dandruff?

[ahahahni1]

I picked up my two new girls today. Yeah! But they have dandruff. What causes that and how should I treat?

[dustin biery]

If I am not mistaken, and its entirely possible, I think I saw somewhere in the 100s of posts about copper that the dandruff could be an indication of a deficiency.

[Laverne]

Today is the first day of spring! My doe is getting some now also. She is starting to shed hair some and she sheds the skin in flakes also at the same time. She is up on everything known to goatdom and still dandruff this time of year. She is black so it shows up more. This is not to say there aren't conditions that would cause dandruff abnormally but this is the experience I am having now.


Still good to get management going with the copper, Bo-se, minerals, worming, ect.

[LoneStrChic23]

I'd rule out mineral deficiency..... my girls had some flakes in the very beginning. Copper bolused, gave Bo-Se and changed their mineral to Right Now Onyx instead of mineral blocks. Loved the results.

Then, I'd rule out parasites like lice/mites. Just had to help my aunt get rid of some on her pygmies recently. Gave them a tick and flea bath with dog shampoo (goats hate baths BTW...those lil boogers put up the biggest fight ever....never again will I put a goat in the bathtub!) Gave them a deep conditioning treatment and when they were dry we dusted with Sevens Dust, dusted their pen and sleeping area and moved them to a new spot temporarily. Since we found ear mites too we treated with Ivermectin Plus and put some mineral oil in their ears....

That was last week and they are looking good.....Might have went overboard on them but they were kind of a mess so we covered all bases. To say my aunts goat management is sub-par is an understatement.

[mpete]

I have fought dandruff on one of my nubian does for years... Finally got a blue cobalt? block from TSC just about a month ago and already her skin is showing drastic improvement.... kinda funny how she is the only one I have ever seen licking it...

[Backfourty,MI.]

You could also add a small handful of Black Oil sunflower seeds to her feed as all the oil in them will help with dry skin too, also be sure & rule out the mineral deficiencies if any, mites/lice as said above.
A good brushing off & on this time of year also helps & you can always spray her with Avon's Skin So Soft & rub it into the skin, enough to get to the skin not enough to soak the goat is all that is needed.

[ahahahni1]

Nope no mites. I feed my goats boss so hopefully that will help them. I didnt know about the skin so soft. Ill brush them and give them a few weeks to respond to new feed and also weather change could.do it.

[CaliannG]

Dandruff is a sign of selenium/vit. E deficiency. I'd treat her with a couple of doses of selenium gel and see if that has an effect.

Tends to show up more in the spring as new growth (grass, new leaves, etc.) tend to be high in water and carbs, but not very high in minerals.

[ahahahni1]

Where do you get selinum gel. And should I dose them with vitamin e

[CaliannG]

The gel can generally be gotten at your TSC or feed store, it is Selenium/Vit. E. gel, so both of them are in the same tube. Selenium and Vit. E work together in the goat's cells, so that is why a deficiency of one can be problematical.

Also, you can order it from Jeffers or Valley Vet. It is not that expensive. Around $10 a tube and that tube will last a while.

Edited to Add: This is basically the stuff you are looking for http://www.jefferslivestock.com/sele...30913/cn/3309/ . You can get it in other brands, and at other places also. They make basically the same thing for cattle and it is cheaper, I think, but it comes in a BIG tube and you have to buy a tubing gun for it.

[Mironsfarm]

i am having the same problem i shaved one doe down this helped i thought about giving baths but didn't know what to use. i am going to try to copper boluse, aslo i am going to try the selenium/ vit E.