HEALTH EVALUATION OF FREE-RANGING GUANACO (LAMA-GUANICOE)

Twenty free-ranging guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in Chubut Province, Argent ina, were immobilized for health evaluations. All but two animals appe ared to be in good condition. Hematology, serum chemistry, and vitamin and mineral levels were measured, and feces were evaluated for parasi tes. Serology tests included bluetongue, brucellosis, bovine respirato ry syncitial virus, bovine viral diarrhea/mucosal disease, equine herp esvirus 1, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, Johne's disease (Mycobac terium paratuberculosis), foot and mouth disease, leptospirosis (17 se rovars), para influenza-3, and vesicular stomatitis. Blood samples fro m 20 domestic sheep (Ovis aries) maintained in the same reserve with t he guanaco were also collected at the same time for serology tests. No guanaco had positive serologic tests. Sheep were found to have antibo dy titers to bovine respiratory syncytial virus, Johne's disease, lept ospirosis, and parainfluenza-3. There was no apparent difference in ex ternal appearance or condition, or statistical difference in blood tes t values, between the animals that were positive or negative for paras ite ova.