# Goat Lice...How do I get rid of them?!



## Ember

Much to my dismay I found my little Lucy has goat lice and I only found this becasue of the massive amount of eggs laid on her little head.

I have talked to my boyfriends moms livestock vet and he gave me a shot of Ivomec for her and said it would work and that I need to come back and get another shot.

I am kind of skeptical I read that Ivomec wont work on goats and that I should dab it on her skin with a cotton ball rather than inject her. Basically all I see it has done for her is give her dry skin.

There are adults still hatching, not many but some and I am having a super hard time getting the eggs.

They have laid eggs under her eyes, by her horn buds, at the base of her ears...I use a lice comb but it doesnt do much, I try to pull them out with my hands gently but she doesnt like it.

I gave her a bath in Hartz Flea and Tick shampoo and it helped at first but hasnt done anything.

I want to get the eggs out of her coat they are gross and there are hundreds of them!!

I've researched online and have read Seven Garden Dust is good, PEtsmart carries a lice/flea dust, etc. I am close to just taking her to the local groomer and having her shaved to get rid of them all.

Any ideas I'd appreciate it. I am supposed to go back next week to get another shot of Ivomec to giver her so any input would be appreciated!

Here is a picture for reference. It's not great but all the white spots are eggs or what I think are eggs. If you move the hair by her horn buds they are just all over.


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## StaceyRosado

many options for treating lice

yes ivermecting "can" work but ive not found it to be most effective. It only works for sucking lice not biting. and I guess it doesnt stay in the body long enough because once teh eggs hatch you have ot give the injection again or they get infested again.

ok some options for lice:

Sevin dust - be careful around the nose and eyes, rub it all over their body. I like to give them a bath a week later.

Permectrin II or Permectrin CDS - some say to delute with water and then spray down the ridge of back or use undeluted and run down the back like you would Front Line on a dog. 1cc for kids 2ccs for adult goats (minis). Leaves a greasy residue but is effective

Apple Cidar Vinager - rub all over and let the goat dry - do not wash out

Diametacious Earth (food grade) - rub all over

Lavendar Essential oil - run down back like the Permectrin

VetRx - all natural, safe for kids and adults. Use like you would frontline on a dog. Will leave a greasy residue. 



THe newest option I just found is horse insect spray. RunAround recommend equiset but my feed stores dont carry it so I found Flysect super 7. THis worked WONDERS. I sprayed it on my does and kids and sat and watched the lice die. I would scratch their heads shoulders and get all the eggs under my finger nails (yeah gross). In less then 24 hours all the lice were gone and have yet to come back! Im so happy


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## sweetgoats

Are you sure those are eggs and not dry skin? I just know my goats are so dry right now it is crazy. 

I would use Seven dust. But no matter what you use remember you have to take care of all the bedding also.

I know someone areound here could never get rid of the problem. She never dusted the bedding so she never took care of all the problem.


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## Ember

I'll try to take a better picture of the spots but I think its eggs because there are like 3-4 on each strand of hair and they are all over.

She has dry skin on her underbelly.

If I get the Seven is it good for her bedding or no?

I will check to see what the local Tractor Supply / Rural King has for horse spray. 

I just moved to Indiana in April and have absolutely no idea where anything is...lol


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## liz

Sevin can be used in the barn too...get rid of all the bedding, sweep it well and then use a shaker to douse the entire area with Sevin...I sprinkle it on my goats as needed and then just use my fingers to rub it into areas close to the face. Do not inhale the dust and don't let the goat inhale it either..

If you sprinkle the floor close to the ground as well as sprinkle close to the goat you won't create a dust cloud.


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## Ember

I will check into the Seven I've read a couple places online and now everyone here says its great so I'll definately be looking into it. 

I almost wondered if a Furminator brush would help pull some of the eggs out too?


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## naturalgoats

Diatomaceous earth worked really well for me. just dust it all over (careful not to breathe it in) and then vacuum it of a day or so later to avoid dry skin. With this you should dust as well. Also I'm not sure what your shelter situation is but if you have a dirt floor or any floor that is fine without bedding for a day or so I would do a complete muck out and then dust both the goat(s) and stable. Then you can put down fresh bedding.

