# Lice Help Please....



## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

So back in March I did Ivermect IM for my goats to treat lice.  Thought everyone was doing good.  Just noticed tonight that they still have it or again.  They were wormed with Valbazen 2 weeks ago.  2 of my does didn't get Ivermec because they weren't in the herd when I did it last time.  Could this be why I have this problem again?  I did IM ivermec on one tonight...I'm planning on doing everyone this weekend.  Any other ideas?  Should I do everyone even if they don't show signs?


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2607-lice-and-goats

No matter which method you chose you must repeat it in 14 days.  Also removing and burning the bedding is recommended.


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

awesome....good to know...so I should treat everyone though even if they aren't showing symptoms?


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

Treat those in the same pen.


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

so then I should clean out there area and spread DE?  Does DE hurt them if they happen to eat it off the ground?


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

DE won't hurt them.  Personally I think it's kind of a waste of money though.

Oh, Welcome to BYH!


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

Thanks for the Welcome!  Too bad it was on these terms. LOL  They were all in the same pen until recently so I think I will do the other 2 that I moved out just to be on the safe side.  So I will do everyone tomorrow with Ivermec IM then again in 14 days to be safe?  Then whatever may be in the environment will be done with?  So how do they get lice?  I've never had an issue until recently...I've had goats now for 3 years.  I've never had any issues with worms or lice.  I had 1 wether 1 buck and 1 doe until november when I took in a group of 7....then I had these issues this last month or so.  Anything I can do to prevent?


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

Yep, repeat in 14 days.  Then at 28 days check them over, as in bad cases there is sometimes a need for a third dosing.

Wild animals / birds can carry lice into your pens.  Goats, sheep and deer all share the same type of lice but any animal / bird can temporary (approx 24 hours) them from one area to another.

I'd say though in this case that your lice came in with your new batch of animals.  It happens, it doesn't mean any bad about your husbandry practices or anything.


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

Burning the bedding along with treating the animals (with the retreats at the appropriate times) is the biggest thing that you can do to prevent future infestations.  But that doesn't mean that it won't happen again...it just helps lessen the possibility.


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

I just feel like a complete failure.  I picked up a goat with my new buck last week that was supposed to be going to her new home tomorrow.  But the lady that was supposed to pick her up for her new owner doesn't want to pick her up because of the lice issue. Which I totally get.  I just am waiting to here back from her new owner...I don't want her to be mad at me.  Or think I'm this horrible goat keeper.  Argh!


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

You're not a failure at all.

I can get why they don't want to pick the goat up until they've been treated but if they back out on the sale because of it then they are complete fools.  And as I said before - EVERY GOAT KEEPER deals with lice at one point or another.  If they tell you that they don't then they are lying to you plain and simple.


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

Oh like I said I totally understand why she doesn't want to pick her up tomorrow.  I would feel the same way.  I'm just really glad I caught it when I did.  I'm just worried how the actual owner is going to feel.  Beings she lives like 5 hours away from here.  This other lady was going to pick her up for the new owner to make her drive time shorter.  But thats not going to work obviously.  

Now when I clean out the straw/hay tomorrow the house/shack is dirt floor.  That should be fine?  Or can I put new bedding in there?  And is this something I have to worry about my dogs or outdoor cats carrying also?


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

allanimals21 said:
			
		

> Now when I clean out the straw/hay tomorrow the house/shack is dirt floor.  That should be fine?  Or can I put new bedding in there?  And is this something I have to worry about my dogs or outdoor cats carrying also?


Remove the bedding.  I like to sprinkle down Python dust or Seven dust before rebedding but if all you have is DE then you could do that too.  Then rebed.


The lice that goats carry isn't the same as what dogs / cats (or humans) carry.


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## allanimals21 (May 11, 2012)

I don't have any dust.  I was going to go pick some up tomorrow.  I will look for Seven dust.  Is that safe for other animals also?  The dogs and cats run with the goats.  Sorry for all the questions.  I really appriciate all your advice and help.


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## elevan (May 11, 2012)

Yeah, it's fine.  You're only going to put a thin layer down and then bed over it.

Seven dust is in the lawn and garden area of department stores.  Python dust would be at your feedstore.


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## allanimals21 (May 12, 2012)

Thanks again.  I will keep you posted.  I should get some pics of my herd up here now that I'm a member.  I raise fainting goats and own 1 alpine wether.


