# Goat has thick patches of flaky, dry skin at bases of ears



## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Good Morning! What a year already. I have never had as many issue with health than this year. Yesterday morning I noticed on one of my does that she has patches of very thick crusty dry skin at the bases of her ears. One patch actually looked like she may have scratched it raw. So I put Vetercyn on it and didn't think too much of it. 

This morning I noticed the same patches located at the base of the ears on another doe. But she also has a start of a patch on the top of her head. The first doe this morning also has a large patch on the top of her head. The spot that was oozy yesterday looks a little better and is dry today.

Any clues to what is going on? I know we have had some crazy weather here in Oregon (hot, cold, wet to hot again). Just want to make sure that I can try to get this cleared up before fair next week. I checked my other goats and they don't seem to have any of this dermatitis. 

Thank you for your help!


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

My first guess would be mites! Followed by lice, ringworms, or staph. 

Usually mites begin on the legs/ankles though - no signs of hair loss or scabbing there? Have you seen them biting at their legs at all?


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## valex (Oct 4, 2013)

Sounds like lice to me.


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

I haven't seen them biting at their legs. There is no sign of hair loss on their legs. Only hair loss is where the patches of dry skin are.


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## valex (Oct 4, 2013)

This sounds bad, I used vinegar. Just white vinegar and it worked for us!


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

I'm willing to try anything.


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## valex (Oct 4, 2013)

Yes, I understand. We had the same problem. 


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I qould think mites as well...I use Ivomec injectable...3 times one week apart...you can also use ACV to clean the areas and an atopical treatment such as Cylnce to rub with a cotton pad on location...


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Do you think seven dust would work? I'm going ahead and shaving all the goats anyways for fair week after next. I'm noticing that the second doe has really dry skin. I have been giving black sunflower seeds in their grain for awhile now. Should I add more than what I have been giving? Also what else can I give for really dry skin. I'm not sure what ACV or Cylnce are. Will Vetercyin work okay?


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Acv= Apple cider vinegar. You can wash the areas with acv, then apply tea tree oil for healing. I found that adding a 1-2tsp of olive oil to my goats grain really improved their skin.


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

What would be the dose for ivomec? Also is it IM or SQ?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

1cc per 40 lbs SQ


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Thank you


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Ok, so here is an update. I talked to my vet and she suggested Ivomec as well. Also to bathe them in betadine shampoo, sevin dust and give a little flax oil in their food. So each doe has been shaved, bathed, wormed, dusted and given flax oil. I have also been putting ACV on the patches. I noticed this evening at milking time that the first doe that was noticed to have issues has knocked off a couple of the dry patches leaving a wound. I put vetercyin on them. I have never had an issue with mites before. Is this normal for the dry patches to fall off? Is there anything else that I can do to get the patches off and speed healing?


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Yes, it's normal for the scabs to loosen as her underlying skin begins healing.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

what kind of sore??...ACV helps...Ive also used Cylence on the patches to help kill them atopically as well..seems to help and speed hair growth...
Daily B complex is a great support vitamine....


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

It looks like a wound you'd get from pulling off a scab.


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

happybleats said:


> what kind of sore??...ACV helps...Ive also used Cylence on the patches to help kill them atopically as well..seems to help and speed hair growth...
> Daily B complex is a great support vitamine....


How many times a day do you use the acv? Does it have healing properties too or just for cleaning? Thanks.


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

ACV is a neutralizer and promotes healing, it soothes irritations whether it's itching or burns


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

> How many times a day do you use the acv? Does it have healing properties too or just for cleaning? Thanks.


Ditto what nannysrus said on ACV : )



> it looks like a wound you'd get from pulling off a scab.


Try the ACV on them....see if that helps sooth them...if they look infected, try a triple antibioitc cream like neospordin....

