Schools with strong camelid experiences?

[Maineroot]

I have some experience with camelids but have recently been helping at a nearby farm and fell in love with the llamas and alpacas there and would love to strengthen my camelid experience in vet school.

I am waiting to hear from Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tufts, and Glasgow on an admissions decision and was wondering if anyone knew if any of these schools have strong camelid case loads, classes, and experiences compared to other schools?

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[cdo96]

I have some experience with camelids but have recently been helping at a nearby farm and fell in love with the llamas and alpacas there and would love to strengthen my camelid experience in vet school.

I am waiting to hear from Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tufts, and Glasgow on an admissions decision and was wondering if anyone knew if any of these schools have strong camelid case loads, classes, and experiences compared to other schools?

I just looked up Camelids and omg they're so cute!

I did a quick search of camelids and it pulled up a page from UMass's Camelid Reproduction program. So judging off that, you'll be closer to that with Tufts, but I honestly haven't a clue about any of the rest. Sorry.

But camelids are adorable!

 

[cloverbug]

Camelids is such a small group that isn't often seen in the states that I think you'd see them more by luck than actually having a school go into depth about them. In 3 years of didactic teaching, we've had maybe 2-3 lectures on camelids and a couple come through the large animal clinic. I'd see if any of those schools are located near zoos or an alpaca/llama farm(s) because in my experience, they're low on the need to know list. Most of your knowledge of them will probably have to be from independent studies in your free time. Maybe someone else can prove me wrong. Good luck.

 

[TrashPanda]

Camelids is such a small group that isn't often seen in the states that I think you'd see them more by luck than actually having a school go into depth about them. In 3 years of didactic teaching, we've had maybe 2-3 lectures on camelids and a couple come through the large animal clinic. I'd see if any of those schools are located near zoos or an alpaca/llama farm(s) because in my experience, they're low on the need to know list. Most of your knowledge of them will probably have to be from independent studies in your free time. Maybe someone else can prove me wrong. Good luck.

Just to add to this, how much time you have for away rotations might be something to look at. I swear I came across a school that had a camelid rotation or elective on-campus, but I can't remember which it was, sorry!

 

[couldhavebeenme]

Washington State has Dr. Ahmed Tibary who is a Theriogenologist that specializes in camelids- he's a household name for llama and alpaca owners. WSU has a caseload of ~600 camelids a year. Oregon State has a strong camelid program as well and they maintain their own teaching herd- Dr. Cebra is their go-to camelid doc. Tennessee has Dr. David Anderson who literally wrote the book on camelid care. Colorado State, Minnesota, and TAMU are also good schools as-recommended by camelid owners. If you're really interested in camelids, I recommend you join this group on Facebook called "Paca This." Lots of cool llama/alpaca health topics on there. There is even a thread about what vet schools have the best camelid program.

-From a long-time llama/alpaca owner and aspiring camelid vet

*Edit: WSU has a camelid medicine and surgery elective too.
http://vth.vetmed.wsu.edu/animal-species/camelids
**Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237323519672572/

 

[katashark]

Yeah Oregon had a strong camelid program and camelid club! We also do camelid physicals first year.


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[katashark]

Dr. Cebra is amazing!


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[PrincessButterCup]

We get a fair number for necropsy.

 

[treeko]

I just looked up Camelids and omg they're so cute!

I did a quick search of camelids and it pulled up a page from UMass's Camelid Reproduction program. So judging off that, you'll be closer to that with Tufts, but I honestly haven't a clue about any of the rest. Sorry.

But camelids are adorable!

UMass does offer camelid courses taught by Dr. Steve Purdy. They are connected to the Nunoa Project, which is run by Dr. Purdy. One is a management course, where you focus more on husbandry and general reproductive care. The other is a donkey and alpaca reproductive course, where you make a reproductive plan, collect semen, perform ultrasounds, etc. A handful of students who took one or both of these courses are selected to travel with him to Peru. I'm not sure if they offer the courses for anyone not in their animal science program, but if they do you might want to look into it. The samples and data you collect in class contribute to his research. UMass is located less than an hour from Tufts. Here is the website if you wanted to read a little bit about it: http://www.nunoaproject.org/nacsp.html

 

[Maineroot]

After my interview at Tufts I learned that they have a large chunk of their large animal caseloads being camelids (15-20% if I remember correctly!) and I am glad to see Minnesota and Wisconsin having some opportunities as well. Thanks for the help everyone

 

[Maineroot]

Washington State has Dr. Ahmed Tibary who is a Theriogenologist that specializes in camelids- he's a household name for llama and alpaca owners. WSU has a caseload of ~600 camelids a year. Oregon State has a strong camelid program as well and they maintain their own teaching herd- Dr. Cebra is their go-to camelid doc. Tennessee has Dr. David Anderson who literally wrote the book on camelid care. Colorado State, Minnesota, and TAMU are also good schools as-recommended by camelid owners. If you're really interested in camelids, I recommend you join this group on Facebook called "Paca This." Lots of cool llama/alpaca health topics on there. There is even a thread about what vet schools have the best camelid program.

-From a long-time llama/alpaca owner and aspiring camelid vet

*Edit: WSU has a camelid medicine and surgery elective too.
http://vth.vetmed.wsu.edu/animal-species/camelids
**Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237323519672572/

What an insanely helpful response thank you for the info

 

[dyachei]

we had a really good camelid guy at UTK and I think he *just* retired. Saren van Amstel. I know we saw more than a few on our large animal rotations and had several classes and electives you could choose on camelids. Not sure what will happen to that now.

