33rd Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Introduction
Advanced dental disease with apical infections and associated osteomyelitis is commonly encountered in llamas and alpacas. In the past, the treatment of choice consisted of extraoral techniques, particularly for more caudally located cheek teeth with complications occurring in 50% of cases. Following advances in treatment of dental disease in other species, oral extraction and treatment may offer a less invasive alternative, potentially associated with fewer complications. This study describes diagnosis, treatment and long-term outcome of llamas and alpacas with advanced dental disease and associated osteomyelitis.

Material/Methods
Retrospective study of llamas and alpacas with advanced dental disease and associated osteomyelitis undergoing oral cheek tooth extraction between September 2020 and November 2022.

Results
A total of 24 animals (14 alpaca, 10 llama) were included and oral cheek tooth extraction of 1 to 4 teeth (mean:1.8±1.1) and local treatment of osteomyelitis was performed in all cases. The most common short-term complication encountered was fracture of a tooth root (11/46 extracted teeth) with removal at a later date in 8 cases. Repeated debridement, lavage and alveolar packing changes were necessary in animals with extensive bony lesions (4 animals), otherwise one alveolar packing change sufficed in the majority of animals (14/20; range:0-3). At this time, long-term follow-up (>12month post surgery) was available for 15 animals with resolution of clinical signs in all cases.

Discussion/Conclusion
Oral extraction of cheek teeth in new world camelids is a feasible alternative to extraoral approaches to treat advanced dental disease and is associated with low short- and long-term complications.