# Goat kid has lice



## Melanie Moyers

I have an approximately 3 week old lamancha kid goat who has been to hell and back. In the last week and a half he has overcome polio and now salmonella/ecoli. Today I noticed, he has lice. I've been reading online about ivermectin 1% injectable to get rid of them. Is this safe for him? He is around 8 pounds. He has put up such a fight so far! Any suggestions/advice would be much appreciated!


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## Latestarter

Greetings @Melanie Moyers from the front range in Colorado. Welcome to BYH. Sorry that you are having issues with your kid... Sounds like he's already been through the wringer... I'll have to check to the pros on your Q... Hope they can help you through this. @Goat Whisperer @frustratedearthmother @Southern by choice @OneFineAcre @babsbag  And there are many others out there... too many to list them all. Hope someone comes along soon to help.


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## ragdollcatlady

I like ivermectin (injected) to control lice, but I would hesitate to use it on a kid that has had such a rough go so far. My second choice is DE (food grade diatomacious earth) carefully rubbed into the coat all over except for the face, avoid breathing the dust and try not to get it in kids eyes or nose, and keep kid from inhaling it if possible. You can us DE in bedding to help with control and prevention. It can be used with shavings for bedding. Once he is strong and healthy, you can use the ivermectin for better control.


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## Southern by choice

I do not care for injectables because unless you know if they are burrowing or not it may not be effective. There are burrowing  and non-burrowing mites and lice. Lice typically are non-burrowing.
Topicals IMO are best as they treat both whereas injecatbles do not.
IF there is a reaction not much you can do with injecatable but topical you can at least go and rinse rinse rinse.

For a kid that young- IMO- (We just disbudded a ladies 2 Nigies and they had lice too so you aren't the only one out there)
Permethrins 10% concentrate it is also ON LABEL - in other words labeled for use on goats. Most products are off label for goats and need Veterinarian approval. 

Mix it with water according to directions.

For a baby goat I would take the mixed solution, pour a little in a container, add dish soap. Wet the kid doen ( inside in your tub or sink) with warm water.... bathe with solution. Rinse with warm water. Pour remaining solution over kid (the one with no soap).
Let stand on kid for a few minutes then towel dry real well. 
After towel dry blow dry and put in dog crate or something and put kid back out after you know he is bone dry!

Meantime, bedding needs replaced. DE as mentioned above needs to be put down and fresh bedding. Problem is if you have a lot of other goats they all need treated too.

Injectables may be a good approach for a large herd where you cannot, due to wether, bathe them... but for a little kid like this I would bathe.


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## OneFineAcre

I use Synergized Lice No More.
I used to mix the Permethrins concentrate, but this is easier.
You apply as a pour on, 7 mil per 50lbs down their back.
This was recommended by a friend who is an animal science professor and she uses it on her goats too.

I mix the Permethrins concentrate at a higher concentration than to put on an animal and spray the floors, walls, and bedding.

https://jet.com/product/detail/eb62...a:na:2&code=PLA15&k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_


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## Southern by choice

OneFineAcre said:


> I use Synergized Lice No More.
> I used to mix the Permethrins concentrate, but this is easier.
> You apply as a pour on, 7 mil per 50lbs down their back.
> This was recommended by a friend who is an animal science professor and she uses it on her goats too.
> 
> I mix the Permethrins concentrate at a higher concentration than to put on an animal and spray the floors, walls, and bedding.
> 
> https://jet.com/product/detail/eb62...a:na:2&code=PLA15&k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_



How safe do you think it is for baby goats?
Thanks for the info.  Anything easier is good!


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## Southern by choice

@OneFineAcre  - forgot to ask... may be in the info just did a quick glance... what is milk withdrawal? That is one reason I do the Permethrin... 24 hours  ( some say 1 milkings worth).


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## babsbag

I was told to use poultry dust on my babies. The ivermectin stings like heck.


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## OneFineAcre

Southern by choice said:


> @OneFineAcre  - forgot to ask... may be in the info just did a quick glance... what is milk withdrawal? That is one reason I do the Permethrin... 24 hours  ( some say 1 milkings worth).


Pretty sure it's the same.
It's Permethrin too.


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## Southern by choice

thanks


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## Melanie Moyers

Vet gave me two doses of Cylence Pour On. Cleaned out his bedding and administered it yesterday. I'll give him the other dose in two weeks. So glad to find people that can help with my questions though! 

