Llama cardiology

Abstract

Auscultatory, ECG, and echocardiographic data have been presented for healthy llamas. The literature, however, contains little information on the incidence of congenital and acquired heart disease in the llama. Data compiled from the medical records at CSU-VTH and the VMDB provide an indication of the types of cardiac disease to be found in llamas in North America. A wide variety of congenital cardiac defects are found in llamas, the most prevalent defect of which is VSD. Llamas tend to do well with this defect but are unlikely to be useful pack animals. Acquired heart disease primarily involved inflammatory processes of the pericardium, endocardium, epicardium, and myocardium, and pericardial effusion without documented inflammatory disease. Although not every cardiac murmur necessitates a complete cardiac work-up, every effort should be made to compile accurate medical histories and physical findings related to the cardiac disease in llamas in order to advance our knowledge of these disorders. There also is a need to use available technologies to better define cardiac abnormalities in the llama and accurately report these findings in the literature before cardiology of llamas is fully understood.