Worming older goat with ivermectin? Update

[saltnpepper]

Older pygmy goat (16) with strongyles. She's appears to be resistant to Safe guard (no surprise). Vet wants me to stop safe guard and start ivermectin immediately. Normally I would do injections, but she is very bony due to age and parasites. I'm going to give orally (with the vet's blessing), and am going to have to do my best at weight guess. She's on the small side and normally around 40-50#, but given age and condition, i would guess she's more like 30-40# now. Unfortunately, I don't have scales to get more accurate. I'm going to treat her as a 40#. My question is for anyone who has given ivermectin orally. I've read that if there is a heavy worm load, that the oral dose could be dangerous. Has anyone ever had issues with oral doses?
She is doing well as far as appetite and water intake. She is weak in the front, so we have to help her get up in the front, but she'll lift her back end and wait for help. If you don't get there quick enough, she'll push herself across her shavings to you. However, once she's up you wouldn't know much was wrong with her. She maintained her pygmy attitude and think's she 3, so sometimes moves too fast and stumbles and needs help up again.
I want to give her every chance and I think this is the best route, but I also remind myself that she's right up there for a pygmy.
I am also looking for a quilted weather resistant small vest to help keep her warm. I plan to find a small one and put it on her backwards with the zipper on the back. This should also help support her so she can stand up on her own.
Any thoughts from someone who has experience with something similar would be greatly appreciated.

 

[babsbag]

Did you get a fecal done and if so how heavy is the worm load? I have a friend that lost a doe when worming orally with Ivermectin but she was LOADED.

Many times Safeguard appears not to work as the dose is much higher than what is listed plus you have to do it 3-5 days in a row.

 

[saltnpepper]

Thanks for your reply.
I'm on day 4 of safe guard. I can certainly up the dose for today and tomorrow.
Yes, fecal was done. But, the vet is very good and I specifically asked if he thought the ivermectin would be too much orally. He said go ahead.
I've been doing this through messages and never got the actual number.
I was going to give her 1ml of 1% ivomec orally. That seems to fall right in the middle of what I've been told for dosage. Some say 1 ml per 25# and others say 1 ml per 50#.
My thought now is to maybe double the safe guard dose for today and tomorrow. If I don't see a visible shed, then I'll start ivermectin on Saturday.
Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[Green Acres Farm]

If I don't see a visible shed, then I'll start ivermectin on Saturday.

What do you mean visible shed?
You can't see stronglyes without a scope.

 

[saltnpepper]

Sorry, not me, the vet. Supposed to take a sample back on Friday.

 

[NH homesteader]

What makes the vet believe she is resistant to safeguard when you haven't completed the dosing? It's nice to hear someone so committed to helping a doe through her good old years. 16 is quite old!

I'm going to tag @frustratedearthmother the resident Pygmy expert and @Southern by choice the resident parasite expert.

 

[Southern by choice]

What dosage are you using with the Safeguard?
You can also pick her up stand on a scale then subtract your weight for a more accurate weight. Not a pygmy gal but that weight does not sound right.

 

[Mini Horses]

Have you considered getting a dog or foal blanket? I would sew a handle strap on the top so you could grab it to pull her up.

If she has a heavy worm load the die off can form a toxin which can affect her. Plus, there may be intestinal damage if she's been infected for a long period. The absorption of needed vit/min, proteins, electrolytes may be compromised and you may want to ask the vet about some concentrated nutrition for a while until she comes around. Just a thought. These smaller animals do not have the volume capacity so concentrates often work better to offset some of the need with more availability from which to draw.

 

[saltnpepper]

What makes the vet believe she is resistant to safeguard when you haven't completed the dosing? It's nice to hear someone so committed to helping a doe through her good old years. 16 is quite old!

I'm going to tag @frustratedearthmother the resident Pygmy expert and @Southern by choice the resident parasite expert.

We went through safe guard treatment about a month or so ago. So this was her second float which led him to believe there is a resistance. But, we did 3 days of treatment at the suggested dose. .6ml per 25#. We were giving 1.2 ml. This is now the second round of safe guard. I was giving suggested dose, but increased tonight and will tomorrow as well.

And thank you! Our animals tend to live into their golden years.

 

[saltnpepper]

We took a video of her tonight. I am trying to get it to upload.