elderly goat-problems

[smoky73]

I do not have a MAJOR problem, but I do have a 9 year old doe that is a pet. She is a Toggenburg, and just the last month or so, has very thinning hair on her back hips and neck. The neck I suspect is from rubbing on the feeder, but wonder if this could be from just plain old old age? She is exhibiting no other issues, eats fine, acts fine, normal weight that I can tell. she is just balding, no real bald patches, just over all, on her back, and where I mentioned. My goats have never had lice or mites, but the flies have been bad and they hate to be sprayed for bugs. I managed to get some spray on her today, but I can worm her if that might help with any parasites (lice or so) that she MIGHT have that I cannot see. What I own for wormers, Valbazen, Ivomec (injectable) and Ivomec Eprinex Pour-on.
I have searched in vain for anything about typical signs of old age in goats that they might exhibit and found nothing. I know the life span in books say 10-12 years normally.

 

[ksalvagno]

Bugs are bad this year and I wouldn't be surprised if she has lice or mites. The Ivomec should work for you.

 

[Goatmasta]

I would bet anything she has mites. Ivermec pour on dosed @ 1cc/22lbs (orally) 3 treatments given 10 days apart will do the trick. Cylence will help with flies and lice.. Dosages are on my blog under "meds list".

 

[smoky73]

you wouldn't just "pour on" the pour on? Why, if thats the way its supposed to ge administered?:/

 

[Terry]

you wouldn't just "pour on" the pour on? Why, if thats the way its supposed to ge administered?:/

I wondered that too. I wouldn't give it orally. I tried it years ago for my pygmy goats, and it irratated them. It made the hair falls out where I put it. The lady I used to get my breeders from was almost a vet tech. She raised some top of the line goats. She said anyting you can used on dogs can be used on goats. I have some horse spray {FlyX} that is labeled for horse & dogs. I spray my goats and have no problems, and no bugs on them. The one goat is quite old.

 

[elevan]

you wouldn't just "pour on" the pour on? Why, if thats the way its supposed to ge administered?:/

I wondered that too. I wouldn't give it orally. I tried it years ago for my pygmy goats, and it irratated them. It made the hair falls out where I put it. The lady I used to get my breeders from was almost a vet tech. She raised some top of the line goats. She said anyting you can used on dogs can be used on goats. I have some horse spray {FlyX} that is labeled for horse & dogs. I spray my goats and have no problems, and no bugs on them. The one goat is quite old.

When "pouring" something onto a goats skin they can get a "burn".

I did some research on giving pour ons orally...and it turns out that almost all of them were originally tested orally and then as a pour on. In cattle it was found to be more effective when poured on. Personally I've decided to give the Ivomec brand pour ons a try orally in my goats. You should do your own research when making this decision as not every pour on is created equal...some have ingredients that I wouldn't want my goats ingesting....but as I said I've researched the Ivomec brand thoroughly. It was originally tested orally in rats, dogs and cattle and found to be the most effective externally in cattle and not really effective for dogs...they tested safety margins in rats when given orally and found them to be moderately high.

 

[Terry]

As I posted in a couple of threads, I don't raise anything anymore. I figure there's already enough things being made/born in the world.

But for bugs I just use FlysX horse spray. I can use it on horses, goats, and dogs. So it's a money saver and works well. It's a wonderful premise spray. On the dogs and cats I do have flea drops though. Advantage II is working well this year. I appreciate all the information and help here.

Thanks.

 

[cmjust0]

I did some research on giving pour ons orally...and it turns out that almost all of them were originally tested orally and then as a pour on. In cattle it was found to be more effective when poured on.

Im gonna need to see some references on this, please. You're making it sound as if these meds could have gone either way -- either pour-on, or oral -- but simply tested to be more effective as pour-ons, and so they became pour-ons.. Sorry, but I'm having a *really* hard time swallowing the notion that any med formulated with 'Aromatic 100' or any other volatile hydrocarbon was *ever* intended for oral use.

Links, please.

Oh, and btw...I found an MSDS on Eprinex on Merial's australian website (pdf). I'll grant you that an MSDS is about risk to humans, but nonetheless, here's what it says about ingestion:

"INGESTION: If swallowed urgent hospital treatment is likely to be needed. Follow instruction of Poisons Information Centre. Medical observation for delayed symptoms needs to be carried out for up to 48 hours."

 

[Terry]

I did some research on giving pour ons orally...and it turns out that almost all of them were originally tested orally and then as a pour on. In cattle it was found to be more effective when poured on.

Im gonna need to see some references on this, please. You're making it sound as if these meds could have gone either way -- either pour-on, or oral -- but simply tested to be more effective as pour-ons, and so they became pour-ons.. Sorry, but I'm having a *really* hard time swallowing the notion that any med formulated with 'Aromatic 100' or any other volatile hydrocarbon was *ever* intended for oral use.

Links, please.

Oh, and btw...I found an MSDS on Eprinex on Merial's australian website (pdf). I'll grant you that an MSDS is about risk to humans, but nonetheless, here's what it says about ingestion:

"INGESTION: If swallowed urgent hospital treatment is likely to be needed. Follow instruction of Poisons Information Centre. Medical observation for delayed symptoms needs to be carried out for up to 48 hours."

I agree. I wouldn't ever use this orally. But to each their own!

 

[Goatmasta]

I have used ivermec pour on orally for many years with great success. I have seen absolutely no ill results from it. I can give you many reasons why you shouldn't use it as a pour on, and many reasons why you should never inject the injectable ivermec.

The hair loss could also be from a Zinc or selenium deficiency. How about we keep the thread on track.