# staph infection in dairy goat



## Valley Ranch

Hi All, hoping for some help here. We just rescued 2 toggenburg dairy goats that were in aweful condition. One is showing signs of a staph infection. Pimple type things all over her udder and groin. They have creamy heads, some are more scabby looking than others.
Anyway my questions are.........
1. can the staph infection be transmitted to humans?
2. can it be transmitted through her milk as I want to use her milk for a bottle baby?
3. how long should this take to heal up?
4. I have had different versions as to treat with antibiotics or not.
5. Should I treat with copper bolus to help her immune system? ( We live in an area that is low in naturally occuring copper and selenium and her food was grown locally)
Thanks


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## ksalvagno

I would treat with antibiotics. I would also give her a copper bolus if she needs one along with BoSe if she needs it. Get Hibiclens (chlorhexidine) and put it on her udder twice a day. I wash my female's udder, then put that on and don't rinse it off. I also use Camelid Skin Mix. It works great. Clean the udder with the Hibiclens and then put the Camelid Skin Mix on once a day. Just have to apply a thin coat. Make sure you wear gloves when apply the Camelid Skin Mix. You can get it at http://lightlivestockequipment.com/witchesbrew.php   You can use the milk for the kid. Depending on how bad the staph infection is would depend on if I use antibiotics or not since you are using the milk for a kid. If the staph infection is bad, then definitely use antibiotics. If it is all over, then it does sound bad. It will take a while to totally clear up but the Camelid Skin Mix should help it clear up faster than not using it.


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## Valley Ranch

Thanks for all the advice,
I am washing the udder and groin well it isn't really on her groin but in that area between her udder and legs.
I wash her udder with chlorhexidine before I milk and spray her with Vetericyn. I do this twice a day. I am also giving her l-lysine. 
I have copper bolus on order as no one has it locally.
What antibiotic would you reccomend?
I don't want to do anything IM if I don't have to right now as she is so thin. (poor girl was emaciated when we got her she was in with boers with horns and just didn't get any food. But she is putting on weight now) But if it is best. 
I do have oral Neomyacin.
  So it can pass to humans?? Should I bleach down the stantion etc? She is in quarantine but we only have 1 milking stantion


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## ksalvagno

I would be careful with things. I'm not sure if people can get it or not. I would say it is possible but I bet if you have a good immune system, you won't get it. If you get the Camelid Skin Mix, you could probably skip the antibiotics since there is an antibiotic in the mix. I used Excede when I had staph but that is what I have on hand. It is the long acting Naxcel product. Oral antibiotics aren't going to do anything for this. I wouldnt' give her any antibiotics orally so you don't mess up her gut flora. I would probably milk her last and then wash it down.

There is an antibiotic called polyflex or something like it. Supposedly that works best. I'm sure you could try penicillin. I never give antibiotics IM. I always give them SQ. The only thing that HAS to go IM are hormone drugs. Everything else can be given SQ.


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## Valley Ranch

Thanks for the help. We took her to the vet (for a cl test) and the vet looked her over. Said what we were doing was the rgiht thing and it should heal up in about a week. So that is a relieft. But I forgot to ask if it is contageous so silly!!! 
I looked for the camelid mix at all our local stores and no go.  Couldn't find anything like polyflex either. So funny how regional meds seem to be. And the stunning thing to me is there are soooo many goats around here but no feedstore caters to their needs. And when I called the closest vet in Dayton and asked if the treat goats the office give said "what are they, never heard of them". Not sure if she was making fun or not but after giving names of breeds, spelling the word I was still told she had no idea. Obviously we didn't go there!!
So treating as we are, not drinking the milk and waiting impatiently for her to heal up!! And the cl results!!


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## aggieterpkatie

My doe had a staph issue last summer, pimples on her udder. It never got bad, but I never got it and didn't wear gloves. Of course I washed up after doing chores. We drank the milk also, and never had issues. Of course, it's up to your judgement and if it was oozy or really bad I'd hold off on the milk. If you treat her with antibiotics, follow the recommended withdrawal times for the meds before drinking the milk.  

I just use Ammens powder on her udder, nothing else, and it clears it up fast. Ammens is a medicated powder sold at any pharmacy.


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## redtailgal

Yes, people can contract a staph infection from an animal, esp if there are open wounds on the human hands.

Glove up, and wash your hands in soapy water that is as hot as you can comfortably stand it.  I'd follow the hand washing with one of the sanitizer gels......rub it in until it is dry.


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## ksalvagno

Valley Ranch said:
			
		

> I looked for the camelid mix at all our local stores and no go.  Couldn't find anything like polyflex either.


Camelid Skin Mix is only at Light Livestock Supply. You would have to order it online. Also, the Polyflex is a prescription antibiotic so you would have to get that from a vet. At least it sounds like she will be fine soon.


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## Valley Ranch

I'll have to look for the Ammens powder and camelid online becaue no one around here had it.
Being uncertain of all the issues I have just been milking her out and bottle feeding it back to her twins. Who are still suckling anyway. I figure better to be safe. I am also washing down the stantion because we have other goats we milk. 
These pimples are not oozing but some have/do pop and get these scabby kind of creamy covers on them. The Vetericyn for udders is really helping.  I was using the vetericyn gel and that seemed to keep the area too wet and helped but then it would get worse while the one for udders is working well and it is clearing up.
And we are washing up with antibacterial soap afterwards for our hands.  So far no other animal or human has shown signs of it.


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## Roll farms

I had a Togg doe who had a chronic case.  Every time it was humid and damp, she'd break out.  I tried Pen G for 7 days the first few times but it kept coming back so I stopped bothering w/ the antibiotics.

I used hibiclens (chlorhexidine soap) straight on her udder after milking and it would dry it out / clear it up in a few days.

It didn't spread to our other does, I think she was just prone to it.  I imagine there can be different strains and causes.


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## aggieterpkatie

Valley Ranch said:
			
		

> I was using the vetericyn gel and that seemed to keep the area too wet


That's why I like the Ammens powder, because it helps dry the area.  Do you have a Walmart nearby?  Or a Rite-Aid, Walgreens, etc?  They should definitley have it. I found it at our small-town pharmacy.


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## sawfish99

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I had a Togg doe who had a chronic case.  Every time it was humid and damp, she'd break out.  I tried Pen G for 7 days the first few times but it kept coming back so I stopped bothering w/ the antibiotics.
> 
> I used hibiclens (chlorhexidine soap) straight on her udder after milking and it would dry it out / clear it up in a few days.
> 
> It didn't spread to our other does, I think she was just prone to it.  I imagine there can be different strains and causes.


We have a Lamancha that was prone to the staph.  We switched to always using a chlorhexidine udder wash and that cleared it up and reducing the amount of pimples present in future cases.  I would not give antibiotics for staph.  We still use bare hands when handling that doe and still drink her milk.  

Make sure she has dry bedding in the shelter.


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## Valley Ranch

We do have a walgreens and walmart so we'll try them both!!

We were washing her udder with the chlorhexidine
then treating with vetericyn gel  which helped but then the gel was keeping it too wet so I went to the Vetericyn for udders and ambilical cords. Which is helping much more.
I stopped te chlorhexidine at a week as the vet siad in some cases it can cause further irritation like dermititis when a goat has a really irritation udder fro such things. She is clearing up it seems. The worst area is still inside her leg next to the udder.
We are in Nevada and the area is really dry, no moisture. I change her bedding out daily so there should be no reinfection that way. 
You guys are great thanks for all the help. 
We are still awaiting her cl tests so aren't drinking the milk.


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