3 weeks ago, we picked up two male kids from the flea market. Totes and Goatstavo. We'd talked about getting goats (we just bought a house w an acre of land) and just felt so bad seeing them there. So we brought them home. We went to the feed supply store and got them wood chips and Land o Lakes formula. Two days later, we woke up and Totes was dead. It was heartbreaking. We took Goatstavo to the nearest vet (which was on a ranch w cows and horses, but we found out later was more of a cat and dog vet) just to make sure he checked out ok. They took a fecal sample and said he had no parasites and looked good.  We didn't want Goatstavo to be alone, so I went back that Thursday and bought Hercules. Everything was peachy w our kids until Saturday night when we heard Hercules crying. We walked outside to him sprawled out on the ground w his head arched back to his spine and his legs kicking. I tried to correct his neck and it flopped back to the same position. We thought, my God, the dog must have attacked him and he's dying! He had no puncture wounds. The cry coming out of this sweet boy was enough to bring you to tears. I immediately tried to call the vet (it was 5:30) but got their answering machine telling me to call the county emergency vet if needed. When I did, they directed me to a large animal vet. So we brought him in and the dr said it appeared to be polio. How crazy for it to just happen. He said if the dog did snap, it could have been brought on by the stress alone. He couldn't stand and his eyes were all over the place. I thought he wasn't going to make it. He got a shot of thiamine and we were sent home w two more shots to give him the following day. Took him back in on Monday, this time to the large animal vet. He had made progress but was still wobbly. Dr did a blood test to check for infections and he looked good. We were sent home w 3 more days worth of thiamine. I immediately made an appt for that coming Thursday for Goatstavo to come and get blood work done since this vet seemed to know more (not discrediting the other vet, but I sure do wish they would have referred me to the large animal vet). Get home Monday night and Goatstavo won't eat dinner. Weird. He loves to eat. We noticed a cough and I said I would call the vet in the morning and reschedule for the following morning.  Tuesday morning, Goatstavo was gone  
Two babies in a week!
The vet said buying them from the flea market is basically a scam and they don't have much of a chance of survival. 
Hercules went in for a check up last Thursday. He had powered through the polio but had a pretty high temp and was just dumpy. She said he had salmonella or ecoli and immediately gave him antibiotics and biamine as well as sending us home w two more shots of it in case his fever didn't go down. 
Our little Hercules has made huge improvements since last Saturday but is definitely just a mellow little guy now. Hoping his energy level will go up when he's feeling 100% but I'm just glad that's he is still alive. Once we know he has powered through everything, the vet is going to set us up w a local breeder to get him a buddy. Sorry for the long winded story. But very grateful I have found this page to ask questions. I have learned a lot in the last 3 weeks but it's comforting to know that there is support out there. 
Here's a picture I got of my little guy yesterday. He truly has lived up to his name. He's a survivor!


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## Latestarter

He's a cute little fella. Sorry you've had to deal with all this crap right out of the gate. Most would absolutely advise against buying from a flea market or auction as those animals (by nature) are the culls... the weak, poor animals that breeder is trying to get rid of. When the kids are young, it doesn't take much to kill them, and it can happen very fast. I hope Hercules makes it and grows to be a happy healthy goat for you. You are doing the best you can and I laud you for your efforts to this point! Wishing you success going forward.


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## babsbag

You have certainly been through the wringer. So sorry you lost the babies, that is hard. My guess would be that neither of them had any colostrum at birth and that really does make it difficult but it was kind of you to try. You can raise Hercules on cow's milk from the store, many will do better on that than on milk replacer. But maybe he is already weaned...IDK.  Polio at such a young age, wow. Good thing you caught it so early, most goats don't survive that ordeal. The lice, if they are sucking ones, will make him mellow too as he would be anemic; but maybe the vet checked for that. 

If you like goats you have certainly come to the right place. We are enablers, every last one of us. Goats are addicting, be warned and be very very careful. 

And welcome to BYH.


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## Melanie Moyers

He's been on organic whole cows milk since Friday. He's quite the little piglet. I feed him 3-4 ounces every 3 hours or so. I am already addicted and so in love with this little guy ❤️


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## babsbag

Oh Oh, addicted and love in the same sentence...you are in trouble now. 

Sounds like he has a good appetite, I am glad you have him on cow's milk. I am sure he will out to be a real little lover. Please let us know when he gets his friend; we live for pictures.


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