In September one of my does developed bottle jaw. She developed horrible diarrhea and dropped a significant amount of weight. In the past I had wormed her with Ivermectin, this time I used Safeguard. Because she was so anemic and her symptoms severe, I also gave her Vitamin B shots and Red Cell.
She seemed to improve. Her bowel movements looked better. Then all of a sudden (about 10 days later) we were right back where we started only now two does were affected. The scours were severe. Like dark colored water. They wouldn't eat and I thought for sure I would lose them. Thankfully though, they never went down.
I took stool samples to the vet and she called to let me know that we were dealing with Barber Pole Worms which was a little surprising to me as I had read that Barber Pole's don't often cause severe scours. She recommended a very expensive wormer that I had never heard of (can't remember the name at the moment). She also told me that due to the mild, damp weather my pastures would not be usable for at least six months. She recommended dry lotting the goats or taking them to another pasture somewhere that they had not been before because otherwise we would keep reinfecting. Well, that is just not possible for us. I had to come up with another solution.
I confined all the goats to our smallest pasture (about 1/2 acre) and they have stayed there since. Unfortunately, with the drought this summer and the fact that they had recently been on that pasture there was not any browse to speak of which means we are more likely to reinfect as they are eating what grass is left.
Meanwhile, 2 more of my goats developed horrible scours. I wormed all the goats once again with Safeguard and treated them all with Vitamin B and Red Cell.
I called her back and asked what she knew about DE. She told me that she had heard of people being successful with it but knew of no studies to support any claims. I had read many success stories on the internet but also read reports from those who said it had not worked for them. I decided I had nothing to lose and picked up 100 pounds at the co-op.
I immediately started top dressing their grain every evening. I used roughly 3% DE. 10 more days passed and my two weakest goats were ill again, though not as bad as before. Once again I wormed those 2, this time with Ivermectin. I continued top dressing their grain every night. When it quit raining long enough, I took a bucket of DE and a scoop and I walked the pasture (only 1/2 acre) and every pile of droppings or scours I sprinkled with DE. I cleaned out the barn and covered the floor with DE.
It has now been 2 months since I started treating with DE. They are still on the same pasture and it is still cool and damp. I am still top dressing their grain in the evening and they get hay. They have not had any scours in over 6 weeks. All the goats have gained weight and their coats look healthier and shinier. My skiniest doe who has had bouts with anemia before looks great and is steadily picking up weight. Their appetites have greatly increased and they have become much more vocal. lol
Could there have been other factors in their improved health? I suppose so. I did use chemical wormers (Safeguard and Ivermectin) several times at the beginning as something had to be done immediately, but until we started the DE they kept developing symptoms every week to 10 days. They've not been wormed in over 6 weeks and are doing beautifully despite the fact that we've not had a hard freeze and they have been on the same pasture for all this time.
Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience with you as I've learned so much from you guys and thus far have not had much to contribute.
Beth
Asking for microscope for christmas to learn to do my own fecals.
