Field anaesthesia in camelids

South American camelids, such as llamas and alpacas, can be challenging to manage in the field. Not only are these animals unusual, they can also be very valuable. Although different anatomically, camelids can be considered simply as small ruminants, such as goats and sheep, as they experience similar problems under general anaesthesia (eg, regurgitation, profuse salivation and hypoventilation). This article provides some basic guidelines for field anaesthesia of camelids for routine procedures, such as castration, skin biopsies or abdominal ultrasound.