# Crusties... mites? lice?



## KaliMoran (Apr 10, 2018)

Hi all!

I have a doe with a situation. Just above her hind hooves, the skin is crusty and flaky and very raised. I noticed it a few weeks back but wasn't overly concerned... it looked a lot like what I used to see on the front of my horse's cannons in the spring when dirt particles would get trapped beneath the skin. It was never anything a little extra brushing couldn't take care of.

I recently noticed, however, she has scabby skin on her teats. They seem to be in little mounds I can scrape off. Just this morning, I noticed similar scabbies around her anus. They're white in color and do not seem to irritate or itch.

No other goats show any signs of skin issues (yet?!).

Any thoughts? My vet gave her a lice diagnosis over the phone (and a treatment plan) but after looking up more information/images on that, I'm not convinced. The affected areas are pretty isolated and don't look like lice spots. Could it be a type of mite? Fungus?

Opinions much appreciated!


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## Latestarter (Apr 10, 2018)

Some pictures would be very helpful... Sounds to me, with my limited experience, to be mites vice lice. Could be a combination of issues.


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## mysunwolf (Apr 12, 2018)

Sounds like thrush, but in a goat. My neighbors' male gets this every spring really bad--super crusty and flaky, dry "scales" and underneath is raw raised skin, looks horrible--and we still haven't found a solution so if you find one please let us know. So far we have tried copper and zinc sulfate, to no effect. Now trying a silver sulfadiazine cream with iodine blended in, as well as regular debriding. Seems to improve if it's debrided and cream applied daily.

ETA photos would help though, since this one is a wether and I haven't seen anything on his anus or belly. Sounds like it might be a different thing going on but it would be nice to see.


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## Donna R. Raybon (Jun 21, 2018)

I am not a vet, this is what works for me.  The bumps on udder sounds like skin staph.  Scrub with iodine based shampoo and use a pennicillan based udder infusion topically.  Wear gloves and it takes a few drops to coat skin.  If you can not get udder infusion Hoof and Heal also works.  Keep skin dry, bedding dry.  I wear nitrile gloves when I milk and use a bleach solution to sanitize between does.  You will spread it on your skin if you milk barehanded.

The crusty stuff on back of legs is in horses called pasture rot or scratches.  Caused by wet conditions and bacteria in soil.  Keep skin dry and if an extensive case use pennicilin injections daily for a week.  If just a small patch or two Hoof and Heal works.  Keep skin dry, even walking out in tall Dewey grass is enough to wet skin and spread once  they have it.

My experience has been crusty stuff on back,neck, runp is ringworm.  Crusty stuff on belly, legs ,  underside is rain rot.

Blue lotion also works pretty good on skin staph and rain scald.


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## Hipshot (Aug 2, 2018)

Donna R. Raybon said:


> I am not a vet, this is what works for me.  The bumps on udder sounds like skin staph.  Scrub with iodine based shampoo and use a pennicillan based udder infusion topically.  Wear gloves and it takes a few drops to coat skin.  If you can not get udder infusion Hoof and Heal also works.  Keep skin dry, bedding dry.  I wear nitrile gloves when I milk and use a bleach solution to sanitize between does.  You will spread it on your skin if you milk barehanded.
> 
> The crusty stuff on back of legs is in horses called pasture rot or scratches.  Caused by wet conditions and bacteria in soil.  Keep skin dry and if an extensive case use pennicilin injections daily for a week.  If just a small patch or two Hoof and Heal works.  Keep skin dry, even walking out in tall Dewey grass is enough to wet skin and spread once  they have it.
> 
> ...


 What you are calling rain rot is referred to here as deer fungus . But usually is only a problem in wet conditions.  One way to know if in fact that is what the scabs are .  Check for new hair growth inside of the ring when the scab is removed . It is a fungus similar to ringworm. Although some ringworm fungicides will kill it not all will . There is a fungicide for fruit trees that will kill it, called captan  .Spelling might be wrong . It is however very dangerous to use . Most fungicides cause irreparable retinal damage and should never be allow to come into contact with the eyes .  They  should never be sprayed around people or animals .It is sprayed on trees but by trained professionals with the proper safety equipment . Captan in the powdered form, can be mixed one table spoon full to a gallon of water. Always water proof gloves   and applied with a sponge until the hair and skin in the affected area is soaked .   It will kill a fungus after one application. A fungus is a funny thing . Some thrive  in warm damp dark places while others need light warmth and moisture . Animals have all that somewhere on their body . Main thing when using any type of topical medication be careful .


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