Help!!! Bitting Lice

[Terri John]

Hello, new here... and I didn't think my second post would be regarding parasites :( http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/hello-from-newcastle-on We've only had these goat kids for a couple days.

After reading a post in the Goat 101 forum with regards to excessive scratching and grooming I went out to inspect our new little herd - only because our 10wk old doeling seemed to have the same behaviour and earlier today the 6mo old doeling was acting the same. Having had the unfortunate experience with head lice many years ago with our daughter I figured I basically knew what I was looking for... and I found it only much bigger than human lice. To be sure and for identification I looked at the little buggers under the microscope (I deal in fish so this is a common tool for me to use for parasitic identification). Did a quick search on the internet (google is great!) and found this http://www.goatbiology.com/lice.html - the bug I viewed was the exact same as the biting lice image shown.

So, the 10wk doeling has them rather badly, the 6mo doeling has "many" (there is a chaffed area on her neck which the breeder thought might have been from horse fly bites?), her 1/2brother has some (and his skin is also really flaking around his back hips/tail?). The other 6mo buck seemed clean, I didn't find anything on him and he was quite cooperative during the inspection.

They are all rubbing on the fencing presently and the 10wk doeling was 'dust bathing' in the sandy part of the pen.

Recommended treatment protocol anyone please?

This came up in my search:

Brand Name CyLence- Pour-on

• For treatment of:
  • Controls horn flies, face flies, biting and sucking lice.
• Goat dose: Pour-on - Drip this along the goat's spine. 
  • 1cc per 25 pounds
  • For lice treatment, repeat in 3 weeks.  
  • To control flies, use once a month throughout the summer.
• Milk withholding time: none
• Notes:
  • Contains cyfluthrin, a 4th generation pyrethroid.

At present the only place I've found in Ontario that carries this is Farmers Farmacy in Cambridge Ontario.

Also, how often should we now be changing their bedding (straw)? I plan to clean out their sleeping quarters shortly... and burn the straw.

[Terri John]

Just a long over-due update,....

All the kids are fine, lice free for 3 weeks now, no re-infestation. Yeah! The product our friends gave us is called Spotton, made by Bayer (20% fenthion). Our vet said that was okay.

Speaking of Vets,... Little Caesar had his first visit to our Vet this morning. She is great, and I just learned that she looks after all the animals at our local small zoo! She's very familiar with goats which is great for us. Anyways, I took Little Caesar because we were a little concerned about his weight gain - a bit too slim in the hips - but he is growing. Vet said he was in very good health but she too was a little concerned as well,... L.Caesar was happy enough to supply many fecal samples during his physical exam LOL so hopefully we will know what's up in a day or so and if he needs deworming (Ivomec/Ivermectin) or something else? At any rate, he was a very good patient (other than pooping everywhere!) and I'm proud of him! :)
I have to make a trip back to the vets office to bring them fecal samples from the others once collected.

[Terri John]

*grin*

[Melissa Johnson]

Hey Terri, after you use the clippers to clip the goats to rid of lice, MAKE SURE to share that with the husband and son "after" their next hair clip - LOL - get the reaction, THEN tell them people dont get goat lice (why is that, anyway???) - how funny.

Terri John said:

Thank you Deborah.

What kind of clippers? I have a hair clipper with different sized attachments, I cut my husbands and youngest sons hair as they like it VERY short LOL

Also, while I know summer is here, it can get cool here still in the evenings/night time - and there is always a breeze here, sometimes it gets very windy in the evenings... should we be concerned about them getting 'cold'?

[Melissa Johnson]

thanks, that should be quite interesting - they are just a year old in March - and it is still a wrestling match to cut their hoofs. I ran Ivermectin past the vet and he said no problem - just follow the dosage - )

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

You can use it again, but if they're reinfected, it might be a better idea to clip them. Then you'll get all the eggs. Ivermectin doesn't kill the eggs.

Melissa Johnson said:

I have just used this myself maybe a month ago. I noticed they are starting to scratch again - how often can I use Ivermectin?