One thing you should be aware of with the sevin is that it does kill bees do be careful if you or any of your neighbors have hives.

good luck!
Miranda


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## Ember

Another question I have I keep her in a fenced in back yard area and I had her out in the front yard on a leash playing with her...when I picked her up I noticed she had a tick on her leg. It had to have recently gotten on her because it was just in the hair.

If I find one burrowed in how do I go about getting it out?


We are going to treat the lawn tomorrow so hopefully by next week when I get back to IN it will be tick free.


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## dobe627

There is also a dust my vet recommened for the babies that worked great I got it at TSC. And according to their website is suitable for all ages( used on 5 week old babies) It's called python dust, you can use it on the bedding too. The other things mentioned will work too but since I found this was safe for all ages it was nice to have an option.


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## freedomstarfarm

Ember said:


> Another question I have I keep her in a fenced in back yard area and I had her out in the front yard on a leash playing with her...when I picked her up I noticed she had a tick on her leg. It had to have recently gotten on her because it was just in the hair.
> 
> If I find one burrowed in how do I go about getting it out?
> 
> We are going to treat the lawn tomorrow so hopefully by next week when I get back to IN it will be tick free.


Here is a active thread on Ticks http://thegoatspot.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21837

Treat the lawn with what? Remember that she will be eating some of the grass. Lots of lawn treatments are harmful chemicals.


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## Ember

We treated the tall weeds with 2-4-D she wont have access to that area for over a week I am taking her to Michigan with me this weekend so she wont be around the area shes usually in.

I saw the tick thread after I posted that comment. 

I'm going to go look for some sort of lawn treatment tomorrow so we can treat for insects. And hopefully someone can give me a good idea what will be safe for her


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## citylights

If you want to go gangbusters on them, you can use Cylence -- it's a dip for cattle that will last up to 3 weeks so it will cover a full lifecycle of the little horrors. I also use Seven dust on them and around the bedding too -- good luck!


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## StaceyRosado

Just spray the goat with horse fly/insect spray. Ticks are just a fact of life and they rarely cause huuge issues. I wouldn't be treating the lawn because they don't live in the lawn. They usually come in on deer and other animals.


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## OhCee

I have started using neem oil and it kills all the topical bugs in less than 36 hours.


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## Br459

Maybe try a boy fly egg knife or scraper. I think that will work or I just used some dog flea shampoo and the lice is all falling off. Also I just put in cedar wood shavings and they helped with the lice infestation.


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## Br459

*bot fly used for the eggs


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## teejae

I use Cydectin for cattle,its a pour on and will worm the goat as well as get rid of any lodgers,works really well,1ml per kg and is safe to use on kids,teejae


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## emmapal

I use Adam's flea spray for dogs and cats on my LGD, all my chickens, my cats, and now on my goats. I spray down the spine and around the neck like a collar. I like it because like Sevin and DE, it is safe for a variety of livestock to simplify things. I even spray it on my own shoes, socks, and hems to keep chiggers and ticks at bay


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

I use Cydectin or Ivermec pour on for cattle. The cydectin is a bit pricey though, but it sure works!


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## sea7492

Can they get on and/or bite humans? We have a kid and he is still in the house, his mommy stopped feeding him.


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## Mahna

The Dusting Powder from DVL with 5% Carbryl works very well.


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## Boysies-at-Winter-Knol

I've used ivermectin pour-on for our 3 Nigerian dwarf boys but that didnt seem to help. They were still biting. Then we tried python dust...but now it created such a dry skin problem, I can't figure out if they're scratching from dry skin or if they still have the lice. I don't see any more. The nits were bad...but I rubbed the boys down with coconut oil for the dry skin which is also said to help with the nits ( that they're unable to adhere to the hairs due to the coconut oil.)
So..my dilemma is lice versus dry skin. They are really flakey but I keep trying to figure out if they still have an infestation going on or ate itching now so key from the dry skin! Any suggestions?


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