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Calamine lotion on goat?

12K views 233 replies 21 participants last post by  toth boer goats 
#1 ·
I was wondering if anyone had used Calamine Lotion on an itchy goat, and if it is ok to use. A google search brought up that it shouldn’t be used on dogs because zinc oxide is toxic to them.
My doe has a mysterious itch, mostly on her sides. We think it is some kind of bug bites. She had it last August too. Last year she bit and chewed a hole in her side that got infected. This year I caught it early and put a t-shirt on her. So she hasn’t created a sore, she just chewed the fur off. But it is agonizing to watch her scratch so much. And with the heat we are having, a shirt is probably making her hotter.
I tried Benadryl, antibiotic/steroid cream, Nustock, Tea Tree oil, and iodine/water mix. Nothing worked.
So I am wondering, since Calamine is MY go-to for itches, can I try it on her?
 
#17 ·
Do you milk your goats?
I have been using Dairy Boss pour-on on my goats to try and repel flies and mosquitoes. I can’t say it is working extremely well.
But I wasn’t sure about Fly Sprays, if I could use those on milking does.
 
#18 ·
There is a product called Vet's Best Flea and Tick Spray, and I have been using it to treat mites. It is all natural, so you don't have to worry about it contaminating your milk supply. It seems to help keep flies at bay, and does really help with the itchiness. There is a spray and a shampoo. I haven't tried the shampoo yet. I don't know if you can get it in Canada, but I think it would be worth a try. It's working well for me.
 
#20 ·
So, calamine lotion did not solve the itching problem.

Today I went to the vet. He gave me 4 shots of dexamethasone to give once a day for 4 days. He was dithering between a long lasting or short acting steroid. He decided on the short acting because Willow is in milk.
I am keeping my fingers crossed. I hope I can take the shirt off her tomorrow.
 
#22 ·
Willow had 3 of her 4 shots so far. The itchiness is definitely better, but not gone. I still use the Calamine lotion twice a day on her and it helps temporarily, and she still has to wear her shirt, as she wants to chew the spots.
She has better appetite now and therefore behaves better at milking time again. I am hoping these improvements continue after the last shot is done (this evening).
 
#24 ·
I hope she heals up completely!

Just FYI, the shot that our May got was long lasting Triamcinolone 40 mg.


I just noticed a small sore appear on May's belly and she has been scratching more during the last couple of days, but it has been months since she got the shot.
 
#28 ·
Have you tried putting a little Neosporin on the raw spot? Calendula oil works extremely well on raw spots also. Long time ago, the next door neighbor had a dog with flea bite allergies. Steroids were used, though the skin became inflamed and itchy again once the course was finished. Secondary infection developed from gnawing at the spots, and the Neosporin helped calm down the inflammation quite well. Still, that little dog gnawed at what was starting to heal until it was all red every once in a while. I loaned her some calendula oil and within a week, the skin was no longer inflamed, dog stop worrying the raw spots and hair started to grow back in.
 
#29 ·
That is good to know!
I didn’t do neosporin but another antibiotic cream from the vet. It did nothing.
She doesn’t actually have raw spots because I have a shirt on her. All she can do is gnaw through the shirt and just get the fur off a bit. The skin is not red or raw looking.
But this reminds me to make calendula oil. Thanks!
 
#31 ·
This morning Willow had two raw open spots (where the t-shirt ends). Shucks. That means the dex did not work. She is now on Penicillin for the next 7 days, as per vet. He says that if the dex didn’t work, Triamcinolone wouldn’t be working either. And she likely has a secondary infection. I also ordered the same antibiotic/steroid cream that worked for her last year.
 
#35 ·
Thanks! I hope the antibiotic is going to do the trick.
Have you teied the calendula oil yet? On Thors hot spot, that providone worked really well. Dried it up, and he stopped knawing on it!
No, I didn’t get any calendula oil yet, but I used polysporin on the raw spots. Iodine didn’t work for her. She loves licking that. :p
Gosh, MadHouse, I am sorry you and Willow are having to continue to deal with this frustration. Virtual hugs for her and you.
Thanks NigerianNewbie!
 
#41 ·
I have used benadryl (liquid and pills) numerous times since she started scratching. It never did work.
Right now I am using polysporin on the sores, until we get the other cream from the vet. On the itchy spots that she can’t get to I slather calamine, which give temporary relief.
I won’t wash her now, it is wet and cool here now. But thanks for the offer!

I looked at my notes from last year. After she got on antibiotics it took two more days of being itchy. I am still keeping my fingers crossed for the penicillin to work.
 
#42 ·
So, I am still in the dark as to why this happens. Last year in early August, and this year in early August.
One of the things I always wonder looking at the sores is, maybe it IS meningeal worm? The new sores that are past the t-shirt are almost in a line. It could be a bug bit her multiple times, and she is over sensitive to the bites. Or could it be m worm? The itchy spots are not all symmetrical and in lines. They are on both sides of her body in different areas, and now on her udder too.
I watch her hind legs all the time. To me she walks normal, never stumbles, jumps up on the milk stand, climbs up her ramp to the balcony, jumps and runs around... all looks normal.
Does m worm sometimes show only in itchy spots?
@GoofyGoat @happybleats
Thanks
 
#43 ·
The itchy spots from mw is them migrating up the spine...so the goats chews to try to get relief. It won't be the only symptom.
There could be some type of bug or allergy to a plant she is sensitive to that August brings out?
 
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