I have been planning to use Ivermectin to worm and delice my four yearling dairy goats. I've used safeguard before. My goats range in sizes but none are over 100 lbs yet. Do I still give 1cc per 110 lbs?

I read in an archived post that one person gave it orally and some of the goats acted "spazzy", as if they were going to seizure.If that happens when I give the dose- what do I do?

I have a feeling that these goats are pretty wormy- I've not seen any signs of anemia (pale gums) but they do eat grass in the pen thats right at ground level. Also, one doe in particular is thin- but maybe it's because she had pneumonia as a young kid?? Uuhhhhhgh, I have sooo much to learn- this forum is a lifesaver! Thank you very much.

Wendy Hannum

-- Wendy Hannum (wendy@skywardinternet.com), April 10, 2002

Answers

Wendy the information I use on my goats is for the 1% Ivermectin injectable. You use it at 1cc injected under the skin per 100 pounds for lice, mites and nosebots. I use it at 2cc per 100 pounds by mouth (yes you have to syringe it out, but then take off the needle and give it by mouth). If you inject it, it speeds through the goats very fast metabolisim, it will kill some worms, but if you give it by mouth it slows its absorption, stays in the system longer, letting it do a much better job. Giving it orally doesn't work for lice, since we use it on broker goats coming in, and actually give it now both routes at the same time. This is not just something I have made up but trials on goats from Texas A&M. If your goat only weighs 50 pounds than use 1cc per 100 pounds orally. Honestly that is far as I figure it out, under 50 pounds gets 1cc, over 51 pounds to 100 pounds gets 2cc, over 100 pounds even by 1 pound and they get 3cc etc. I am not a patient enough person to weigh each goat and then do the math and find 1/3cc on the syringe :)

Of course my advice should be, take 7 pieces of fresh poop from a goat in the pen to the vet and have them tell you what worms you have and if you really need to worm, but honestly you probably won't do it, and most vets just say, "yep, you have worms" which really isn't an answer anyway, so just worm. Reworm in 21 days, with Ivermectin again, unless you are drinking the milk, then you really shouldn't have to worm until just before you want them bred, unless you have a good amount of rainfall. We have such hot dry summers here, the worms actually hibernate, and leave the goats alone, course they are all doing push-ups getting stronger to come out in force in the fall! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 11, 2002.

Oh and the only "seizure" type symptoms we have seen is the pain at injection site from injecting. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 11, 2002.

I so appreciate your responses!

I don't know about anyone else but after I posted my orig. post- I couldn't access this forum for about a day. I prayed that it was just a temporary shutdown. Since this forum didn't work-I remembered seeing in depth worming info over at the Fias co Farms website. I forgot it was saved in my "favorites" file, along with Saanendoah's site. Couldn't find anything on goat anthelmetics (sp?) at the Texas A&M site.

So, armed with Fias co info and the info you gave out just recently concerning "better to slightly over-dose, than to under dose when working with Ivermectin and goats", I launched out without the forum being readily accessible as my "safety net" ...

I took my children out and tape "weighed" the goats- since we had no real clue how much they'd gained. They wiggle too much anymore to try to use a reg. scale (but they,(70-85 lbs worth) still try to sit on our laps LOL!) I used a weight chart I printed off of Fias co's site too. (I do think one of my does is lighter than her heartgirth/ weight inplies)

Anyway- I dosed the Ivermectin by 1cc per ev. 34 lbs as Fias co mentioned...Hmmmm.

Of course I had Vicki's phone number nearby- (from the old goatworld's 911 pages) too ;o)

I did as one poster suggested and squirted the measured ivermectin onto about a cup of goat chow-and one by one gave out measured portions to each goat seperately. The goats never noticed any difference :O)

My wether did do some heavy panting, but that may have been because he got all worked up in the warm sun impatiently waiting for his turn of goat chow??? Remember he's the King/Queen...and I didn't let him go first. Anyway, the goats all seem fine.

Shhheewwwee! You'll never know how silly I feel for worrying- but I'm still a newbie and the fear of seizure possibilities had me right antsy.

Think I'll go down to the barn and scritchy-scratch some knobby heads now.

Thanks again! Wendy Hannum SE Ohio

-- Wendy Hannum (wendy@skywardinternet.com), April 11, 2002.

LOL, Wendy you sound like me, NERVOUS NELLIE. LOL. I really hope someday i learn what the heck i'm doing :)

-- Don and Susan (dsowen@tds.net), April 12, 2002.