itchy goats

[DKWunlimited]

Okay, so it's a silly question. But my goats itch, all of them walk along the fense leaning into it to use it as a scratching post, they walk under the porch to rub thier backs and here lately they are trying to rub thier heads against me and it HURTS!
Is there a powder or shampoo or something to help them stop itching?

[pookshollow]

That's just goats! Mine do it too. I would think bathing them would make them even itchier, especially if you didn't rinse them off well - and goats aren't keen on bathing!

[nehimama]

A couple of mine like to take dust baths! I hadn't noticed anything like that before this year. It's funny to look out across the paddocks and see clouds of dust drifting up from the ground. I guess it helps keep the flies off them.

Oh, yeah. Mine rub along the fence, too. Hopefully, it'll stand up to them.

NeHi

[goatkid]

Have you checked them over to see if they have lice? I use livestock louse dust on mine when they have gotten lice.

[Jim S.]

The dust baths and rubbing are normal. Goats use dust like we use body powder. They use fences, posts, and owners to encourage hair shedding and scratch themselves. Very doubtful that goats who get a lot of sunshine have lice at this time of year. Sunshine kills lice, and the goats have shed their heavy winter coats, which harbor the lice and protect them against sunlight.

[PETSNEGGS]

thanks for the post I had the same question... Glad that it is normal!

[Milk n' Honey]

Hey Jim, do you have any goats that just seem to keep their winter coats on? I think that is weird but I do have a couple who just don't shed and they still have that long, bushy, swirly looking coat. I'd think they'd be hot. They aren't the majority but I would certainly think they would have shed whatever hair they are going to for this summer, being August now.

DKWunlimited - Had you treated for lice in the spring. I'd be careful, even though it is summer. Signs of a lice problem are: lots of smooshed, swirlies (my term..LOL) in their hair from biting their backs and sides, bald spots (especially on the bridge of their noses), really flaky, scaly skin, rough coat and sometimes when they get really bad....sores and scabs on ankles and hocks, loss of condition and anemia. We had a bad bout with lice over the winter. We ended up using a delouser that you squirt on down their backs. It was for cattle actually but works great. We retreated them in 3 wks to break the cycle. We treated everyone in the spring (with the retreatment in 3 wks) and decided we'd wait until November or so, to treat again. It is true that you usually don't have much trouble in the summer but if you already had a problem, you might want to go ahead and treat them. Make sure, if you do, you treat every goat at the same time. Some scratching is normal but you have to use your own judgement to decide if they seem to be going crazy with it. To me, it sounds like a lice problem. That is just my opinion. If my goats were itching so bad that they were rubbing all over me, I'd know they needed treated. My goats don't usually behave that way, do yours? Anything out of the ordinary would indicate something isn't right. To answer your question, bathing them helps a bunch!! Just use a mild shampoo and not too much. I used a horse shampoo concentrate that I had on hand but baby shampoo or oatmeal shampoo for dogs would work too b/c it has anti-itch qualities (I'm a dog groomer, can you tell? LOL). Use a horse brush and scrub em' down and you can use a comb to remove a lot of scales and debris. Water cuts down on the lice a bunch. I had one doe who was really flaky and gross. I washed her down and that provided some immediate relief but I couldn't see bathing all 30 of them. She was just my big baby Nubian doe and I gave her special treatment...LOL. Their are lice powders you can buy and also diatomaceous earth is a natural powder substance and it works great too. Just don't breathe in any of these. I like the delouser myself b/c I don't have to bathe anyone or mess with dusty stuff....just use a syringe and squirt 3 cc's down their backs, on the skin. Easy does it!! I will be trying the DE (diatomaceous earth) next time though b/c it is all natural and non-chemical. If you have any questions for me, feel free to PM me. You might want to check eyelids and gums to check for signs of anemia on your goats. This could possibly indicate lice also. Good luck!!

[Emilea]

My togg Billy still has his coat too... I have been wondering what is going on with him too, Is that normal or is he missing something?

Also, My goats rub on everything too... but i dust them for lice every other month just to make sure...

[Milk n' Honey]

LOL...can you imagine how you'd feel if you laid around in dirt all the time and never got a bath? I would be rubbing on everything too!! LOL!! Another thing I've noticed is that all the ones with thinned out hair who have shed, seem to be nice and bright white whereas the thick coated ones have that copper staining on their white hair. I guess the thinned out ones stay cleaner?? Weird.....

[ozark_jewels]

Goats love to scratch on everything. Every single doe of mine as she leaves the milk barn will ruuuuuuub down the side of the corrugated metal barn. Makes a noise that they love too. Rubbing their faces on you is a habit that goats have as well. It doesn't mean they itch.
Now, signs of lice are scruffy hair, spots of hair that look rubbed backwards and standing up, and constant scratching and biting of particular areas. Also thin hair, especially along the backbone. Lice are usually a winter problem.

[Jim S.]

Milk'n'Honey, no I don't have any goats that do not shed out. Not shedding out can be a sign of poor mineral supplementation/deficiencies (I seem to recall reading somewhere it is a sign of copper deficiency), worm load, poor nutrition, or overfeeding of protein/unbalanced ration (common among goat owners).

Sunshine kills lice, and it is the most effective and cheapest way to do it. It is essential that the goat sheds out so sun gets to their skin and lice will not be a problem in the warm months. Like I said before, I never treat for lice. I never have a problem with them. I encourage my goats to stay out of the barn as much as possible, winter and summer. The only time they come in there is if there is precipitation.

It is amazing to me how much disease and other troubles keeping them outdoors most of the time will prevent. It works!