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## redtailgal (May 12, 2012)

oh my goodness, no you are not a failure, lol. not at all.  nor are you a bad goat owner!  EVERY person who owns livestock deal with lice at some point in time.  It's as sure a POOP.

My four goats recently had lice.  I keep them clean, spoil them rotten with grooming to tell the truth, and they STILL got lice.  

They stay in a run type shelter on the side of my barn.  I stripped it down to dirt, spread that dirt generously with sevin dust, gave it a quick rake and put fresh bedding on it.  For the treatment of the actual goats.......I poured some sevin into a sock and rubbed them down with it.  The sock helped work it down into their hair, and let me get their under belly "arm pits" and groin area and behind their ears real good.  

7 days later, I repeated the sevin dust sock rub down and the lice were gone.

Yeah, I probably would ask for a goat with lice to be treated before I brought it home, so I can see why she would ask that.  But, if this person backs out of the sale over this, she really needs to re-think having goats.  Like I said, lice are as sure as poop.


And yep, sevin will be fine around your other critters too!

Also, *Hi there*!  Welcome to the group. And remember,  No matter what they may tell you, I am the normal one around here.    Really, I am.  

Now, take a deep breath and relax.  ahhhhhhhhhhhh. that's better!  lol.   

oh, almost forgot........your right.  You should get some pics of your herd up here.  We LOVE pics!!!


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## marliah (May 12, 2012)

I used de in our pens and made a spray of olive oil and tea tree oil to spray on the goats, it seems to have worked, I ave repeated weekly for the last month and don't see any new lice. The spray is 1/2 cup oo and 4 drops TTO. 

Careful with sevin, there is question about that stuff killing honeybees. I wouldn't touch it.


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## BlondeSquirrel04 (May 12, 2012)

Sometimes s*** just happens!

I bought goats from one of the top breeders in the county last year and ended up with one of my great milkers having sub-clinical mastitis. Now she's only working with one functioning side of the udder. Felt like a complete jerk and a failure. Called my breeder and she reassured me that sometimes things just happen. Her most prized doe got it, too, and is working with the same thing. I felt better when I knew I wasn't the only one.

Lice suck (literally and figuratively), but they're really not that bad. You'll take care of them, I'm sure.


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## allanimals21 (May 12, 2012)

Thanks guys.  That makes me feel better. LOL.  I was told by a friend of mine who is also a breeder said that they used a mixture of Ivermec and water and sprayed it on to.  The used this on a different animal but told me maybe to try it on the goats?  Should I try a topical also or just do the IM?


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## elevan (May 12, 2012)

Don't give it IM.  If you inject it should be SQ.  Injecting ivermectin is what I prefer for lice.  

I wouldn't overload them though.  Pick one method and go with it.  Just don't forget to repeat in 14 days (that's the critical part).


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## allanimals21 (May 15, 2012)

so what are your ideas for young kids?  I have some that are like 3 weeks old and then 3 that were born yesterday.  I thought about rubbing them down with DE just to keep away from chemicals.  DE is all natural right?  And I've been reading it works on lice.


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## elevan (May 15, 2012)

allanimals21 said:
			
		

> so what are your ideas for young kids?  I have some that are like 3 weeks old and then 3 that were born yesterday.  I thought about rubbing them down with DE just to keep away from chemicals.  DE is all natural right?  And I've been reading it works on lice.


I treat kids the same way that I do adults - ivermectin SQ since I have kids so tiny (Pygmies) I use a diabetic syringe.

DE is "all natural".  You can use it.  It might work.


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## redtailgal (May 15, 2012)

When mine were kids I did the DE.  It worked great, but I needed to repeat it weekly for 4 weeks before I got rid of all of them.


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## allanimals21 (May 15, 2012)

Well, the 3 born last night I was going to rub them down as a preventative since mom just got treated 2 days ago with Ivermec.  The 3 week old kids I didn't see anythign on them.  My way of thinking just do them 1-2 times a week until I've finished my rounds of ivermectin with the adults?


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## redtailgal (May 15, 2012)

That might work.

You can put the DE in an old sock and get better coverage that way.

I'd check the every 7 days until I saw no more signs.


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## allanimals21 (May 15, 2012)

I noticed that even after the ivermectin some of the adults had a few live crawlies...not where near what they had...maybe I should rub everyone down


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