What to do with goat dandruff and causes, treatment and prevention
White flakes can sometimes begin to fall off the head, not only in humans, but also in domestic animals and livestock. Therefore, the question of what to do if dandruff is found in a goat is not so rare. It is necessary to figure out for what reasons the violation develops, whether it is safe or can cause complications, how to properly treat and prevent the appearance of dandruff in goats.
Causes of dandruff in goats
It has been established that any warm-blooded organisms can suffer from the appearance of dandruff, and goats are no exception. Dandruff itself is bits of the top layer of the skin (epidermis) that is regularly renewed. Normally, in an animal, the change of skin should occur imperceptibly, but if the process is too fast, the owners notice seborrhea in goats (most often in downy breeds).
The main causes of dandruff in livestock are:
- skin damage by ticks, fleas and other parasites;
- sunburn - occurs more often during the moulting period, when the goat's hair becomes less frequent, and the animal itself is grazed on the street from morning to late evening, in hot weather;
- insufficient air humidity, leading to drying out of the epidermis;
- hormonal and gastrointestinal diseases;
- poor-quality feeding, when the goat's diet lacks vitamins and nutrients;
- excess weight;
- Stress - Despite the fact that goats are considered cocky and brave animals, they can be very shy and get nervous when roughly treated by their owners.
The most dangerous cause of dandruff is skin disease. Often these are pathologies of fungal etiology, for example, trichophytosis (trichophytosis). Trichophytosis is a disease caused by the Trichophyton fungus, affecting domestic animals (dogs, cats), rodents, pigs, goats. Individuals with sensitive skin are most prone to pathology. The source of distribution is sick animals.
Signs and symptoms
Dandruff is white scales that can be found inside the goat's coat or fall on the floor of the stall. Seborrhea caused by vitamin deficiency or stress can be easily treated by adjusting the diet and improving animal welfare. It manifests itself not as strongly as caused by diseases of fungal etiology. With trichophytosis, areas with coarse, scaly skin covered with a crust appear on the goat's body. The coat may fall out or break off profusely, the skin looks inflamed, and serous contents may ooze from the cracks.
The spots reach a size of 1-5 centimeters in diameter, with a neglected form and more. On palpation, small tubercles are palpated.
The goat looks agitated with itching and may experience poor appetite and weight loss.The skin is tight and dry, so the animal tries to itch against walls and nearby objects.
How to treat dandruff in goats on the back
The choice of treatment depends on the cause of dandruff. If seborrhea occurs as a result of stress, improper feeding or care, it is recommended to:
- balance the animal's diet - if the goat is on free grazing, it is necessary to select a pasture rich in clover, alfalfa, chicory, legumes, shrubs, young trees. Don't feed your goats with potatoes, cabbage and tomato leaves. It is important to have hay, fruits, combined feeds with added vitamins, wheat and soy flour, corn, oats in the diet;
- introduce feed yeast into the menu - they are rich in protein, protein, fiber, fats, vitamins of groups B, E, D, K;
- keep animals in a room with normal humidity (at least 50%);
- relieve the goat of stress.
Dandruff caused by skin diseases, in particular fungal nature, is treated differently. A high-quality diagnosis with the participation of a veterinarian is required.
If you suspect a disease transmitted from already infected animals, you need to take a scraping from the surface of the skin, examine the secretion of the sebaceous glands, and examine the hairline for the presence of parasites in the hair follicles. To destroy the fungus, it is necessary to regularly treat the skin and scalp with the following compounds:
- green soap;
- warm alkaline solution;
- 10% iodine tincture - after softening and removing crusts from the skin surface;
- 5% solution of copper sulfate on lysol;
- formalin-kerosene emulsion;
- 25% bleach solution.
The LTF-130 vaccine is administered intramuscularly. Tablets "Griseofulvin" have a good antifungal effect - they have an antimycotic effect on a wide range of fungi. The tablets can be crushed, given with food or water. Outwardly, antimycotic ointments "Amorolfin", "Cyclopirox", "Flucytosine" are prescribed.
When dandruff appears due to fleas, ticks and other parasites, insecticide treatment is required for 1-2 weeks.
Could there be any consequences
If dandruff appears in a goat as a result of vitamin deficiency, stress or poor care, you must immediately eliminate the provoking factor. In this case, there will be no negative consequences for the health of the animal.
In a situation where seborrhea occurs due to skin diseases, the risk of a secondary infection increases. This is fraught with a deterioration in the well-being of the goat, impaired appetite, and decreased absorption of nutrients from the feed. The animal can lose a lot of weight, give little milk. The quality of wool in downy breeds of goats decreases.
After a course of treatment for fungal skin lesions, it is recommended to carry out therapy with immunomodulators. This will help the animal restore its immunity and its own defenses, as well as minimize the risk of infection in the future.
Preventive actions
To prevent goats from developing skin problems, it is recommended:
- provide the farm with a balanced diet with the presence of fresh juicy grass, fruits, vitamins and minerals;
- keep animals clean, regularly take out manure, inspect the skin for tangles in the wool, stuck together lumps of dirt;
- Avoid giving your goats a lot of sweet fruits, as high blood sugar makes the body vulnerable to fungal infections;
- monitor the level of humidity in the pen;
- do not leave goats in the sun for a long time, especially during molting;
- avoid stress in animals.
At the first sign of skin lesions, it is recommended to call a veterinarian, because only a specialist will determine whether dandruff is caused by fungal diseases, mites, parasites or care errors.
Healthy skin is an indicator that the goats are well looked after and provided with a nutritious diet. If dandruff appears in small quantities, especially during the shedding period, do not worry immediately. With abundant separation of skin scales, a violation of sebum secretion, the appearance of wounds and flaky surfaces on the skin, it is recommended to invite a specialist, identify the cause of the problems and choose a competent treatment regimen.
