforation. Severe hypoventilation and associated hypercapnia developed postoperatively resulting in a severe primary respiratory acidosis. The awake alpaca was supported with positive-pressure ventilation for approximately 20 hours before successful weaning. Recovery to hospital discharge occurred over the subsequent 5 days with the alpaca regaining apparently normal respiratory function.


CONCLUSIONS
To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first report describing positive-pressure ventilation of an alpaca in the veterinary literature. In this case of severe hypoventilation, ventilatory support was essential to the positive outcome. As South American camelids continue to increase in popularity there may be an increased demand for high-quality and sophisticated veterinary care for these animals. Mechanical ventilation can be used to help restore and maintain normal PO2, PCO2, and respiratory acid-base status in alpacas with ventilatory dysfunction.
Sharp
Claire R
CR
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. claire.sharp@tufts.edu
Ringen
Davin
D
Nagy
Dusty W
DW
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D002161:Camelids, New World; D005260:Female; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007040:Hypoventilation / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome