Aboutgoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
Experience 17 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
Question Dear Goatlady,
I have a 4 month old female boar kid with scabs on her body. At first we suspected ringworm but not all the scabs are circular. They appear on her sides and her underbelly. The ones on the belly are the worst. She obviously bites them and keeps them bloody. The scabs range in size from the size of a pencil eraser to a quarter. She eats well but lacks the energy of the other goats and kids. She sleeps a lot and prefers to lay in the sun while the rest of the kids are up eating and playing. She chews her cud and her bowels and bladder seem normal. I have cleaned the scabs and treated the scabs w/ wound spray but it seems to do nothing. I fear it will spread to the other goats and I can't seem to get it cleared up. I've been fighting these scabs for almost a month.
Answer Hi Kimberly,
Skin disorders are probably the most difficult for the breeder to figure out without a skin scraping taken to the vet for diagnosis. Since she has been bothered by this for a month, I think your best bet is to have a vet do a culture from her skin scraping. This cold be anything from fungus, to parasite (mites, tick bites, flea bites or lice)to a mange situation. Even if you do clear the scabs up the reason for them to begin with is still present- Zinc deficiency is often times the reason for skin disorders. Also any time a goat is sick, a rectal temperature is in order to see if they are running a fever or sub normal temp- normal is 101.5 to 103.5 . I would be it is sub normal right now - she may have more than one thing going on with her- have you dewormed her? Read my article on deworming and look at the eye color chart http://goat-link.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110&Itemid=107
for inner eye membrane coloration to see if she is anemic, I will bet she is. (laying in the sun and being lethargic suggests this)
