What causes hair loss like this?

**mygoat** · #1 03/31/06, 04:28 PM

Andre is loosing his hair in two patches, both in the same spots, on both sides. They aren't lumps, no vaccines, no irritation, just hair loss and dry skin! He was wormed sometime this last month. He's acting normal and everything, eating, drinking, and lusting after the ladies. The other buck living with him doesn't have this, and none of my other goats do as well. At first I thought ringworm but it isn't a small area. showed up fast. It's flakey with dead skin. Any answers? Here's some pics of it...
What causes hair loss like this? - Goats

What causes hair loss like this? - Goats

mary,tx · #2 03/31/06, 04:37 PM

Is it possible that he has scratched the hair off in these spots?

JAS · #3 03/31/06, 04:45 PM

I had a few goats lose hair after worming before--it was a pour on. They lost quite a bit of hair though, not just one spot. Not all my goats lost hair, just a few.

Ken in Maine · #4 03/31/06, 04:46 PM

Hair loss is usually an indication of copper deficiency in the diet. Make sure the feed has copper and is a goat feed. Other feeds do not have enough copper for goats.

Teacupliz · #5 03/31/06, 07:13 PM

that is a common spot for them to rub.. Brush her out.. worm or shave..
Liz

**mygoat** · #6 03/31/06, 08:47 PM

I've never seen him rub on anything, there really is nothing to rub on that would make circular patches. He was wormed last month, and I've tried brushing him. No shaving for him, he's a pygmy! LOL

**mygoat** · #7 03/31/06, 08:48 PM

The feed is Kent goat feed, but he doesn't get it anymore b/c he is a buck... He does get 1/2 cup of alfalfa pellets daily, though. Should I try giving him feed again. He has mineral/baking soda access 24/7.

mary,tx · #8 03/31/06, 09:01 PM

I'd thought perhaps he was biting at it or rubbing his horn on it. (?)

Does he get minerals?

**mygoat** · #9 04/01/06, 08:34 AM

I don't think he can reach it either way. He has access to salt/minerals... But they're cattle minerals b/c thats all our feed store carries (TSC)
I'm thinking its copper deficiency, but the stupid thing is that he's a buck and I don't want to grain him! I think I'll grain him till I get some good minerals... Is sweetlix the best kind of minerals for him?

Goat Freak · #10 04/03/06, 10:10 AM

Our buck has bald spots, but it is MUCH bigger than that, his whole underside is practiclly naked, nad it looks like poop, but he is in a pen with a bunch of girls, and none of them are getting it, and another one of our bucks, his son, who is very far away from him, in a pasture on the other side of our property is getting it too, but they have had no contact, and none of our other boys are getting it, even the boy in with the said bucks son. We have no idea what it is, both have access to minerals, but I don't think they eat it.

**mygoat** · #11 04/03/06, 12:06 PM

I think that you're problem may be ammonia burn from the urine or something. My bucks usually get it on thier front legs, but my friends bucks would get it bad when in rut, all over thier chest and some of thier stomachs.
I think my problem is copper deficiency, so I'm back to feeding him grain.

I need to go and get some sweetlix minerals for him. right now he has cattle minerals, so that's what I attribute it to.

Sarah J · #12 04/03/06, 12:37 PM

What grains do you get to compensate for a copper deficiency? I'd check with the vet and see about getting a copper bolus, rather than the grains. Cattle minerals should have enough copper in them, but only if he's actually eating them - is it a block or loose? Loose minerals are best. It's the sheep minerals that don't have copper. But double check the mineral supplement he has and see what the copper ration is for it and that he's actually eating it.

Another idea, though is that he definitely could be rubbing it off with those horns. I've watched my inlaws' horned Boer buck using his horns very decisively. He knows where the tips are and how to scratch himself with them - if it's itchy there he may have scratched it bare. Also double check for mites or lice or...so many possibilities that maybe only your vet can help discover for sure?

Sarah

**mygoat** · #13 04/03/06, 04:07 PM

I am absolutely sure he could NOT be using his horns to scratch himself there. They just aren't long enough and have too much of a curve to them. I've never seen him eat any of the minerals, ever. They are loose minerals, and I dont have the bag anymore to check the copper amounts, and neither does thier website. I would rather feed him grain untill I can get the sweetlix mineral than wrestle with his stinkyness trying to give him a cattle copper bolus, lol.

Sarah J · #14 04/03/06, 05:33 PM

Sooo...I repeat...what grain will help with a mineral deficiency? I'm not trying to be difficult, I just don't see how feeding grain can help with a copper deficiency??

I'd check with the vet to get a diagnosis, though. There seems little point in coming up with a treatment plan that may or may not pertain to this particular situation...could be mites, could be lice, could be minerals, could be...and they all have different treatments...a hands-on look may be the only way to really know what's going on.

(he is a pretty boy, too!

)

Sarah

**mygoat** · #15 04/03/06, 06:34 PM

It is a pelleted grain and I think I remember reading somewhere on the tag which I misplaced or somewhere that you shouldn't feed it to sheep because of added supplemental copper... That might be something else though. Since it started AFTER I stopped feeding him grain, I believe it at least has something to do with a deficiency of something. He doesn't look as good as he used to before when he was fed grain, too. This doesn't seem to be enough of a danger for a vet call. I think I'll try the sweetlix mineral before calling the vet. He's normal other than the bald spots, no change in behavior. Not lice, he was dusted about 3 weeks ago as were all the goats and thier housing/bedding. He's never had lice before either, and I check every so often. His skin is dry and flakey, too. None of my other goats have this problem.

** checked online at the kentfeeds.com website, and it says there is copper in the feed, and to not feed it to sheep. I believe it is the 16% feed. **

SHELBY · #16 04/04/06, 06:29 AM

If I recall, our doe had something like what you are describing a few years ago.

She had patches of hair missing like yours and it seemed like dry skin underneath.

Weren't sure what it was to this day. DD would go out every day and bruch her, and would spray her with the horse spray, just incase it was some sort of parasite, and it started clearing up in a couple of weeks.

Jillis · #17 04/04/06, 10:44 AM

If it is in circular patches it could be ringworm. Have you tried spraying the area with Blue Kote?

I would definitely use the Sweetlix minerals for your goats. It has done mine a world of good and resolved a lot of their "hair issues."

mpillow · #18 04/04/06, 10:48 AM

Jillis is right ....I've had ringworm on one buck I used (from another herd) but I didnt see the pics....I sprayed spots with 7% iodine and it improved...

**mygoat** · #19 04/04/06, 02:15 PM

Thats a good idea too... With ringworm, how big would the patches be? This one is quite large, I don't know of anything to compare it to size-wise. I think I may spray Iodine on his spots... should I dilute it to 1% for use on him? Also, should I do anything with the other goats? They all share the same housing...
I plan to go to a feed mill that carries sweetlix products, hopefully that includes goat minerals. I've wanted to go get some often but I wasn't able to find a carrier till recently, and it's nearby too!

mpillow · #20 04/04/06, 02:38 PM

The patches on the buck I borrowed were about silver dollar sized maybe a little bigger.....I use 7% on kid cords (spray bottle) so I wouldnt think you'd need diluting....it will stain though....ringworm didnt spread for me but I was treating him daily....

For a quick mineral source I use Ascend skin and coat formula labeled for horses in drinking water....the goats love it...