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Parasitism
In
Pygmy
Goats
by
Mary
Blankevoort,
DVM
Parasites
afflicting
goats
can
be
broken
into
two
major
groups:
1)
External
parasites
(ectoparasites);
and
2)
Internal
parasites
(endoparasites).
[.
.
.]
Internal
parasites
usually
pose
the
more
serious
problem
to
the
goat
owner.
The
underlying
or
initiating
cause
of
severe
disease
in
goats
is
frequently
attributable
to
some
form
of
internal
parasite.
Most
of
these
worms
and
protozoans
thrive
and
multiply
in
temperate
humid
climates,
particularly
where
animals
are
overcrowded.
When
the
nomadic
desert
goats
were
brought
to
such
areas
and
became
domesticated,
the
environmental
change
upset
the
tolerant
equilibrium
between
the
host
and
the
parasite
which
exist
in
the
natural
state.
The
organisms
which
had
lived
in
harmony
with
goats
in
the
dry,
hot,
natural
habitat
were
now
able
to
increase
in
numbers
and
their
ability
to
cause
disease.
COCCIDIOSIS
Members
of
the
Coccidia
group
of
parasites
are
not
worms,
but
rather
protozoans
(one-celled
organisms)
which
can
inhabit
the
small
intestine
of
nearly
every
species
of
bird
and
mammal.
Goat
Coccidia
are
quite
specific
for
goats;
there
is
possibility
of
cross-infection
from
sheep,
but
not
from
other
species.
Suspect
Coccidiosis
when
a
kid
or
kids
develop
diarrhea
or
soft
stools,
become
anemic
and
weak,
and
grow
rough,
unthrifty
coats.
Repeated
bouts
of
coughing
and
respiratory
problems
in
the
herd
may
also
indicate
Coccidiosis.
Have
your
veterinarian
run
a
fecal
exam,
so
that
the
severity
of
the
infection
can
be
determined.
Proper
treatment
must
be
initiated
immediately,
consisting
of
oral
sulfa
drugs
(e.g.
sulfamethazine)
or
Amprolium
for
the
whole
herd.
This
can
be
in
a
food
or
water
mix,
or
individually
dosed
in
the
case
of
few
or
severely
affected
animals.
Treatment
should
be
repeated
every
month
until
decal
exams
are
satisfactory.
(The
exams
may
never
be
negative,
i.e.
entirely
free
of
coccidia,
even
in
a
very
healthy
animal.)
Blood
loss
and
dehydration
may
be
severe
enough
to
require
transfusions,
intravenous
fluids,
and
intensive
care.
The
disease
can
readily
kill
a
young
kid.
The
organism
is
shed
in
the
feces,
and
with
optimum
conditions
of
moderate
temperatures,
some
humidity,
and
shade,
a
Coccidia
egg
(oocyst)
can
survive
for
up
to
eight
months
on
the
ground.
Only
sun,
drying,
and
extreme
heat
will
insure
natural
control.
Therefore,
the
goat
owner
should
provide
raised
or
fenceline
containers
for
feed
and
water,
sanitary
removal
of
contaminated
bedding,
good
nutrition
at
all
times,
and
avoidance
of
overcrowding
conditions.
Parasites
thrive
in
crowded
herds.
When
animals
are
housed
in
a
barn,
a
thick
bed
of
straw
will
allow
infective
fecal
pellets
to
drop
down
beyond
the
animal’s
reach;
and
frequent
pasture
rotation
will
let
the
sun
kill
the
bug
in
the
closely
cropped
grass.
Initiate
your
Coccidia-control
program
before
young
kids
are
turned
out
with
the
main
herd;
this
is
when
the
little
ones
are
usually
exposed
to
the
biggest
dose
of
parasite.
Sulfa
drugs
may
help
at
this
time.
Keeping
youngsters
separated
from
the
main
herd
until
they
are
old
enough
to
become
more
resistant
to
the
infection
(at
least
four
months)
will
also
be
advantageous.
GASTRO
INTESTINAL
NEMATODES
(WORMS)
Unlike
cattle,
goats
never
develop
strong
resistance
or
immunity
to
worms
or
to
their
effects.
Kids
are
particularly
susceptible.
After
the
goat
ingests
infective
fecal
material,
a
larval
worm
migrates
through
the
intestinal
wall
before
attaching
itself
to
the
inner
surface
of
the
stomach
or
gut,
and
a
number
of
these
larvae
may
lie
dormant
for
some
time
within
the
tissues,
awaiting
a
suitable
time
to
emerge,
such
as
the
first
few
weeks
of
freshening,
or
a
nutritional
deficiency,
or
any
stressful
occurrence
which
would
weaken
the
animal.
