[laurelsh]

Hi there, I raise San Clemente Island Goats, and brought in 2 new does from VA to CA in September. In a separate thread I've addressed the Coccidia & worms they have and I've been trying to treat for months, and have just completed an intense Herbal treatment, will retest them next week. Meanwhile, I just tested my 3 other does, and they each came back with Coccidia, not heavy load, and one has Whipworms 50 egg, which I've never had turn up on a fecal here with 7 years of goats.

I am consulting my vet. He did consult with the UC Davis pathologist and parasitologist, and because the goats are symptom free, they think the Coccidia brought by the VA goats is of a kind that doesn't cause symptoms. With the 3 goats just tested, I did a FAMACHA (I am untrained) and it looked like a #4, light pink, which I believe needs treatment. However, I'm not sure he is familiar with FAMACHA scoring - he said he didn't think it needed treatment, and he is recommending blood tests if I really want to know(very expensive).

He is also not recommending treatment on the goats with no symptoms, which makes sense to me in terms of not contributing to resistant parasites. But whipworm??? I've never had that show up here before.

The goat with whipworm has 2750 Coccida, 50 whipworm. Do I need to treat this whipworm and with what? It freaks me out to not treat this.

 

[ksalvagno]

Why not do the herbal treatment?

 

[CountyLineAcres]

Whipworm is really only a pest. It exists everywhere. It is considered harmless in small quantities, and 50 EPG is an extremely low count. You could test them next month and not see it again. Here's more information: http://www.wormboss.com.au/sheep-goats/worms/roundworms/whip-worm.php

A #2 on a FAMACHA scoresheet does not need treating according to the scorecard. #3 is borderline and may also not need treatment.

 

[laurelsh]

Why not do the herbal treatment?

Thank you Karen, that's an excellent question. I was going to do it but got freaked out about whipworm and then found some anemia in Pearl. On top of that, despite trying to get the 3 does onto the herbal intensive treatment, they will not eat it. It is a LOT of herb powder as it's double dose for the first bit, and I cannot figure out how to get them to take it. My other 2 does loved it, and so it was easy. I am not able to catch and dose them by mouth for the multiple times per day it is needed the first few days. I'm thinking about trying it in their water as a general overall treatment, it's one of the options the herbal people offer. But admittedly flailing over here not sure what I should be doing, or not doing.

 

[laurelsh]

Whipworm is really only a pest. It exists everywhere. It is considered harmless in small quantities, and 50 EPG is an extremely low count. You could test them next month and not see it again. Here's more information: http://www.wormboss.com.au/sheep-goats/worms/roundworms/whip-worm.php

A #2 on a FAMACHA scoresheet does not need treating according to the scorecard. #3 is borderline and may also not need treatment.

Thank you on the whipworm, I was in horror that some were found and thought OMG my property is now infested with a parasite that cannot be gotten rid of.
On FAMACHA, oh I'm sorry, my #s are backwards! She is a #4, light pink, as best I can tell. I did give her Toltrazuril and today Red Cell orally and B+ injection.

 

[NigerianDwarfOwner707]

Hey there! You have a very simple solution! Treat with your herbs rigorously.

 

[laurelsh]

Hey there! You have a very simple solution! Treat with your herbs rigorously.

Thank you. I wish it was simple, but I cannot figure out how to get the 3 does to eat the herbs. And physically catching them to dose them is not workable for me. I tried honey, pumpkin, applesauce. 2 ate honey, 1 ate applesauce, but none would eat this when I added in the herbs. I'm thinking about making it into a tea and putting in their water, but wondering if they will get dehydrated because they don't want to drink it. feeling stumped. I've tried molasses & banana in the past and they don't like those.

 

[MadHouse]

What IS their favourite treat?

 

[laurelsh]

Grain mix that they get 2x a day. I put the herb balls in with that and they ate around them.

 

[MadHouse]

Grain mix that they get 2x a day. I put the herb balls in with that and they ate around them.

Hmpf!
Maybe sneak it in gradually. So they don't really notice the difference so much, until they get used to the flavour.
Goats can be so stubborn!

 

[laurelsh]

Hmpf!
Maybe sneak it in gradually. So they don't really notice the difference so much, until they get used to the flavour.
Goats can be so stubborn!

HMPH is right!! And stubborn they ARE!! LOL...

 

[NigerianDwarfOwner707]

Try to add a little honey to the grain and then a sprinkle of the herbs. Start small! Don’t feel pressured to give the full amounts. They need to get a taste for it first.

I’d also experiment with plain peanut butter. I’d they like it, just add in a sprinkle of herbs... just a touch!!

If you need to give them a little peanut butter EVERY HOUR with a small amount of the herb to build up to the full amount needed daily, you can!! But I think if you just start small and add the herbs in gradually, they will get used to them.

 

[MellonFriend]

How about spraying their grain with a little bit of water so the herbs stick to it? I've done that in the past.

 

[MadHouse]

Some people’s goats love bread. You could try making them dainty sandwiches?!?!?!

 

[laurelsh]

Thank you both, those are good ideas. I will try!

 

[laurelsh]

Some people's goats love bread. You could try making them dainty sandwiches?!?!?!

Mine don't like bread! Can you believe it??

 

[21goaties]

Here is what I do to dose herbs:
https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/need-some-herbal-dewormer-ideas.217537/#post-2460709

 

[laurelsh]

Here is what I do to dose herbs:
https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/need-some-herbal-dewormer-ideas.217537/#post-2460709

Thank you. That's an interesting thread as well. I am using Fir Meadows herbs.

 

[laurelsh]

By the way, since several of you are familiar with herbal deworming, I have another goat who has been through the FULL herbal routine, and I'm waiting until 1/17 to retest her (1 month after starting the herbs), and she had twins on 1/3/21. Her poop got clumpy after the birth, and has gotten worse. I took her off all grain and off alfalfa (only on orchard grass for a couple of days) and it still is worsening, this morning a tiny bit of blood in it. What would you recommend?

Is it vet time, or should I just wait a week to get new fecal results? (PS: Katherine from Fir Meadows says just keep her on a daily herbal dose and be patient.)

Prior to the herbal, she had already been through 3 rounds of chemical treatment with the coccidia not abating (toltrazuril & corid). She's been quarantined with the other young goat she came to the farm with in Sept. from VA, and the other one doesn't have this.

 

[NigerianDwarfOwner707]

By the way, since several of you are familiar with herbal deworming, I have another goat who has been through the FULL herbal routine, and I'm waiting until 1/17 to retest her (1 month after starting the herbs), and she had twins on 1/3/21. Her poop got clumpy after the birth, and has gotten worse. I took her off all grain and off alfalfa (only on orchard grass for a couple of days) and it still is worsening, this morning a tiny bit of blood in it. What would you recommend?

Is it vet time, or should I just wait a week to get new fecal results? (PS: Katherine from Fir Meadows says just keep her on a daily herbal dose and be patient.)

Prior to the herbal, she had already been through 3 rounds of chemical treatment with the coccidia not abating (toltrazuril & corid). She's been quarantined with the other young goat she came to the farm with in Sept. from VA, and the other one doesn't have this.

What was the 'FULL herbal routine" she was on?