Built on the Rock Farm of Naturally Raised Nigerian Dwarf Goats in Minnesota
ADGA/AGS Registered Nigerian Dwarf Goats in Minnesota MN
To declare the Lord is upright; He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalms 92:15
MITE TREATMENTS
*** Disclaimer: I am NOT a vet. I implore you to contact a vet if you are unsure of diagnosis or treatment options in your animal. This is for informational purpose only and many of these medications are off label uses in goats. What works on one farm may not work on another and what works on one animal may not work on another. This is not intended to replace professional veterinary and/or medical advice. Medications should be used only under supervision of a knowledgeable veterinarian. We disclaim all liability in connection with the use of these products and/or information.
SYMPTOMS: Lice are very common and you can normally see small little creatures crawling around or attached to the skin of the goat. Mites are microscopic and depending on the type of mites, there will be different symptoms. Both lice & mites can cause the goats to be itchy, they can cause hair loss and bald spots. Mites can cause scaly flaky skin and sometimes sores will be noticeable. A vet can do a skin scrapping or a plug to check for mites. If your goat is discolored (black turning to brown for example) and the hair on your goats tail is separated like a fish then copper deficiency could be the cause vs. lice/mites. Copper bolusing can help fix this. Another common skin issue in goats is zinc deficiency. Most common seen symptoms here are hair loss down the spine and dry scaly skin. We use 50mg tablet of zinc smashed up in warm water and drenched for this issue. Copper and Zinc toxicity are both possible so be cautious with treatment options in this area.
NATURAL LICE TREATMENT: We have been blessed and have never had to deal with mites. We do seem to get lice in the late winter early spring though most years. We watch for it and dust as soon as we see any to avoid any issues. If you live in a warmer climate or notice lice in summer then a quick shave can normally take care of the issue. After much research, I suspect that this mixture would also work on some species of mites and I would try this first before other methods. With this treatment, you may want to dust twice. We normally only have to dust once because the sulfur makes the environment unappealing to the lice and the DE dry's out the exoskeleton of the lice/mice and the eggs. If they are really sever though, then we will dust again in 10-14 days to kill any new lice that have hatched and were not killed by the original treatment. If only one goat is having issues and no one else is, then there likely is some health issue that is making them more susceptible and that needs to be addressed also.
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1. Mix 1 parts sulfur to 1 parts diatomaceous earth
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2. Comb out the goat.
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3. Wear a respirator.
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4. Cover your goats eyes and face with a towel.
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5. Sprinkle on the powder. Then rub in and pat to make sure the powder makes it's way to the skin.
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OTHER LICE/MITE TREATMENTS (I personally have never used any of the following chemicals for lice or mites on my animals and some of the options below I would never use on my animals due to the chemicals in the meds.)
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Shave: Shave your goat
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Lime Sufur Dip (97.8% Strength): Mix as directed and spray or pour on once a week for 3-6 weeks
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Ivermectin 1% SQ: 2CC per 50lbs one time a week for 3 weeks
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Cylence Pour on: Topically once and repeat in 3 weeks
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NuStock: Apply one time a week for 3 weeks.
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Things to think about before giving any medication to your goat:
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1. Only use medications under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.
2. Any medication can cause a reaction in a goat. It is always beneficial to have an epi pen available incase of an allergic reaction.
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3. Most medications are off label for goats so recommended dosage can vary.
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4. Some medications are not safe for pregnant animals so let your veterinarian know if your animal is pregnant.
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5. There are withdrawal times on medications for both butchering the animal and drinking the milk. Please verify this information with your vet before butchering or drinking the milk.