Strange weight gain/loss...

[Donna]

One of my female breeder camels has always been an easy keeper when it came to her weight and health. Until this last calf she had. He was born back in June, everything was normal. I pulled the calf off her like I normally do to bottle raise it. Then put her back out with the other camels just like always. But this time she didn't gain her weight back in her abdomen, she gained it all back in her HUMP! It looks so weird; she has this enormous hump, but she has NO belly! She is not ribby (yet) but it looks as though ALL her nutrition is going to just make the hump fat. It is so round and big, it tilts to one side. I don't know what to do. She eats fine, she doesn't seem in any sort of pain, she runs to her feed bucket just like always and acts the same too. I just have never seen this before, and I was wondering if any of you have.

[Gamal]

Hello,

I'm new here and do not (yet) own any camels (I'm looking at one now)

I've owned and raised horses nearly all of my life (and have a bachelors degree in animal nutrition / dairy cows) and if this were a horse or cow, I would suggest testing for worms / internal parasites. A horse (or cow) with internal parasites is likely to get a pot belly. Since a camel stores its fat in its hump, it would make sense the hump would gain the weight if there were internal parasites. Your veterinarian may also have some ideas to test for - it's best to catch a problem early before it gets too advanced (and costs more $$$)

[Donna]

No it's not worms, I deworm regularly, and already have had a stool sample tested as well. When a camel gets worms, they get loose bowels. My vet, knows ZERO about camels! :(

[Gamal]

I posted a link of camelid veterinarians that the zoo sent to me when I was asking about veterinarians. Maybey you or your vet can inquire from one of them that know about camels?

[Donna]

Thank you, I think I will do that. it is so frustrating not to know what's wrong, and no one around seems to want to share if they have ever had the same experience. Almost it's like a competition on who can be successful in this camel ownership/business! I hope this is not the case, because that would hurt so many owners like me as well as the camels that have won their hearts! I only have 6 breeder Dromedary's, and I have been successfully raising babies from them for the last 13 years...so I take this all VERY seriously when I say PLEASE, anyone, with any thoughts on my "big hump gal", please give me any ideas at all on what might be a cause.

[Gamal]

I think (I hope) that it is because nobody has had this happen and there is not much information out there on camels (yet)

I would hate to think the camel world is like the horse world (specifically dressage and racing) where everyone wants to keep the information to themselves as a one-up on the competition. If I knew anything about this, I would definitely be the first one to give you the information!

You could also contact one of the vet schools - I know WSU (Washington State) in Pullman, WA has veterinarians that have worked on camels - there was one there a few years ago when my horse was there (my horse broke his leg - and had to be euthanized after trying to save him for two weeks :( )

[kjay]

...so I take this all VERY seriously when I say PLEASE, anyone, with any thoughts on my "big hump gal", please give me any ideas at all on what might be a cause.

Donna, do you happen to have a photo of your girl that you care to share? I work with a bunch of camels, one of which is a Dromedary female that's always had a huge hump in comparison to the rest of the camels. This may not help, however, because she's always been that way as far as I know. Have you thought of writing to Dr. Wright? Her email address is available on this site. Also, I guess I'd write to as many "camel vets" as possible so as to increase the amount of possible responses. Good luck.

[Donna]

Thank you, I will try and contact her. No I don't have any photos of the way she is now, but I will go and take some.

[Gamal]

Not all parasites can be checked for by running a fecal --- you may want to further investigate internal parasites unless you find something out different.

[camelsinfrance]

Hi Donna - I continue to watch your thread with baited breath - hows she doing now? Did you have any luck? There is an organisation called CIRAD that works in Dubai and France - they may be able to help you with your problem - or perhaps it's worth contacting a vet in Dubai that works in one of the camel clinics - they have extensive experience - just may not post on here! Good luck and keep us posted!

[camelsinfrance]

There... just googled it for you...
Hope this helps

Camel disease expert Dr Ulrich Wernery, Scientific Director of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) in Dubai