# deworming pregnant goats



## mdoerge

My goats are due to be dewormed - two were bred last month.  I use Ivomec injectable (for cattle and swine) orally.  Is this safe to use in pregnant does?


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## ()relics

I think I would wait until after they kid unless they are in a horribly worm state...If you do decide to worm them anyway,I think the only wormer safe to use in a pregnant goat is Safeguard, fenbendazole....I would wait...Other posters will have more pronounced opinions.


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## ksalvagno

Ivomec is safe for pregnant animals. The stress of getting the shot would be the worry more than the actual wormer. If your girls don't stress about that kind of stuff, I wouldn't worry.


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## Roll farms

I've used ivomec orally, 1 cc per 35#, on pregnant does who had lungworm while pregnant.  
I consider both ivomec and safeguard to be "safe" on preggos.


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## cmjust0

First of all...what exactly do you mean by "due to be dewormed?"

Are you deworming on a set schedule, regardless of worm load?


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## mdoerge

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> First of all...what exactly do you mean by "due to be dewormed?"
> 
> Are you deworming on a set schedule, regardless of worm load?


Last year (my first year with goats), I had fecals done and each time I was told that things were good so I did not deworm.  One of the does started having skin/coat issues.  Very dry skin, loss of hair and crusty around the eyes.  Other forum members felt it probably was lice and to use ivermectin, which I did.  Afterwards I realized how pale they must have been around the eyes, because the eyelids were so obviously pink following the use of the ivermectin (despite the result of the fecals).  I was never totally sold on the ideas that it was lice - wouldn't the others have them too?  Anyway, since then I quit doing fecals and have been deworming every three months.  Coats and skin are in great shape.  I know that there are different opinions on this, but I have definitely seen an improvement since they have been dewormed regularly.

Edited after looking up what was recommended to me (my memory is not what it once was).


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## cmjust0

Gotcha.  

The only wormer I'm familiar with that causes problems in gestation is Valbazen.  Giving Valbazen can cause abortion.

Ivomec should be fine.  We use injectable _ectin wormers at roughly 3ml/100lbs of body weight, dosed orally.


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## mdoerge

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Ivomec is safe for pregnant animals. The stress of getting the shot would be the worry more than the actual wormer. If your girls don't stress about that kind of stuff, I wouldn't worry.


Hi Karen
I give it orally, so I don't have to worry about shot stress.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

Are there particular meds that are labeled "injectable" but safe to give orally and others that are not?


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## houndit

I have found the best approach for me is Hoeggers herbal wormer.  It is has been totally safe.


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## JerseyXGirl

I just asked this same question on another forum and was told that Ivomec PLUS was NOT safe to give to pregnant goats.  Others said it could cause fetal absorption and/or brain damage.  

I am soooo confused on this worming thing.  I've searched and read for three days and I'm still confused.  I went and bought the Ivomec Plus today thinking it was going to be ok to use and now I'm not so sure.

I have Safeguard Cattle Paste.  Is this the same as the horse paste?  Is it safe to use and if so how much per poundage? 

Thank you in advance for any and all information that will help me make an informed decision.


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## Roll farms

The Ivomec  / ivermectin we're talking about here is different from the  Ivomec Plus (added drug to kill liver flukes) that you're talking about.

When *I* say Ivomec is safe for preggos, I don't mean Ivo Plus.
I'm not advocating the use of Ivomec plus on pregnant goats....
I've never used it, so can't offer info for it.

I know a lot of folks use paste dewormers for their goats...both horse and cattle.  I do not and will not.
Our vet told me long ago that they fill those tubes in the factory by first glopping in the "filler" material (white stuff), and then squirting in the actual medication before sealing off the tubes (She'd visited Pharnam and saw this).  
She said that that's why she always says "give the horse the entire tube" of dewormer (unless it's a foal) because otherwise they're not getting the medicine they need....it's all at one end or the other, or at least, it's not evenly distributed throughout the tube.

SO...if folks are using paste dewormers for horses or cows on their goats, one goat is getting a horse sized dose of meds, while the goat on the other end of the tube is getting nothing....Kinda makes me see why so many dewormers don't "work"....Again, JMHO.


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## lilhill

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Gotcha.
> 
> The only wormer I'm familiar with that causes problems in gestation is Valbazen.  Giving Valbazen can cause abortion.
> 
> Ivomec should be fine.  We use injectable _ectin wormers at roughly 3ml/100lbs of body weight, dosed orally.


Same here.


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## ksalvagno

With Safeguard, I prefer the liquid. You can dose it better and know that the proper amount of wormer is getting into them.

I would ask your vet about the Ivomec Plus. I know in alpacas it is fine but don't know about goats.


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## Mini-M Ranch

Safeguard is safe for preggers, I've read.  I recently was recommended Cydectin sheep drench by a vet (not my regular, but his business partner) to give to all our goats.  Three of them were pregnant (two are due in April and the third just had her trips yesterday).  He assured me that the Cydectin was safe, but I'm not sure.  So I wormed with Safeguard liquid labelled for goats. Now I am debating using the Cydectin for the buck and the unbred doe.  A lot of people around here are using Cydectin drench with good results.  Ivermec does not seem to be that effective in this area.


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