# Massive Hair Loss



## Goatstopack (Dec 23, 2008)

Hello,
In late June took our 4 goats to vet for annual shots and also wormed = Ivermectin. Last week we noticed that they were rubbing and shedding again - happens every spring - and assumed it was due to the very warm weather. Tonight I noticed that one of them had rubbed a couple of spots pretty bad - not bald but close. I can easily rub, brush, or pull out large clumps of hair with little effort and no pain to them - it almost falls out. Any thoughts? 

I was thinking lice or fungus and had planned on spraying Permectin on them. Will this prevent additional hair loss? Any ideas how long before it may stop after spraying? If they get any other bald spots - can we still put a saddle on them or will they get saddlesores, etc. 

Also - only diet change has been the last week or two - switched from a mineralized salt and balanced mineral mix to a white salt and balanced mineral mix - both free choice. Also - had been out of ammonium chloride for a couple of months and just started adding it again two to three weeks ago to mineral and salt. No other changes to anything. Thanks for your help. BK


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Hi BK,

You didn't say what breed you have. Some breeds shed large amounts of hair in early summer. Saanens for example have very brittle hair and loose hair by the handful when the weather gets hot. If you don't think it is from "normal" shedding then there could be a large variety of other reasons for the problem. Without seeing the goat it is hard to give a good answer. In general, Mites and Lice can cause hair loss as well as Fungal infections and Vitamin deficiencies. There are more causes of course but those are the main ones I know about.

Ivermectin also treats external parasites like mites and lice and you should have seen some improvement a few day after administering it. If the Ivermec didn't help then it wasn't administered at a proper dose or the problem isn't parasites. Remember that Goats should receive double the normal dose requirement of most other animals for it to be effective. A follow up worming two weeks later is often required if the goat has a heavy infestation. If you have doubts about the proper dosage being administered then I'd spray them with Permectin or dust them with a mite dust for cattle.

It could also be a vitamin deficiency. Usually Vitamin E. Did the Vet give a Bo-Se shot? If so you should be good with Vitamin E and Selenium.

If that didn't seem to help, it could possibly be a fungus. Your vet should take a skin scraping and test for that or any other possible skin disorder. If you don't get results from your vet go to another vet for a second opinion.

As far as saddling them..... The hair is an important part of the padding under the saddle but not totally necessary. Make sure your saddle has thick soft padding and you should be fine. Maybe even double pad to be sure. Avoid using pads that are thin or coarse to the touch if the goat doesn't have enough hair to cushion it.


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## Goatstopack (Dec 23, 2008)

Hi Rex,
Thanks for the info. Our Breeds are 2 are 1/2 Saanen & 1/2 Alpine and the other 2 are 1/2 Golden & 1/2 Alpine. All 4 are experiencing this hair loss. I Have not noticed this amount of hiar loss in previous summers at this late of a date.
The Ivermectin was simply for de-worming based upon their weights and the vet did give Vit. E and Selenium boosters.
We have your pocket pads and saddles. Enough padding? What about the nylon straps?
I will give the vet a call right now and treat with Permectin tonight or tomorrow morning so that they will be dry before it cools down to much overnight. We live at a higher elevation. Will the Permectin help if it is a skin fungus? If they lose a bunch of hair - will it grow back in 6 - 8 weeks in sufficient amounts to protect them once cooler weather starts setting in??? Sorry for all the questions and thanks for your help!!! BK


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Goatstopack said:


> We have your pocket pads and saddles. Enough padding? What about the nylon straps?


Our pads are the great so they should be fine but a light horse blanket underneath would be good insurance. The nylon on your saddles is thick and pliable but anything rubbing on bare skin will eventually cause irritation. You might want a padded cover of some sort like felt or fake sheepskin. It will be a total pain for picking up burrs, pine needles and such but should get you through until their hair grows back in.



> Will the Permectin help if it is a skin fungus?


No, you would have to use an anti-fungal cream like the stuff for athletes foot.



> If they lose a bunch of hair - will it grow back in 6 - 8 weeks in sufficient amounts to protect them once cooler weather starts setting in???


Once you get it figured out the hair should come back pretty quickly. I'd guess 6-8 weeks should be sufficient.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Occasionally goats get off kilter with their shedding and hair regrowth seasonal cycles. I once had a goat go almost bald in a couple of days. Took him to the vet and apparently he had dumped his summer coat early, which they do shed some right before they start growing their winter coat, which actually starts in August or so.

Poor guy was bald for about three weeks till he caught up with himself.

THis is not common but was pretty funny, except that he was going to a rendy and was bald for it. I sort of kept him hidden that year.


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## Goatstopack (Dec 23, 2008)

Update - Vet said that a fungus in our neck of the woods (North central Idaho) is rare - too dry. She recommended treating with Permectin II and if that does not work. Then try Prepadine or betodine mixed with 50/50 water. This will apparently work if it is a fungus. After the initial treatment of permectin II - nothing has changed. Hair is still falling out in large clumps - after just one or two light passes with a brush - it is full - pulled out at the roots. All longer hair is now mostly gone on two of them - all that remains is the shorter "under hairs" - starting to look pretty blotchy.

How long before we should notice a change from the Permectin II. When I initially spoke with the vet, she said give it 10 - 14 days and retreat with Permectin and then try one of the other that I mentioned above if that did not help. Any one have thoughts on this??? Thanks much! BK


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## Mike (Dec 10, 2008)

Now I'm really curious.... what ended up being the issue ?


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

Yeah... if the Permectin II worked on the goats, maybe it'll work on my head. ;-)


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## Goatstopack (Dec 23, 2008)

Hi Mike,

Not really sure what the problem was. Nothing changed after the 2nd application of Permectin II - hair kept falling out. Was going to apply the Betadine (?) as per the Vet's recommendation - but just before doing that - I spoke with someone I work with who also has goats and she had said that hers shed out really late and heavy last year also - so I put off the Betadine applic. and a couple of weeks later they started growing the next coat. I think they were a little behind going into fall and winter but it all turned out just fine.

Just a natural process I guess.

This year two of the four had some sort of nasty skin irritations in spots - lost hair to the bare skin (probably the size of an apple) in two or three locations (belly, leg, and side). It was all dry, scaly looking and was painful for them to the touch. Sprayed Fungisan twice a day for 10 - 14 days. That worked - they are now pain free and starting to grow hair. Seems to always be something. Hope this helped. Take Care!


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

The name for that is something like unsychronized telogen phase. All it means is that the body's hormones told the hair to start shedding before it told it to start regrowing. I had a bald saanen at the rendy one year from the same reason.


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## bentmettle (Jul 29, 2009)

Can I hijack slightly ? 

I came online today looking for information on linty looking fur.

Basically, it looks like lint in their fur. I thought it was just from the collar rubbing and breaking down his hair, but now I see it up on top of his back, too.

Doesn't seem to bother them at all, either that, or they're just not that vain.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

bentmettle said:


> Can I hijack slightly ?
> 
> I came online today looking for information on linty looking fur.
> 
> ...


Sounds like you are describing the fine undercoat which sheds out in the spring. Its perfectly normal. Brushing helps get it cleaned out faster.


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