Relationships of Anemia, Serum Iron, and Serum Copper in Hospitalized Alpacas (Vicugna pacos)

A large number of South American camelids (SAC) presented to a veterinary clinic are diagnosed with anemia. While various causes are known, such as infections with Haemonchus contortus, chronic inflammation, neoplasia, gastric ulcers, or deficiencies, little is known about the role of the trace elements copper and iron in SAC. In this retrospective study, the laboratory diagnostic data, in particular the red and white blood count, as well as the findings of the initial clinical examination of 181 alpacas presented at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany in the period from January 2020 to September 2023 were therefore analyzed. In addition, iron, copper, transferrin, and ceruloplasmin were determined in the serum collected during the initial examination. The statistical analysis revealed significant correlations between the serum iron content and various degrees of anemia, and also between serum copper content and various degrees of anemia. These observations confirm the need to characterize the iron metabolism of SAC more precisely to improve differentiation between different causes of anemia.