# Goat hair loss- mites?



## genevieve (Apr 9, 2015)

I had a pygmy doe who started losing patches of hair a few weeks ago but i just figured she was shedding weird, but now one of my other does is losing hair too.  The hair loss is in little paches near their spines and theirs ears are both missing hair around the bottom of the ear all the way around it.  There has been no hair loss on their heads and the rest of their bodies.  Also, they both are getting dandruff too.  They get fed alfalfa, brome hay, and MannaPro goat loose minerals.

What could this be?  I'm guessing mites or some mineral problem?


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## Southern by choice (Apr 9, 2015)

Mites or lice.
Lice you can see mites you cannot.

Treat with Permethrins 10% - follow instructions as it is concentrated and you must dilute with water.
We use a 2 gallon garden sprayer.

Repeat in 10 days.

We clip and bathe our goats in spring so if there is any evidence of mites we can spray them down easily.

Mites are a fall/winter issue and most see the evidence in early spring as it is warmer and the mites become very active.


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## chicken pickin (May 15, 2015)

Im glad to have found this. Just today I noticed that one of my ND does has hair lose around her eyes, she also dandruff. I thought it was strange since I have looked them over so many times over winter and early Spring for lice, never saw a thing. Didn't really dawn on me they could have mites and I might not see them. I will have to clean out there house and treat them. Is hair loss around the eyes still a possible pest problem or maybe something different? Thanks.


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## OneFineAcre (May 15, 2015)

chicken pickin said:


> Im glad to have found this. Just today I noticed that one of my ND does has hair lose around her eyes, she also dandruff. I thought it was strange since I have looked them over so many times over winter and early Spring for lice, never saw a thing. Didn't really dawn on me they could have mites and I might not see them. I will have to clean out there house and treat them. Is hair loss around the eyes still a possible pest problem or maybe something different? Thanks.



Could possibly be a zinc deficiency, but most likely mites.  Feel inside her ears to see if she has little bumps.


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## chicken pickin (May 15, 2015)

Thanks. What do I do for a zinc deficiency? I offer them loose minerals, though I will be honest sometimes I forget to put it out.

I will check the inside of the ears tomorrow.


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## OneFineAcre (May 15, 2015)

chicken pickin said:


> Thanks. What do I do for a zinc deficiency? I offer them loose minerals, though I will be honest sometimes I forget to put it out.
> 
> I will check the inside of the ears tomorrow.


It's probably mites
We had one like that and vet suggested possibly zinc deficiency and told us to just get some zinc oxide or even desenex diaper rash cream and give her a couple of tablespoons orally ( tastes nasty ) but that didn't help ours
And nothing spray on helped ours 
What cleared ours up was ivermectin injections 
3 shots 3 weeks apart 
Hair eventually grew back good as new


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