Goat pruritus and skin disease

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:38:58 GMT

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]Sorry, sorry, way off thread, but: is this back in fashion or common practice now? Way back forty years ago oxytetracycline was given i.v. to horses sometimes, though not I think the most usual antibiotic; around 1975 it was shown to be quite likely to result in Colitis X, and we all ceased doing it abruptly. Since then I have never even considered giving it to a horse.[/quote]

I have no evidence behind it, I picked up the practice from the clinicians in the equine ambulatory practice at the RVC. Engemycin is licensed in horses. I have used it a number of times to great success, but I do confess to not doing very much horse work.

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:29:54 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Even something like Engemycin given at a sufficient dose should behave as a long acting preparation. Great IV for pneumonia in horses (slowly.........).[/quote]

Sorry, sorry, way off thread, but: is this back in fashion or common practice now? Way back forty years ago oxytetracycline was given i.v. to horses sometimes, though not I think the most usual antibiotic; around 1975 it was shown to be quite likely to result in Colitis X, and we all ceased doing it abruptly. Since then I have never even considered giving it to a horse.

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

mariette asselbergs — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:57:41 GMT

"Also not kept with any other livestock"

So where did the scab come from?

We had an outbreak in sheep of very itchy very scabby skin irritation on dorsum and heads primarily. No significant loss of wool. No signs of photosensitation. Sheep had not been with other livestock for 30 years according to owner. No sheep bought in for many years. No mites found on several attempts but reacted fine on 2x ivermectine 7 days apart. We concluded that it must have been from scabby foxes.

Mariette

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:19:30 GMT

[quote user="Claire McConnell"]Unfortunately due to the tiny number of farm species we see (most of our LA work is equine so stock the usual equine drugs)we do not stock any of these long acting preps with cost and wastage being too high. [/quote]

Do you carry oxytet? Even something like Engemycin given at a sufficient dose should behave as a long acting preparation. Great IV for pneumonia in horses (slowly.........).

[quote user="Claire McConnell"]Going to see him mid next week if still very pruritic then for a small dose of colvasone - unless you would suggest a differnt steroid prep?[/quote]

Dex is fine. Should be a lot less itchy by next week if we are right. If still significantly pruritic next week - look harder for mites.

Also worth speaking to drug company as not sure if goat requires same dose rate as sheep!

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Claire McConnell — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:39:46 GMT

[quote user="Birte Toft"] Scrapie is a possibility[/quote]

No neuro signs, bright, eating well, no weight loss.

[quote user="Birte Toft"]Most of our backyard goat people have a friendly farmer on hand to help out with injections[/quote]

Unfortunately not in a farming area and as the gentleman is 70 I think he would struggle but I dont think the goat really needs any antibiiotics really so thats good!

Thanks for your advice

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Claire McConnell — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:37:11 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]1. Never give oral antibiotics to a ruminant[/quote]

Glad I asked for advice then although now you have said this I do remember hearing this at uni!

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]There are a number of relatively long acting preparations available that could be used (Naxcel?). [/quote]

Unfortunately due to the tiny number of farm species we see (most of our LA work is equine so stock the usual equine drugs)we do not stock any of these long acting preps with cost and wastage being too high.

I saw the goat today and to be honest I thought there was mild improvement since I saw him a week ago, still quite pruritic but certainly lesiosn no worse and one or two have a small amount of hair regrowing centrally (where lesions started).

Followed your advice following skin scraping etc however it was very disappointing - no mites found!

However as this is still the most likely ddx, have treated again with panomec (ivermectin), and have advised O to warm salt water bath scabs daily and then apply dermisol cream (Yes I know this is a goat and not a dog but to the owner I felt he needed something to be doing and a very pampered goat indeed!)

Going to see him mid next week if still very pruritic then for a small dose of colvasone - unless you would suggest a differnt steroid prep?

Many thanks for advice

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Birte Toft — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:24:10 GMT

I agree, the distribution of lesions and intensity of pruritus sounds like what you would get with psoroptic mange. Dectomax or two doses of ivermectin should do the job. Psoroptes mites migrate away from bald scabby skin towards the lesion edges, so that's where you want your scrapes from.

Demodex in goats isn't typically very pruritic. Dermatophytosis is not particularly common. Scrapie is a possibility, albeit an unlikely one, so it might be worth an over-the-fence neurology assessment.

Most of our backyard goat people have a friendly farmer on hand to help out with injections, but there is no shortage of long-acting LA injectables, particularly as you don't have to worry about milk for human consumption.

Re: Goat pruritus and skin disease

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:00:14 GMT

Claire

1. Never give oral antibiotics to a ruminant. There are a number of relatively long acting preparations available that could be used (Naxcel?). I don't worry about giving Betamox/Depocillin sub cut in calves, sheep and goats. With farm animals once you deal with the underlying cause even a few days antibiotic is often sufficient.

2. If it is very itchy and causing damage to the skin it is almost certainly going to be scab. Take the microscope with you because the mites can take a bit of finding. KOH is useful to dissolve the crust. Sometimes sheep with scab will itch more once you treat and kill the mites. 2 injections of ivermectin 7 days apart needed. If you are sure it is scab, and sure you have given enough ivermectin then a whiff of steroid will give a lot of relief.

3. You should be able to see lice with the naked eye. A wool pluck and I use liquid paraffin to stick to a slide. I find sheep a bit too greasy to use sellotape, but you will sometimes get something to stick.

4. In my experience ringworm in small ruminants tends to concentrate on the head and isn't especially pruritic.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.