Doe losing hair in chunks :/

[RockyToggRanch]

My 4 yo doe is losing hair on her back right over her hips. What should I be looking for? None of the others are. Her eyelids are nice and pink. She's still milking a gallon a day. I don't see any bugs or bites there.

 

[ksalvagno]

Have you treated for external parasites? Sometimes you just don't see them. The other thing I would think of is copper deficiency. Have you copper bolused her at all? I would start with those things first and go from there.

 

[()relics]

....I would guess a selenium deficiency. A Selenium deficiency will/can first show up as a dull coat or patches of hair loss. Do you have a goat formulated free choice mineral available for her? I would suggest in addition a BoSE shot. All this assuming you are correct that she doesn't have a parasite issue. Lice can make a pretty goat look horrible in no time at all.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I've never seen goat lice, but I don't see bugs on her. I'll look closer. I'll dust them with DE just in case. They get loose goat minerals and a billy block. She has not had a bose shot. What is the proper dosage? She's an avg sized Toggenburg.

 

[()relics]

BoSe= 2.5cc/100#....lice can be hard to see unless she is slick shaved. Ivomec would definitely be better but I'm not sure about a milk residue...I have used Sevin on wethers that were slick shaved, and I guess you could use it on unshaven animals but it might not be as effective....If she does have a lice infestation and she was mine I would treat ALL my goats with Ivo, but again I am not a milker. Lice can be as harmful as worms to a goat, as they are blood suckers, as well. DE, I would guess, might kill some of them and leave some alive, To Me this wouldn't be acceptable, as lice multiply quickly if any are left alive.
Roll farms would be the person to tell you how to eliminate safely; a parasite from a milking herd....JMO...and throw the billy block over the fence for the neighborhood deer and squirrels.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Is there a milk discard with bose?
I wish I were more knowledgeable with computers...lol. (and goats)

 

[ksalvagno]

No milk discard with Bose.

 

[Roll farms]

When I have to treat w/ ivo, I just save / freeze that milk for soap or kid feeding for 3-4 days. If you know any pig farmers (small scale, backyard-type who are raising a hog for meat) they might take the milk for pig feed. Let them know there will be traces of ivo in it, but I've fed it to 3 pigs and they didn't keel over and the meat was fine.

I know they use ivo in 3rd world countries to treat humans, so I don't bother w/ long withdrawal periods.

I actually have a goat-raisin' friend who's human child got worms, and she treated her w/ ivo....I'm not sayin' I'd go THAT far....but....her kid's still w/ us.

As for DE, it takes a while to cut through the exoskeleton of the bugs...if they are the problem, you want them gone NOW, not some of them in a few days.
I'd coat her in 7 dust, myself...if it's good enough for my chickens and tomatoes, it's good enough for my goats...and it works fast. Never really needed to re treat, since I also give ivo, but you might check in 7 days and repeat the 7 dust if needed.

And I second the "no withdrawal for BoSe" statement and agree about the billy block....

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I have 7 dust from 12 yrs ago when my vendors from Ortho started dying from cancer, I stopped using chemicals as freely as I once did. I sprayed the girls with Bens (human bug repellant) today while we walked the property. The deer flies were all over them. I brushed Roxy really well tonight. Looking for any speck that moved. She has flaky, crusties over normal looking skin. I sprayed the bare spot with antiseptic. She has longer hair than the rest. Maybe I should clip them?

Every one got wormer today too. I'll get the BoSe tomorrow.

 

[mamaluv321]

Do goats get "hotspots" like dogs? You said her hair is longer than the others, maybe it's just the heat wave the NE has had for the last few weeks affecting her. Just a thought...