 

[lioness2408]

After my interview at Tufts I learned that they have a large chunk of their large animal caseloads being camelids (15-20% if I remember correctly!) and I am glad to see Minnesota and Wisconsin having some opportunities as well. Thanks for the help everyone

I'm a first year student at Tufts and I can confirm this. I have an on-campus job working in the large animal hospital, and it's very common to have alpacas in the wards. At one point last semester, there were 8 alpacas in the hospital at one time

 

[KCgophervet]

I have some experience with camelids but have recently been helping at a nearby farm and fell in love with the llamas and alpacas there and would love to strengthen my camelid experience in vet school.

I am waiting to hear from Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tufts, and Glasgow on an admissions decision and was wondering if anyone knew if any of these schools have strong camelid case loads, classes, and experiences compared to other schools?

Well I don't know how it compares to other schools but I've seen more than I expected to at UMN. And there is a small ruminants/camelids club as well. My first necropsy report this rotation was for a llama so... they're definitely here.

 

[couldhavebeenme]

I'm a first year student at Tufts and I can confirm this. I have an on-campus job working in the large animal hospital, and it's very common to have alpacas in the wards. At one point last semester, there were 8 alpacas in the hospital at one time

As a camelid owner, I'll add I've heard great things about Tufts re: camelid care and expertise. I'm just on the west coast so I don't have any personal experience.

If you end up in a position where you are applying again, I'd definitely consider some west coast schools. WSU and OSU have great camelid reputations. I have a friend who lives in Washington but is equidistant from both schools. He chooses to haul to OSU for care (they have a really good rep. for camelid dentistry). WSU allows in-state tuition after the first year too and I have plenty of friends who haul their animals 5+ hours to WSU from the Seattle area. Hopefully that gives you some food for thought, if not for now maybe for a post-grad internship even. Good luck!

 

[vetmedhead]

Washington State has Dr. Ahmed Tibary who is a Theriogenologist that specializes in camelids- he's a household name for llama and alpaca owners. WSU has a caseload of ~600 camelids a year. Oregon State has a strong camelid program as well and they maintain their own teaching herd- Dr. Cebra is their go-to camelid doc. Tennessee has Dr. David Anderson who literally wrote the book on camelid care. Colorado State, Minnesota, and TAMU are also good schools as-recommended by camelid owners. If you're really interested in camelids, I recommend you join this group on Facebook called "Paca This." Lots of cool llama/alpaca health topics on there. There is even a thread about what vet schools have the best camelid program.

-From a long-time llama/alpaca owner and aspiring camelid vet

*Edit: WSU has a camelid medicine and surgery elective too.
http://vth.vetmed.wsu.edu/animal-species/camelids
**Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237323519672572/

Yeah, Colorado has had this weird surge in alpaca and llama ownership within the last ten-ish years so we definitely see camelids here and there. We also have a big castration day where camelid owners bring in their animals and the clinicians + students castrate camelids for a whole day straight. They're definitely around. I've also met quite a few (very lovely!) camelid owners/producers here through the small ruminants club.

 

[blackcat812]

I recently visited Tufts and it seems they provide a lot of hands on camelid experience! Ohio also has quite a few alpacas in their large animal hospital, and one of the student guides also mentioned working on a camel during her time there.

 

[cloverbug]

I'm glad to see I was proven wrong. I'm at Illinois and here we just don't have a lot of camelids so it's not taught much. Sounds like coastal schools see way more, which is pretty cool!

 

[battie]

I'm glad to see I was proven wrong. I'm at Illinois and here we just don't have a lot of camelids so it's not taught much. Sounds like coastal schools see way more, which is pretty cool!

There were two super cute alpacas on Friday!!!!

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

Yeah, Colorado has had this weird surge in alpaca and llama ownership within the last ten-ish years so we definitely see camelids here and there. We also have a big castration day where camelid owners bring in their animals and the clinicians + students castrate camelids for a whole day straight. They're definitely around. I've also met quite a few (very lovely!) camelid owners/producers here through the small ruminants club.

Doesn't CSU also own a herd up in the hills? I can't remember if CSU owned it or just had a contract with the owner, but I know for the last several years, CSU vet students have gone out to do lectures on and treat a specific herd (or whatever the name for a group of llamas or alpacas is called).

I also know that if you drive north toward Cheyenne, there is a camel herd on the east side of the highway. CSU is their vet too.

 

[battie]

Doesn't CSU also own a herd up in the hills? I can't remember if CSU owned it or just had a contract with the owner, but I know for the last several years, CSU vet students have gone out to do lectures on and treat a specific herd (or whatever the name for a group of llamas or alpacas is called).

I also know that if you drive north toward Cheyenne, there is a camel herd on the east side of the highway. CSU is their vet too.

I know they have a buffalo herd, not sure about the camelid herd.

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

I know they have a buffalo herd, not sure about the camelid herd.

Well, I helped make that buffalo herd, so I know that one.

I think they were alpacas, but I had vet school friends who talked about the herd all the time during feline Spay/Neuter Clinics. I just apparently didn't pay attention to ownership status (or species...).

 

[cloverbug]

There were two super cute alpacas on Friday!!!!

I think that makes like 5 camelids since the beginning of the school year haha. Wish I would've known. Alpacas are super cute.

 

[vetmedhead]

Doesn't CSU also own a herd up in the hills? I can't remember if CSU owned it or just had a contract with the owner, but I know for the last several years, CSU vet students have gone out to do lectures on and treat a specific herd (or whatever the name for a group of llamas or alpacas is called).

I also know that if you drive north toward Cheyenne, there is a camel herd on the east side of the highway. CSU is their vet too.

You know, I'm actually not sure about whether we have a herd. We do have a few teaching camelids (can't remember if they're lamas or alpaca - I think alpaca) that the teaching hospital owns and uses to teach students physical exams/husbandry/etc.