concerned .. dry skin & dehydration

[motdaugrnds]

Hello, This has been going on intermittently for several years. This buck has always had problems with dry skin (large dry scales) off and on for past 4 yrs. It never developed into anything of concern until just recently. This year it seems to be accompanied with dehydration even though there is always fresh and clean water out constantly. Also much hair loss. [He was given Bo-Se at 1cc/40 lbs. 2 months ago when he got this spring's tetanus (2cc of Bar-Vac CD/T) and just now given Bo-Se again along with a shot of Vitamin B Comples. I also put electrolytes into his drinking water.]

There are no lesions, no pestules, no cuts and no parasites that I can see. There is no sign of inflamation anywhere. He has been wormed with 8cc injectable Ivermectin Plus this year. (Prior year used Cydectin 1cc/22 lbs.) He weighs 250 lbs. He is still eating grain mixture well and grazing well. He is alert.

I cannot find anything in Dr. Smith's "Goat Medicine" that seems to fit the condition I am seeing. The skin is very dry with large scales (only over his back).

On one forum "Mites" were mentioned as a possibility; however, no information was given as to how to treat this and I cannot find anything in Dr. Smith's book clear enough to identify his condition as this (nor how to treat it).

Any information and/or suggestions would be appreciated.

[susanne]

mites can be treated with ivermectin injectable sc 1cc per 25 body weight. very important to repeat at least two times, 14 days apart to get all mites that are hatching after first treatment. put some DE on his bedding too.

[Sweet Goats]

Well I have the same thing going on, except here a lot of my goats or all the mom's have gone BALD, and I mean BALD.
For the one doe that has the really dry skin I took her to the vet because I just could not take it anymore. He took two different skin samples and sent them to CSU medical school to see what it is. He said it could be a Zinc deficiency so I had him take blood and have that tested for the zinc. He has not received the results yet so I do not know, but he told me if it is a zinc problem then there is really only one thing that he will give me that will really help, it is the best thing for them to get all the zinc that they really need. I do not remember what it is but I will know if I need to get it. There are several cases of Zinc deficiency here, so this is not new to him.
I was also told to give them Aloe Vera juice, that that will really help. I have not tried that just yet, but my doe is all dry around her eyes, noes, her ears look so bad, and all down her back.

[deafgoatlady]

I would use Aloe Vera Juice. It does help a lot. But it takes a while to improve.. But I would put the DE on his body to get rid of bugs on his body..