# Ticks, Fleas and mosquito control for goats



## Jackson62 (Jul 30, 2011)

Is there a need to control these on goats like I do on dogs?  I use a liquid repellent that you use once a month. Anything like that for goats or are fleas and ticks not a problem?


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## elevan (Jul 30, 2011)

You don't want to use the "spot" repellents on goats like you do dogs or you'll likely have a skin reaction.

I've never seen fleas on goats...they do get lice though.  I've pulled ticks off them on occasion...and I'm sure that they probably do get bit by mosquitoes.

Your typical "dairy dust" should do the trick.  Some people also swear by feeding them garlic.


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## Jackson62 (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks for the reply, I know dogs get tapeworms from fleas and just wondered about goats.  Boy alot of research on owning goats!  I'm looking forward to next spring to get my kids. Until then I will hang around with all you savvy goat owners.


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## Mossy Stone Farm (Jul 30, 2011)

Jackson62.... lots of really nice folks here.... You'll love having goats in your life......


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 31, 2011)

Jackson62 said:
			
		

> Thanks for the reply, I know dogs get tapeworms from fleas and just wondered about goats.  Boy alot of research on owning goats!  I'm looking forward to next spring to get my kids. Until then I will hang around with all you savvy goat owners.


"Cestodes (tapeworms) require an intermediate host to complete their life cycle. Different tapeworms require different intermediate hosts. All of the important species affecting sheep, goats, and cattle require pasture mites. These mites ingest the eggs while feeding and the larval stages of the worm develop inside the mites." 

Oribatid mites live in the top layer of soil. Sometimes they can be found in plant material. These mites live in huge numbers. Hundreds of thousands can live in one square meter of soil. To see one well, you would need a microscope. Sheep and goats become infected when they ingest the mites containing tapeworm larvae. Once inside the animal, it takes 6 to 7 weeks for the larvae to develop into adult tapeworms.



taken from this website: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/tapeworms.html


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 31, 2011)

to understand the article you really need to have an understand of what kind of wormers they are referring to.  This website does a good job listing the wormer brand names and what the active ingredience is called in the wormer. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/wormers.htm  This has not been updated, I know there are some new brandnames available, but it does a good job covering the basics of wormers to help understand the tapeworm article. 

Moxidectin is labeled cydectin for cattle and sheep and quest for horses. 

albendazole is the name brand valbazene(do not use on pregnant animals)

And praziquental is not labeled for livestock but can be found for cats, dogs and horses.  quest plus horse wormer, equimax horse paste, and zimecterin gold have praziquental in them. I use them at the rate of 3 x the label dosage for horse, so a 100 lb goat gets a dose for a 300lbs horse. I only use it on animals not going to slaughter, so my adult herd, since it is being used off label. 

I prefer equimax. 
We use it one time a year, normally in July. Tape worms fall out of Them in piles. I use valabezene 3 or 4 days in a row on young animals   intended for slaughter, the withdrawal is 7 days for valbazene, but I like to give it atleast 2 to 4 weeks. 

All wormers given orally. 

I prefer a liquid livestock spray for the control of mites, lice ect.... those are more a problem than ticks and fleas.


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