Best wishes


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

How often should I be applying the ACV? I have been doing twice a day, morning and at night. Should I be doing it more? Also what's your thoughts about applying bag balm or coconut oil?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

twice daily should be good...coconut oil wont hurt...you can add Tea tree oil to it to add a bit of punch : )


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Ok so here is some pics from this morning. The first pic is of the first doe that I noticed the lesions on, however, one was scratched off or fell off. It left a small wound that looks better today since I put vetercyin on it. The other two pics are of another doe. My three does have these and my three wethers do not, and they are housed together. I have been putting ACV on them twice a day however I put vetercyin on them tonight. I was thinking about making a cream for them. Coconut oil, shea butter and tea tree oil. What do you think? I also got nutri drench for goats that I will give tomorrow.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

you maybe dealing with something else..there is another thread on here where the wether has simular sores and it turned out to be staph...Mites tend to leave bald patches of dry flaky skin...these sores have hair around them and look irritated...

here is that thread...maybe read through and see if you think it fits what you see on your goats

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/severe-skin-rash-out-ideas-168228/index4.html


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Thank you Happybleats for the link. The pictures look a little different than what we have. Our spots are larger in size and no what as systemic as their goat. I am noticing that the spots are falling off. Not as fast as I want, but some are looking better. I think though that I will be bathing again with the betadine shampoo. I also talked to a lady that owns a health food store in town. She makes a sav of comfrey, cocoa butter and Oregon grape root. She swears by it to heal all types of skin issues. So I thought it wouldn't hurt so I put it on today. I also made a coconut oil, shea butter and tea tree oil sav that I will put on tonight. Also I was thinking that it would hurt to give a B complex shot this evening as well.


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Update: The lady at the store gave me a sample of the sav. I put it on all the lesions on all the goats effected. I don't know if it's all the treatments that I have done or adding the sav treatment yesterday, but WOW what an improvement today. So many of the lesions have fallen off or are in the process of falling off. I plan to go get more of her sav today of and keep applying it. So this morning we bathed the goats again with the betadine shampoo, reapplied ACV and we applied the coconut oil, shea butter and the tea tree oil sav that I made yesterday.


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

happybleats said:


> twice daily should be good...coconut oil wont hurt...you can add Tea tree oil to it to add a bit of punch : )


Happy bleats....do you ever drench Your goats with acv for skin issues etc or just apply topically? If so what dose?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

for skin issues apply atopically...I give orally for other issues such as anemia...I like tomix 50/50 with water since it has so much acid...I give about 30 CC to speed recovery...many offer it free choice next to the water which many goats enjoy...helps keep flies off too...I dip a towel in full strength and wipe thm down...some claim drinkingit helps keep flies off too....


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

So here's what the one doe looks like tonight. There's a huge difference to tonight's picture than this morning's picture. I rubbed ACV in pretty good to each lesion and the dry, flaky skin fell right off. I also went and bought some sav from the health food store and applied it. The lesions are falling off of the does nicely but are leaving bald spots. Anyone know what I can do to speed up hair growth? Is it even possible?


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

That's great! I really want some of that salve now


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

I can get you the information. They make it and ship it all over the country. They say it's good for all skin issues. They swear by it. Now they have my testimonial for goat skin issues. Now if I can get their hair to grow. Maybe just maybe it might help.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

More info would be great!


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

Periwinkle Provisions
1101 Main St
Sweet Home, Oregon 97386
541-367-6614
www.perwinkleprovisions.com


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Thanks!


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## kccountryfarm (Apr 2, 2014)

So here is the verdict...I took the three does to the vet today. I wanted a vet to look at them and give me an opinion. My does will not be going to fair next week. I still might have goats at fair as long as my wethers and babies stay healthy. I'm completely heart broken and now a little stress of trying to find someone to milk while I'm at fair with my kids. The vet did a scraping and no parasites were found, however, she said that we can't rule out a fungal infection like ringworm. Yuck! So, poor girls are getting a betadine bath or spray down everyday until it clears up. Maybe I will get them healed up and can enter them into the open show. I don't understand why I'm having such bad luck with health issues this year. :hair:


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

> I don't understand why I'm having such bad luck with health issues this year.


Its been a bad year for mites, fungus, lice ..you name it...we take it with a grin of salt...bad years always weigh heavy but then the god years come and make up for it...chin up...it will get better


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

Your situation reminds me of what one of ours had going on. Skin scrapings clear also. Never completely healed until recently when I started giving a little boss and within 2 weeks hair grew back completely and no more open areas/dry areas.


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