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

You can use it again, but if they're reinfected, it might be a better idea to clip them. Then you'll get all the eggs. Ivermectin doesn't kill the eggs.

Melissa Johnson said:

I have just used this myself maybe a month ago. I noticed they are starting to scratch again - how often can I use Ivermectin?

[Melissa Johnson]

I have just used this myself maybe a month ago. I noticed they are starting to scratch again - how often can I use Ivermectin?


Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

When goats are shown, we have to clip them using dog clippers, which are pretty much the same as the clippers that are used for humans. The size 10 blade leaves 1/16 of an inch of hair. I don't know how cold it gets in Ontario this time of year, but we've had to clip goats for shows when the temps were still in the 50s at night. As long as they're in a building out of the wind, it's not a problem.

The only external parasites I've ever seen on goats are lice and mites. Flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas don't bother them. I don't know the science behind it, but we certainly have flies, because they bother the cows and horses; the ticks love us humans and the dogs; and our dog has had heartworm from the mosquitoes. I've had a lamb get fly strike (maggots), but the goats are not bothered by anything other than lice and mites.

You can use Pour-On Ivermectin (Ivomec), which is what I use in the middle of winter. The bottle tells you the dosage per pound, so there is no need to guess. I don't have it memorized and don't want to say the wrong amount. I've used it according to label directions, and it works. The amount will be something like 1 cc per kid, so it is a small amount (similar to what you posted originally), and it should be measured. You can buy a syringe without the needle, and use that to get an accurate dosage.

[Terri John]

I would like to thank you both, Deborah and Marcy for you advice and tips. I"ve saved this on my hard-drive for quick reference.

Our 'farmer friends' paid us a visit with the pour-on on Sunday. I worked out the dosage for wieght and treated. Remarkable difference with the goats by Monday afternoon. They will have to have a retreatment on Thursday to get any second round nits.

I have inquired to our vet about the Inermectin and waiting to hear back.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

When goats are shown, we have to clip them using dog clippers, which are pretty much the same as the clippers that are used for humans. The size 10 blade leaves 1/16 of an inch of hair. I don't know how cold it gets in Ontario this time of year, but we've had to clip goats for shows when the temps were still in the 50s at night. As long as they're in a building out of the wind, it's not a problem.

The only external parasites I've ever seen on goats are lice and mites. Flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas don't bother them. I don't know the science behind it, but we certainly have flies, because they bother the cows and horses; the ticks love us humans and the dogs; and our dog has had heartworm from the mosquitoes. I've had a lamb get fly strike (maggots), but the goats are not bothered by anything other than lice and mites.

You can use Pour-On Ivermectin (Ivomec), which is what I use in the middle of winter. The bottle tells you the dosage per pound, so there is no need to guess. I don't have it memorized and don't want to say the wrong amount. I've used it according to label directions, and it works. The amount will be something like 1 cc per kid, so it is a small amount (similar to what you posted originally), and it should be measured. You can buy a syringe without the needle, and use that to get an accurate dosage.

[Terri John]

Hi Marcy,

Thank you for the tips,... Ian and I were just discussing shaving them and how the flies and mossies might be a problem. We find mosquitoes here are hard to handle in the morning hrs and evening hrs, even with Muskol. Funny you mention DE, I'm still searching for a good source with reasonable pricing - it's used in aquaculture (hobby aquarium use believe it or not!). For now we are getting Agricultural Lime to put on the floor.

We live quite close to several large farms,.. called one around the corner today, their son is best friends with our son, they offered to bring over some pour-on insecticide stuff they use for their dairy cattle - I think it's the same one I posted above.

Their itching is getting quite bad, poor babies... I gave them all a real good brushing today twice - they really enjoyed the rub-down.

[Terri John]

Thank you Deborah.

What kind of clippers? I have a hair clipper with different sized attachments, I cut my husbands and youngest sons hair as they like it VERY short LOL

Also, while I know summer is here, it can get cool here still in the evenings/night time - and there is always a breeze here, sometimes it gets very windy in the evenings... should we be concerned about them getting 'cold'?