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.
Note: Keep in mind, the goat expert is volunteering her time to help other goat owners, she also runs her farm with her own herd of 100 goats and may not be at her computer at all hours. Questions are answered as soon as she can possibly read and answer them, usually within 24 hours.
(! During times of severe summer weather in the Midwest, I may experience a delay in internet service due to the interference of the satellite reception - but will answer your questions as soon as service is restored. !)
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 Hi. We just got goats and know only a little bit about them. We have two goats. My mom wanted to know if goats could get mange. I have looked up several sites about their care but none say anything about mange. But then I saw you. They are boare goats. The ten-month-old has thinning hair with black/brown/Grey scabs on the skin but no sore under them. She also has a prominent backbone sticking out. The other is fine. We got them on Saturday the 12. The one with possible mange had it when we got her. She is eating (grass, weeds, apricots, and scrub oak.) and drinking (water) fine. Also she is going to the bathroom fine. She has had no medications that we know of. Walking around fine. We live in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. The previous owner says that they were brushing her hair and it was very matted and it all just came out. We don’t think so. Do you think that this is mange, if so how can we treat it, if not what do you think this is. Thanks.
Answer HI Vivian,
The best way to tell what you are dealing with is to take a skin scraping sample to the vet for diagnosis-
Hair loss can be caused from a few different things-
Lice, dermatitis, rubbing from going through a small opening on a regular basis, ringworm, mites, and mange are the most common reasons. For the lice, Sarcoptes scabies (mange) and mites a pour on delouser will work such as Ivomec PourOn- this is a topical blue liquid used on the backline from neck to tail- the dose I use is 1cc/20lbs and to get it to last all the way down the length of the spine, you have to dribble-move a few inches, dribble- move a few inches etc until you make the dose amount last the length of the spine.Will need to be repeated in 2-3 weeks when new eggs hatch.
Sevin dust rubbed all over the goat down to the skin also works but not quite as well as the Ivomec Pour on- especially for biting lice. Ringworm is treated with ringworm medication as this is a fungal infection. Usually ringworm is found in round patches all over the body.
For dermatological problems- If there are crusty patches along with the hair loss you may want to get a skin scraping to the vet for diagnosis so the treatment can be specific.
Additionally, a newly freshened doe, because of the hormones fluctuation (estrogen deficiency) can have a hair loss situation as well as newly castrated males and after a serious illness- In angora goats this is called "blowing their coat" where the hair seems as though it has come off directly from the skin almost in sheets. When this happens to a non angora goat, the results are not as noticeable as it is in angora goats- it simply appears and an all over body hair loss- usually in large patches on the sides.
Zinc deficiency can also cause hair loss, most extensively on the head, neck, flanks, peritoneal areas, and lower portion of the limbs, the hair was thinning in most of the remaining areas. The skin was thick, dry and scaly and the hair was dull and shaggy. Adding a good mineral mix with zinc usually corrects this problem within a month. Severe zinc deficiency can also result in parakeratosis, where the skin becomes dry, scaly, and thick and may become encrusted.
Vitamin A deficiency can create a rough, dry coat with a shaggy appearance and dandruff. Copper deficiency can cause a goat's hair coat to be rough with a "bleached out" appearance. Iodine deficiency can cause hair loss. So check your minerals for these minerals and make sure they are available to your goats.
Begin your diagnosis with looking for visible parasites (lice) sucking lice are dark and do not move, biting lice are straw colored and will move (these may get ON you but will not lay eggs and get in your hair lice human head lice so not to worry) - check your minerals for the minerals suggested, look for places where the goat may be regularly getting into that can cause the hair to simply rub off- and if there are any skin leasions, take a skin scraping sample to the vet for diagnosis.
If you do have lice, yes treat the entire herd- and for the little ones use a cotton ball to treat, rubbed on a few places on the back- for the 4 week olds.. I would treat using the dose I mentioned. Keep in mind although the Ivomec Pour on (which is NOT the same as the drench) says it treats worms, it is not efficient in worm treatment and if you also have worms you will need to treat with Ivomec Injectable as well. Treat as separate problems.
