Abscesses around the head and neck are increasingly recognized in South American camelids residing on farms in North America. Although many abscesses are confined to the soft tissues, some originate from the mandibular or maxillary bones. Mandibular and maxillary bone infections may be caused by trauma (e.g. resulting in bone sequestra), infection of a tooth, or hematogenous spread of bacteria (e.g. mandibular osteomyelitis).