Good morning all, A neighbor has a nubian buck that looks terrible. She has wormed with tramisol and safegaurd. She isolated the buck and noticed in his droppings the white pieces of worms that she called tapeworms. So she called me for advice. I told her I would use ivermectin orally. I told her not to do anything until I called her back. Was this the right advice? I suggested a fecal examine and she let me know that she knew a tape worm when she seen it, she's 84. Thanks in advance. Sherry

-- sherry (chickadee259@yahoo.com), June 20, 2001

Answers

If she saw it, it is probably tapeworms, tell her to call the vet to get the dosage but he will probably suggest ivomectin injectable at a very large dose. Tramisol doesn't touch tapeworm (It is my favorite though), I never had luck with safeguard, it seems to be water to my animals. I believe goats take a larger dose than sheep, she will need to call the vet to get the dose though or ask Vicky, she would probably have an answer for you.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), June 20, 2001.

It has been my experience that Ivomect does not touch tapeworms, I give my goats and other animals Panacur to rid them of tape worms. Sis

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), June 20, 2001.

It is also possible to keep your goats free of parasites by top dressing their feed with DE twice a month. This is a very common practice among alternative farmers, and it really works!

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), June 20, 2001.

Hi Sherry, the only worm you can see with the naked eye is tape worm segments. Ivermectin is a wonderful wormer but it isn't made for tapes. I prefer Valbazen Drench, it is the most economical of the white wormers, has the broadest spectrum (kills more types of worms) and doesn't have to be used for the 2 or 3 days that some folks report that they use some wormers at. On fecal Valbazen kills tapes for us with one dose. It is always best to worm the animal in the morning, and pen them somewhere that the goats don't normally live in. I use a pen in the front of my property, this way the worms and eggs that abandon ship alive aren't just reinfesting the goats the next time they graze, or a baby steps into the feed bowl. Tapes however are not the reason this buck "looks terrible" Tapes cause very little economic loss in adult goats, though high burdens in kids will stunt them. Tramisol sheep oblets, are fine for sheep, and for lungworm in goats, but not a good intestinal wormer. Their cousins are Levamisole, wormers you must take particular care on dosage or you can have neurological symptoms.

She will be much happier with the looks of her goats after she has used Valbazen. The problem with worming after you start having skinny, diarrhea, scruffy hair etc. is that it takes forever for the animal to perk back up! And with breeding season close too!! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 20, 2001.

I've used both the herbal wormer available from Hoegger supply, or adding in some diatomacious earth in the feed periodically. Both seem to work well.

-- Dave Pease (peasedj@sparc.isl.net), June 21, 2001.