Worms - Symptoms & Treatments
Worms cost producers hundreds of dollars each year. The most common types of worms that affect goats are: liver flukes, lungworms, stomach worms, and tape worms. The average life cycle of worms range from a three weeks to three months. For effective control of worms, deworming should be done on a routine basis. To save money on dewormers, fecal tests can be done to prevent unnecessary deworming.
Liver Flukes -
Symptoms of Liver Flukes may include: Poor growth, weight loss, poor fertility, scruffy hair coat, diarrhea or loose stool, anemia, and possible signs of bottle jaw.
Treatment of Liver Flukes should include deworming goats with Ivomec or Valbazen (not intended for use in pregnant does). Deworming for the removal of Liver Flukes should be done a minimum of every 90 days.
Lungworms -
Symptoms of Lung Worms may include: Severe and rapid weight loss (goats will eat normally and experience severe weight loss in only a couple weeks), coughing, runny nose, symptoms of Pneumonia, may or may not cause anemia, may or may not cause scruffy hair coat, may or may not cause intermittent signs of diarrhea over a several week period.
Treatment of Lung Worms should include deworming goats with Ivomec, Valbazen (not intended for use in pregnant does), Cydectin, or Dectomax. Deworming for the removal of Lung Worms should be done every 21-28 days for three to four consecutive wormings. Dewormers only kill adult Lung Worms so it is important to continue treatment every 21-28 days until the Lung Worm life cycle is broken to prevent reoccurrences.
Stomach Worms -
Symptoms of Stomach Worms may include: Weight loss, poor condition, rough hair coat, anemia.
Treatment of Stomach Worms should include deworming goats with Ivomec, Safeguard, Cydectin, Dectomax, or Valbazen (not intended for use in pregnant does). Deworming should be done every 60-90 days unless a heavy infestation is present. In cases of heavy infestations of stomach worms, goats should be dewormed every 21-28 days until symptoms subside.
Tapeworms -
Symptoms of Tape Worms may include: Weight loss, scruffy hair coat, anemia, pieces of whitish colored worms around anus or in stool, Intermittent diarrhea or loose stool.
Treatment of Tape Worms should include dosing with a white wormer at three times the recommended dose. Heavy dosing is required to cause the worms to detach and be expelled. Possible deworming products include Safeguard, Panacur, or Valbazen (not intended for use in pregnant does).
Pictured here is a goats stool with a heavy infestation and segments of tapeworms are evident.