# Goat LICE!? - HOW do I stop it? HELP!



## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

Ok, silly me I went and got some free pygora goats several months ago. dumb for sure. Well, they had lice. I thought I git it, but seems I haven't. I have not checked to see if the rest of the herd, dairy and purchased pygoras have it, but it only makes sense to me that they would. I have pregnant does and new kids also that I would have to treat. 
At least I think it's lice, they are tiny brown things, actually look a little like fleas on a dog, but I don't see them jump, a lighter brown, and not hard like a dog flea. other ideas?
:hair: 
What I want to know is: HOW the heck do I get RID of it? Really gone? With the preg does, mamas, babies, everyone? 
 
I have tried the garden and poultry powder (same as corral dust), and it did not keep them gone. I really dusted the heck out of them after I sheared them last fall, and their pens. 
:help: 
Please help with any ideas, suggestions and experience you may have to offer. 
:help: :help: 
Thanks,
J.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

you may want to look at my post that I believe was titled something to the effect of "Help I found external parasites" there is alot of information there about what you can use on pregnant does, kids, and adults!

Hope that helps!

Allison


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

Allison, I can't find it?


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

ok - here is a link to the post - hope this helps 

Allison

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1654


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## Sara (Oct 5, 2007)

Every goat has lice, they are usually harmless unless you get an infestation. Try worming with Ivermectin 10 days apart. Also, don't worry they are species specific. Meaning your kids, you, your dog, ETC. ETC. Can't get them.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

I know that they are specie specific thank goodness, or I would get rid of all the critters in my fit of freaking out! 

I am not ready to accept that they are always going to be there. I NEVER saw any when all I had was dairy goats. There has to be a way to make them stay away. 

I see nothing wrong with the skin or hair of my goats, just see little flea like bugs that move around when I am shearing the pygoras. I will try to look at the rest of the herd tonight and then let you know. (ran out of time yesterday after I sheared the latest.)

(btw, the free pygoras are more angora-like than the ones I bought if that matters.)


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## Sara (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't mean there has been a lot of them. Maybe 10 or 20 accross the whole body of the goat, but these goats had more. That's my guess.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

jBlaze. Just go to the store and buy some 7 dust or livestock dust. Put it down their back and gently shake it around on the body of the goat. Neck to tail and it will fall down their sides. I was just combing by goats and I found those little boogers also. I have to say I have only had them once before and I do not believe they are always there, now I do know that the Angora goats are known to have them all the time because of the mohair and how think it is, but again I have only had them once before and that was when the whole barn at the fair had them.
Do any of you goats eyelids a little white, that have the lice? IF she just give them a little red cell to help. 
I think really you are lucky if you got free goats and they only had lice. That is a very easy thing to treat. I would dust all the goats, along with their bedding. Once the goats are in the bedding so are the lice. 

Really you have a very easy fix. Congratulations on the new goats.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

Thanks Lori, but I already did that and they have it still. Grrr.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I would do it every three days. That is what we had to do for the time that they got them at the County Fair. Also, you can try putting Vinegar in a spray bottle and spray them really good. I have hear that works but I can not do it because of my Cashmere fiber.
If you still have them and they were dusted really well, then you missed them in the bedding. Just do it every few days.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

Lavender essential oil will make the lice go away, just put it on the topline. Goats will be calmer too :wink:


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Apple cider vinegar works great! I used it on my goats and its safe for the young ones. Just put it full strength in a spray bottle and soak them with it.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

Wouldn't spraying them make them all very cold, espically the little ones. And what do you suppose it would do to the fleeces of the pygoras? Summer time on shaved dairy goats, sure, but in March in Oregon, I don't think that is reasonable. I have heard that putting vinegar in the water makes the lice not want to bite the goat, they taste bad.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

You can try putting it in the water. If it was me I would just wait till it was warmer and then use it, or use something else. Sorry have no idea what the weather is like anywhere else lol. No idea what the vinegar would do to fleece. I have just used it on my ND's with excellent results. 

You can also try DE ->diamateous earth I think is how you spell it. But I don't have any experience with it so I couldn't tell you much about it. :shrug:


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

Lavendar, hummm. How much?


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I use the permectrin that was in the post that I had previously. Trob1 gave me the dilutions to use and it worked almost instantly!!

I have had no problems since I started using it.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

kelebek said:


> I have had no problems since I started using it.


Started using to me implies more than once. ? 
How often and when? (and what kind of goats?)
Thanks


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I have done 2 treatments now - the first was the beginning of February. Within 3 days I could not find any lice on any of the animals and there was no more itching and biting at themselves.

I was told to apply it once a month. I also sprayed my barn walls and flooring.

I associate it with using frontline on dogs and cats. So I just use it at the beginning of the month and have no issues so far.


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

Knowing nothing about goat pests/bugs I may be way off here but as stated above DE (diatomaceous earth) kills all external parasites including lice, ticks and fleas on all other farm animals. You just need to make sure you have the food grade DE as that is safe for all animals and people. You can sprinkle it on the animal, around their bedding, on their feed and around their pen ... it really works great and is completely safe.

Having said the above --- I don't know about using it with pregnant does ... you would want to verify it's safe before using it with them.