I
recently
read
about
a
case
of
an
adult
pygmy
doe
who
had
died
from
an
infection
caused
by
these
dormant
worms.
The
doe
had
been
wormed
and
the
fecal
exams
were
negative,
but
the
worm
larvae
had
not
been
touched
by
the
medication.
(this,
by
the
way,
is
the
reason
for
deworming
twice,
at
two
or
three
week
intervals.
By
that
time,
the
young
larvae,
unharmed
by
the
first
dosing,
will
usually
have
migrated
to
the
intestinal
lumen,
where
the
second
dosing
can
reach
them.)
During
the
migration
into
the
gastro-intestinal
lumen,
the
worms
mature
and
attach
themselves
to
the
liming
of
the
stomach
or
intestine,
where
they
damage
the
absorptive
surface,
interfere
with
digestion,
and
suck
blood
from
the
gut
wall.
A
heavy
load
of
worms
will
severely
debilitate
an
animal,
making
it
thin,
anemic,
and
unthrifty.
Often
the
hair
coat
if
wormy
animals
will
be
dry,
lusterless,
and
stands
on
end.
The
worm
load
may
increase
when
the
goat
has
become
sick
for
another
reason,
and/or
when
the
animal
is
moved
from
clean
areas
to
highly
infected
premises.
A
positive
fecal
exam
indicates
the
presence
of
adult,
egg-laying
worms
in
the
intestine,
visible
under
a
microscope;
a
negative
exam
is
rare
in
goats,
but
not
impossible!
As
with
Coccidiosis,
control
is
two-fisted,
clean
environment
being
the
more
effective
weapon.
Keep
water
and
feed
off
the
ground;
if
possible,
rotate
pasture
every
two
weeks;
house
very
young
animals
separately
from
mature
stock
(kids
are
less
resistant
to
worm
loads);
remove
contaminated
bedding,
or
keep
animals
on
inedible
bedding
materials.
Ideally,
the
use
of
worm
medication
should
be
reserved
for
those
times
when
the
fecal
exams
(done
several
times
a
year)
justify
its
use.
If
the
laboratory
work
is
not
feasible,
the
following
deworming
schedule
should
be
followed:
1)
Worm
kids
several
weeks
before
weaning.
2)
Worm
all
stock
at
the
beginning
and
at
the
end
of
pasture
season
(spring
and
fall),
and
perhaps
once
more
during
warm,
wet
weather.
Pregnant
does
may
benefit
from
the
appropriate
medications
several
weeks
before
freshening.
All
treatments
should
be
repeated
in
two
or
three
weeks
to
kill
the
mature
larvae.
[.
.
.]
LUNGWORMS
“Verminous
pneumonia”
is
the
term
given
to
lungworms
infestation.
It
can
be
an
insidious
disease,
often
with
fatal
consequences,
even
after
the
worms
are
gone.
Infective
larvae
are
shed
in
the
feces
after
they
have
been
coughed
up
from
the
lungs
and
swallowed.
Once
re-ingested,
they
migrate
through
the
liver
on
their
way
to
the
lungs,
often
causing
considerable
liver
damage.
Egg-laying
adult
worms
inhabit
lung
tissue,
causing
a
chronic,
husky
cough
or
bark
and
serious
secondary
bacterial
pneumonia.
A
fecal
exam
may
tell
if
there
are
active
worms
present,
but
if
the
exam
is
negative
in
the
presence
of
characteristic
clinical
signs
(coughing,
pneumonia),
have
another
sample
checked
a
couple
of
weeks
later.
[.
.
.]
Control
measures
for
lungworms
(species
Dictvocaulus)
are
the
same
as
for
gastro-intestinal
worms.
Again,
proper
management
of
feed,
water,
bedding,
and
pasture
is
key
to
good
parasite
control.
Healthy
goats,
vigorous
kids,
and
good
milk
production
depend
on
these
factors.
Excerpts
from:
Hale,
Lydia,
and
Ellen
Kritzman,
eds.
Pygmy
Goats:
Best
of
Memo
(1976-1981)
National
Pygmy
Goat
Association:
pp
74-76
This
document
is
for
informational
purposes
only
and
is
in
no
way
intended
to
be
a
substitute
for
medical
consultation
with
a
qualified
veterinary
professional.
The
information
provided
through
this
document
is
not
meant
to
be
used
in
the
diagnosis
or
treatment
of
a
health
problem
or
disease,
nor
should
it
be
construed
as
such.
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