# Poison ivy:/



## RockyToggRanch (Aug 11, 2010)

I'm battling poison ivy rash worse than ever in my lifetime. I couldn't figure out where I was getting it. Come to find out....the only thing left in the goat yard that is green....poison ivy. So I'm thinking that the does lay in it all day and when I milk them I keep getting more:/

Question...if they eat it...which apparently they prefer not to....does the poison oil get transferred through their milk in any way? It sounds like a dumb question....but I'm desperate.


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## ()relics (Aug 11, 2010)

No milk residue...Probably, like a dog or other animal, the oil is still on their hair.  When you touch them you get the rash due to the reaction to the oils.


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## RockyToggRanch (Aug 11, 2010)

Okay ....cool. I know I'm getting it by direct contact with their hair, but just wondered about the milk. I need to keep them out of the yard long enough to  kill the PO. I hate using chemicals though:/


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## ksalvagno (Aug 11, 2010)

For yourself, put duct tape over your poison ivy. The tape glue draws out the stuff and your skin is protected if you scratch.


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## ohiofarmgirl (Aug 12, 2010)

yep on you are getting it from their hair. i wear a long sleeve shirt if the ladies have been out dragging their udders thru the weeds. and then wash within 15 mins (that is the time it takes for the bad stuff to give you a reaction but i run for the house after the squeezin')

also keep drinking the milk! our gals eat our poison ivy and my reactions was way less horrible than before. 

taking benadryl or claritin may also help. as does putting tea tree oil on (lightly). we found that Ivy Dry (the cream) works really well but we can only find it in a few places (Meyers) and its always behind the pharmacy counter (who knows why).

good luck!


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## jodief100 (Aug 12, 2010)

My goats LOVE poison ivy.  They eat tons of it.  My darling hubby found otu the hard way about the oils in the fur.  He had a solid poison ivy rash covering both arms.  We couldn't even figure out what it was for awhile.  

Now he NEVER handles a goat without a long sleeved, thick shirt and gloves on.  Even last night in 95 degrees with humidity high enough my glassess were fogging up he had this long sleeve quilted shirt on while I immunized these new goats I got.  Had to chase the darn things around the barn for an hour before I got them all.  I bought them because they come form very parisite resistant lines.  Down side, since they are parasite resistant they weren't handled much and are WILD!


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## glenolam (Aug 12, 2010)

Ahhhhhh....poison ivy.  Gotta love the stuff - I'm probably going to come down with a horrific case soon as we were fencing yesterday and my husband had to rip a whole TON off a tree...I won't go near it, but I just know I've touched it some how.  He doesn't get it as badly, but I get it by osmosis.

Another thing that will work to relieve your itching and pain is to mix 1 part bleach with 3 parts almost scalding water.  Pour the mixture over the really bad parts and just let the heat and bleach do the trick...it's sort of a sickening good pain, if that makes sense.  I know you said you didn't want to use chemicals on the PI outside, and for good reason, but the bleach - straight bleach - will kill it and I've also heard vinegar poured straight on the roots and sprayed on the leaves will help.  I haven't tried it b/c luckily I've only had it grow where I can use chemicals - the goats take care of it in their yard.

When you get in after milking, use rubbing alcohol on your arms.  It's a quick, cheap way to take most, if not all, the oils off your skin.

Good luck and I hope you feel better - I know your pain!!


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## RockyToggRanch (Aug 12, 2010)

Thanks everyone. I started using my uncured jewelweed soap and it's helping. (perhaps it's the active lye:/ )Along with steroid ointment and cortizone 10. I also bleach my milking jars and bucket when I get inside, so I wash my arms in that hot soapy bleach water. I wish it would snow.....


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## Roll farms (Aug 12, 2010)

> I wish it would snow.....


I thought I was the only nutjob on the planet who'd say such a thing.


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## RockyToggRanch (Aug 12, 2010)

Winter sucks for the most part....but at least there's no poison ivy or flies:/ and there's a lot less ground to care for.... and soup tastes better and there's more pie...


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## jlbpooh (Aug 12, 2010)

RockyToggRanch said:
			
		

> Winter sucks for the most part....but at least there's no poison ivy or flies:/ and there's a lot less ground to care for.... and soup tastes better and there's more pie...


And no MOSQUITOS...  

Did I mention that I hate mosquitos? If not, I will....I HATE MOSQUITOS!!!!!


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## cmjust0 (Aug 13, 2010)

RockyToggRanch said:
			
		

> Winter sucks for the most part....but at least there's no poison ivy or flies:/ and there's a lot less ground to care for.... and soup tastes better and there's more pie...


I like all those things.  

I, too, am just biding my time until the first frost here..  Sick of flies.  Sick of barberpole worms..  Sick of 97* highs with heat indices over 110*..  Sick of seeing my goats and other animals being MISERABLE..

I literally CANNOT WAIT until I have to start whining about how cold it is.


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## treeclimber233 (Aug 15, 2010)

I know this sounds silly but a good way to get rid of mosquitoes is to provide them with water to lay eggs in.  I know... I know... this is against all you have ever been told but ---Did you know that mosquitoes will lay eggs in low spots on the ground even if there is no water?  And the eggs will hatch as soon as there is rain enough to cause a mudpuddle.  At my barn I have buckets of water with a  small fish (gold fish mostly) in each bucket to eat the mosquitoe larva.  My theory is -- give them water  to lay in and the fish will eat the larva before they  can become another mosquitoe.  Mosquitoes will not travel far from the water they hatched out of so eventually if there are no new ones hatching out you will eventually get them  under control.


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## RockyToggRanch (Aug 15, 2010)

That makes total sense. I had a garden pond store for a few yrs and try as I may...couldn't make people get that.

They wanted plants but no fish and no bugs.... :/


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## jlbpooh (Aug 15, 2010)

Thanks for the tip on mosquitos, I may have to try that. If I provide that as the only regular sources of standing water, it may help a lot.


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## treeclimber233 (Aug 18, 2010)

mosquitoes do not like fresh water so fill the bucket and let it sit.  Even if it starts looking yucky (as in algea or leaves in the bottom) don't clean it.  That lets the mosquitoe "know" the water has been there for a while.  I have a fish pond (small goldfish there) a plant pond (rosies in there) and rosies in the goat bucket and chicken water pans. And don't forget the horse water trough. And various buckets around. I have a lot less mosquitoes now than I did a month ago.  It might take a while to notice a difference in the adult mosquitoes but have patience.  If you don't see any larva in the bucket it is because the fish are eating them. Put the buckets in the shade because they will get too hot if full sun for the fish to survive.


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## ChksontheRun (Sep 12, 2010)

This is very interesting.  I know we have very few mosquitoes and I never thought of the fact that our pond with fish may be keeping them under control.  I love the pond, and even more now!!!!


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