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## Tog Lovers (Oct 10, 2007)

We use DE here in the chicken coop. We also sprinkle it around the area where we keep all of out feeds. I've not used it for the goats yet for one reason: *DE is only effective if dry*. Once it is wet it looses it's integrity. Since our goats seam to love the rain and the snow we would have to reapply the stuff every day. An old farmer down the road told us that putting apple cider vinegar in the water works well. So once a week I do that and we haven't had any problems yet.


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## Noahsoak (Sep 16, 2013)

jBlaze said:


> Wouldn't spraying them make them all very cold, espically the little ones. And what do you suppose it would do to the fleeces of the pygoras? Summer time on shaved dairy goats, sure, but in March in Oregon, I don't think that is reasonable. I have heard that putting vinegar in the water makes the lice not want to bite the goat, they taste bad.


Not true. I put ACV in my goats water. They still scratch and bite at themselves.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Well, that thread is 10 years old. 
If you're having a lice problem use CyLence at 1 cc per 25 lbs every 28 days for 3 doses.


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## Noahsoak (Sep 16, 2013)

goathiker said:


> Well, that thread is 10 years old.
> If you're having a lice problem use CyLence at 1 cc per 25 lbs every 28 days for 3 doses.


Thnx, I've never seen anything on the goats. They have an abundance of dry, flaky skin that I can brush out. They scratch, rub and bite at themselves and have a rough coat. I've wondered if it is the old barn or the field hay I use for bedding. I've used Ivermec injectable and cylence and always have to be refreshed on dose.

The kids start scratching within a week. 

Maybe I should've started a new thread? The lice problem is older than that 10-year old post.


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## lifesabtchlearn2deal (Mar 26, 2018)

Noahsoak said:


> Thnx, I've never seen anything on the goats. They have an abundance of dry, flaky skin that I can brush out. They scratch, rub and bite at themselves and have a rough coat. I've wondered if it is the old barn or the field hay I use for bedding. I've used Ivermec injectable and cylence and always have to be refreshed on dose.
> 
> The kids start scratching within a week.
> 
> Maybe I should've started a new thread? The lice problem is older than that 10-year old post.


The last two bottle baby pygmy goats i got had lice. They where sickly with really bad scours so we took a trip to my lovely vet. He gave them a shot that killed the lice. I don't know if you're willing to go that rout or not but they have been lice free since and I was really stressing it spreading to my other goats. Especially my pregnant mommas


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## Ndgoatgal (Mar 26, 2018)

I have never had lice until now and I just about died when I found them. I used a treatment of DE and tea tree oil first. A couple days later I used a commercial product that was specifically for external parasites. The vet said you can not cure from the inside but is there anything you would suggest to treat from inside out? 

Thanks.


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## lifesabtchlearn2deal (Mar 26, 2018)

I'm not sure what the shot was he gave my two kids but it worked within hours. They where only a week old at the time and we where covering all possible causes for the really bad scours. That was one of the possibilities. I'd put treating lice on the back burner to keep them alive but he asked and I was honest.


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## Noahsoak (Sep 16, 2013)

I've given my adult goats ivermectin injectable. 3 treatments, 10 days apart. 

On another site, someone told me they use the injectable, only orally. She said 12 years in and it works for her. 

I see white flakes in their hair but it blows like dried skin, so I don't think it is nits.

However, I do feel all itchy after brushing them, but it might be pyschological.....

I have kept them dusted with permethrin this winter. I have newborn kids, and I hate seeing them scratch! It only takes a few days. I use my field hay for bedding, that may be my source. 

I can hardly wait for summer!


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## Noahsoak (Sep 16, 2013)

lifesabtchlearn2deal said:


> I'm not sure what the shot was he gave my two kids but it worked within hours. They where only a week old at the time and we where covering all possible causes for the really bad scours. That was one of the possibilities. I'd put treating lice on the back burner to keep them alive but he asked and I was honest.


Scours, you would think coccidia. Lice/mites to my knowledge don't cause diarrhea.


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## lifesabtchlearn2deal (Mar 26, 2018)

He said being anemic can and to much lice can cause anemia same as fleas and ticks


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

lifesabtchlearn2deal said:


> He said being anemic can and to much lice can cause anemia same as fleas and ticks


This is very true! One of my first Goats had lice so badly I almost lost her. She was a thin doe when I got her and I couldn't even tell you why I didn't check for lice. She got down and when I went to get her up she was totally covered in lice! I NEVER seen lice that bad!
You can see the lice though. Their favorite spot is the neck. So check the neck. Part the hair and look down by the skin or shave a small area and see if any are there since the Goats might have a thick coat this time of year. My livestock gets lice every year, it's really not a scary as it seems  and this is coming from a mother that makes her kids keep their coats and back packs away from the other kids and won't let her daughter wear her hair down at school lol


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## Noahsoak (Sep 16, 2013)

Jessica84 said:


> This is very true! One of my first Goats had lice so badly I almost lost her. She was a thin doe when I got her and I couldn't even tell you why I didn't check for lice. She got down and when I went to get her up she was totally covered in lice! I NEVER seen lice that bad!
> You can see the lice though. Their favorite spot is the neck. So check the neck. Part the hair and look down by the skin or shave a small area and see if any are there since the Goats might have a thick coat this time of year. My livestock gets lice every year, it's really not a scary as it seems  and this is coming from a mother that makes her kids keep their coats and back packs away from the other kids and won't let her daughter wear her hair down at school lol


I'm thinking they would be big enough to see? I've looked and looked, never see anything, just dry flakes. I'm thinking my problem may be mites. Whatever they are, they're bastards.


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