Goats are considered very unpretentious animals that do not require specific care. However, sometimes they experience increased anxiety and begin to itch. This may be due to lice in goats. In this case, dermatitis develops, which is accompanied by scratching and hair loss. To cope with such violations, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian in a timely manner.
The harmfulness of ectoparasites
Lice or fleas cause serious discomfort in goats. Unpleasant signs of problems include the following:
- the appearance of itching, dermatitis, scratching;
- hair loss;
- anemia – in advanced cases, lice drink a lot of blood, which causes problems;
- increased risk of the spread of other pathologies - bacterial, helminthic, viral or protozoal;
- risk to humans - such pests cannot live long on humans, but often spread contagium.
Insects are most dangerous when they interact with other parasites. These include midges, flies, and worms. The situation is also aggravated by mites and protozoa.
Ways and causes of infection
Parasites are not resistant to external conditions. Outside the animal, they quickly die. The duration of the cycle from egg to mature individual is 1 month. With free grazing, the disease practically does not spread. Moreover, during close contacts, parasites quickly move between animals.
In the summer, the number of lice decreases as they die in the sun. This is due to the fact that parasites cannot withstand temperatures exceeding +44 degrees. At the same time, the surface of the skin heats up much more in sunny weather. Lice actively spread in winter when goats are kept crowded.
Symptoms of the lesion
Lice provoke irritation of skin receptors as they infect the surface of the dermis with their mouth and paws. As a result, goats are actively itching. The most dangerous insects for animals are lice eaters. Their jaws cause severe damage to the skin. In addition, the parasites are actively moving, which provokes an increase in itching.
However, lice usually do not cause severe blood loss. Anemia can develop only with advanced invasion. The danger of parasites increases with associated damage. At the same time, other parasites are additionally detected in goats.These include external pests - ticks and fleas, as well as internal ones - protozoa and helminths.
Skin damage also provokes local inflammation. Sometimes there is a risk of pathogenic microflora getting on it. This aggravates the course of the disease and significantly increases pathogenicity.
The most common parasites found in goats are:
- lice;
- Dicrocoelia are lungworms;
- Eimeria - are parasitic protozoa in the digestive organs;
- Trichocephalus are small intestinal worms that lay eggs in the groin;
- ixodid ticks;
- piroplasmas – are blood-parasitic unicellular organisms;
- temporary parasites - these include flies, mosquitoes, midges.
When a goat is infected with lice, the nature of the dermis changes. In affected areas - on the head, neck, under the chest - the stratum corneum thickens. Moreover, it differs significantly in thickness from the adjacent zones. Histological examination reveals an accumulation of lymphoid cells. Swelling of blood vessels is also observed. The affected areas contain crusts and excess dead cells. With constant damage to the skin by the proboscis of parasites, acute inflammation develops, which leads to compensatory reactions - thickening of the stratum corneum.
Affected goats become restless. They may try to scratch themselves on various objects and bite the itchy areas with their teeth. In the area where lice are localized, hair loss is observed, scratches and areas of damage to the dermis are formed. When the integument is damaged, the release of exudate, blood and lymph is observed. This causes fur to stick together, which is especially noticeable in long-haired pets.
How to cure a goat for lice
To remove lice, you need to take timely measures.To combat parasites, it is recommended to treat goats with insecticidal preparations. It is important to consider that they are effective against adults and some larvae, but do not affect eggs.
With repeated use of the same product, lice become immune to it. Therefore, in most cases, processing must be done several times. Typically, such drugs are used at intervals of 7-14 days. Group processing is considered the least labor-intensive. However, it is not always possible to carry it out. This is due to the following factors:
- a large number of livestock is required;
- you need a cupping trench;
- goats can be processed only in the summer, while lice are usually active in winter;
- it takes a lot of insecticide.
Therefore, at home, aerosol treatment with special preparations is usually used. For small livestock, individual processing is performed. This helps prevent the spread of the infestation. Injectables are often used.
The following substances are usually used to combat parasites:
- FOS - have a short-term effect. Such substances help cope with parasites on goats and indoors. They have a toxic effect on people and animals and do not help protect against re-infection. The most famous drugs include Dichlorvos and Diazinon.
- Pyrethroids are considered to be of low toxicity to warm-blooded animals, but are harmful to fish and arthropods. Water emulsions are used to process wool. At the same time, lice can get used to such drugs. Effective remedies include Butox and Entomazan.
- "Fipronil" - helps cope with parasites and provides long-term protection.Lice can become addictive, so it is recommended to change medications.
- Injectables – help remove fleas, worms, ticks, lice. However, they do not help protect against pathogens carried by lice and fleas. Also, injection agents cannot be used at the last stage of pregnancy and during milking. Milk should not be consumed for 1 month after using the product.
In addition to standard methods, treatment with folk remedies can be used. Ordinary vegetable oil is perfect for this purpose. They need to thoroughly treat the skin of the sick individual, covering it with a protective film. Thanks to this, it will be possible to deprive the parasites of oxygen. Ash or tar will also help deal with lice.
Prevention
To avoid the appearance of nits, fleas or lice, it is recommended to systematically treat animals. Disinfection of premises and maintaining cleanliness is of no small importance. It is recommended that goats be treated against fleas and lice before moving goats from their stall to pasture. In summer, events are held at intervals of 2 months, in winter - every 90 days.
The appearance of lice in goats causes serious discomfort for the animals. To avoid such problems, pets need to be kept comfortable and have a balanced diet.
