# Lets talk about lice and mites



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm a fairly new goat owner of 4 nubian does. Recently my one doe has rubbed a lot of her hair off - I believe she has lice - not sure if it's sucking or biting. I also believe she's pregnant (due July) as are the other 3 girls with the first one freshening April 20 th.

In researching I think....ivomec eprinex pour on - used as a pour on is what I should be using. But I'm not sure and I noticed your forum about the subject and if you have time, I'd sure like some advice. Originally, I'd intended to use ivomec injectable as an oral. Now, I just don't know.
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I get this kind of email a lot, and since we don't fight lice and mites here, I thought it would be a good thread to move to Goatkeeping 101 after everyone has given their information that works for them. Could everyone please help this new gal while she logs in and gets on the forum? Thanks! Vicki


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## jcran (Feb 17, 2009)

We use durasect, safe for preggo girls too.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Keep pens clean and get your minerals balanced, particularly copper and zinc. Let your does get sunshine. Diatomaceous earth will help with them and you can apply weekly. Then once the weather warms up, shaving will do them in for the year.


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## tendermeadowsnigerians (Sep 8, 2010)

You can also used flea & tick shampoo for dogs, it works awesome! I bathe the goats that are going to the fair before they leave and when they get home to avoid lice & mite. 

If its too cold to give baths we use a dust, cant remember the name but I will look when I get home, I have used it on bred does & week old kids with no problems.


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## kuwaha (Aug 22, 2009)

I have used both DE and sulphur (the yellow powder sold for gardens) as a dust with good results, I'd probably use the sulphur as my first choice because of the issues of breathing in DE dust. Dust the barn down too.


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## Halo-M Nubians (Oct 26, 2007)

THIS IS WHAT I DO. MY EXPERIENCE ONLY: I treat for mites with the Eprinex pour on. Poured on at twice the cow dose. It works on all external parasites, lice as well-but the only time I've had lice was goats that had them when purchased. The mites on the other hand pop up out of no where in the winter. Seems strange with sub zero temps..stripping out the barn out yearly etc. I only see symptoms in the winter. Bald noses are the first symptom ..sometime the only symptom you can see. Legs can be next affected. Eprinex is also one of my wormers I use for internal parasites but to be an effective prevention against mites I have to treat EVERY goat at the same time. Otherwise they just keep passing them around.


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## Goat Town (Nov 20, 2010)

Over the past two winters I've seen problems with heel mites. Since these mites burrow under the skin, topicals do little for them, so one must use an injectible. I use Ivomec Plus because the Ivomec kills the mites and the "plus" takes care of the liver flukes which are also problematic here. For lice a Pymethrin spray mixed with some dish soap and water will treat them, but it needs to be applied often and to every animal. The spray also helps with ticks.


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## prairie nights (Jan 16, 2009)

Ivermectin injectable sub Q worked well for a doe I brought home with lice that were also on her kids. Repeated in a week just to make sure, never had the problem again.


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

I've not had lice, but I have read up on it because at one time I thought I might (and you know how hypochondriacs are--read about something and think you've got it--it turned out to be rubbing hair off noses from my new feeders) Anyhow, I read that injectable works well for blood sucking lice, but not for hair eating lice. Topical powders like CoRal get them both. Recommendations were to clean the barn bedding out down to the dirt, cover the floor with delouser, shave does, cover does with delouser, repeat all in ... 2 weeks maybe? I'm not sure I remember the time frame correctly, but it has to do with when lice eggs would hatch. Recommendation is probably on the bottle of delousing powder.


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Well,, right or wrong this is what I do : ) I hardly ever have problems with lice, but when I do, I dust them with a dairy louse powder, bathe and clip them as soon as possible. Change the bedding. I did have an OLD grey/white arab now He came down with lice bad the year we put him down. I changed his bedding sprinkled louse powder in his straw, bathed him and louse powdered him. That did it.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

We also use a dusting powder in the winter, being sure to brush it thoroughly through the coat, Ivermec + sub-q, DE flooring and fresh straw. 
Tam


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

Injectable Ivomec given orally for worms will also kill sucking lice, but not biting lice. Biting lice are killed with livestock dust. For both kinds of lice, we usually treat it by using livestock dust with permethrin. This works on kids, and pregnant does as well with out harming them. When I worked at the goat dairy we once had a doe we didn't realize had lice until she kidded. The birth was unattended and when we found the little family, the lice had already jumped from the doe to the kids. We had to dust the newborns. We used the dust sparingly and killed the lice without harming the babies. I also dust the bedding.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh, also, Equisect, it's a natural horse spray.


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## Angela (Feb 13, 2010)

After doing a search here, I used Cylence for lice. Worked very well and I haven't had a problem since then.


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## lylahl (Feb 19, 2011)

Wow...what an awesome group. Thanks so much. I might have another question or so...but this is incredibly helpful!


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## ragingbull (Feb 8, 2010)

Ive used Durasect and Cylence and both work quite well.


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## Jryan (Nov 30, 2010)

Often some of the horses we take in that are in poor condition will have lice. Sevens dust works great. Sprinkle on the animal from head to tail and in their "area" (stall or whatever). After 2 or 3 days, change all bedding and sprinkle again. Lice are gone within a week and don't seem to come back. We've also used it on pregnant animals (dogs even) and new born pups that were being eaten alive by fleas and ticks.


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## Twillingate Farm (Oct 26, 2007)

Welcome Lylah ... hope you found the suggestions useful. One thing that stuck out to me in your original question is the fact that your does are pregnant and still in the first trimester. Please do not give any injected or oral wormers until at least 100 days pregnant and avoid those that treat liver flukes such as Ivermectin Plus.

Ivomec pour-on applied externally will not cause problems (That's what I use) nor will many of the dusts, so just a heads-up! Once again, welcome to the forum!!


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## NPgoats (Mar 18, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Lylah!
I agree with what Allan said and use the same products. 
I use DE more than the other dusts.
Linda


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