This article was co-authored by Alexandra Doss. Alexandra Doss is a Poultry & Livestock Expert expert based in Ruskin, Florida. She owns and manages Stellar Game Birds, Poultry, Waterfowl LLC, a selective breeding operation with game birds, poultry, and waterfowl. With over 14 years of experience, she produces strong genetics and health in her hatching eggs, eating eggs, and live birds. The farm is FWC game farm licensed, FDAC licensed for quail, chicken, and duck eating eggs and meat, and NPIP certified. She is known as the Quail Lady and has published several books on raising Coturnix. Her work has been featured in Mother Earth News, Backyard Poultry, Grit, The Chicken Whisperer Magazine, and Community Chickens. She also has a career as a Workforce Management Supervisor and has a certificate in project management. She received a BS from Oregon State in Animal Sciences.
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Tick and flea infestations can cause any number of problems in a goat herd, from disrupting healthy fleece and milk production to causing anemia and poor health overall. By removing ticks and fleas by hand, treating tick and flea outbreaks with shampoo and insecticide, and controlling your goats’ environment to prevent tick and flea infestations from the beginning you can keep your herd both healthy and happy.
Things You Should Know
- Remove ticks from your goats by hand using tweezers. For flea infestations, use a flea comb.
- Wash each goat's fur with a flea shampoo, and rub them down with an insecticide every 30 days for 3 months.
- Prevent flea and tick infestations by cleaning your goats' bedding regularly and alternating their grazing locations.
Steps
Removing Ticks and Fleas by Hand
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Find all ticks on your goat’s body before removing them. Run your fingers through your goat’s fur to feel for any small lumps that might be a tick, checking visually to confirm the lumps are ticks after finding them. Inspecting your goat beforehand can help keep you from missing any ticks that may be hiding in hard-to-reach areas.[1]
- Inspect more closely in dark, moist areas like the ears, groin, and eyelids.[2]
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Remove ticks with tweezers. Grasp ticks above the head with tweezers and detach them from your goat’s skin by pulling gently.[3] Save the ticks in a plastic bag or pill bottle so that your veterinarian can test them for diseases they may have passed to your goats.[4]
- Failing to remove the entire head of the tick from your goat’s skin can cause infection.[5]
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Use a flea comb to rid your goat of fleas and flea dirt. Comb over your goat’s entire body in the direction of the fur to remove fleas and flea dirt (small, dark clumps of flea feces). Start with the head and work your way to the tail, then work from the chest down your goat’s belly. Make sure to also comb the fur on the legs.[6]
Treating Tick and Flea Outbreaks with Shampoo and Insecticide
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Identify the specific tick or flea species infesting your goat(s). Use an identification key (http://www.tickencounter.org/tick_identification for ticks) to figure out what type of tick or flea your goat has. Different species require different insecticides, so you’ll need to know before you pursue treatment.[9]
- If you’re having trouble identifying the species of the tick or flea, you can always ask your veterinarian to make a house call to assist you.[10]
- The most common species of fleas that infest goats are the cat flea and the sticktight flea.
- The most common species of ticks that infest goats are the American Dog Tick, the Gulf Coast Tick, and the Lone Star Tick.[11]
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Wash your goat’s fur with flea shampoo and give them water to drink before applying insecticide. Spray your goat down with water and apply a veterinarian-recommended flea shampoo to its fleece to remove as many fleas as possible before applying insecticide. Then, spray your goat with water again to rinse out the shampoo.[12]
- Giving your goat water to drink can keep them from getting thirsty and drinking the insecticide.[13]
- Make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself from fleas, ticks, or irritants in the shampoo.[14]
- Don’t use a human shampoo. Human shampoos can irritate your goat’s skin.[15]
- After washing your goat’s fur, you may choose to shear your goat if it’s around the time you regularly do so to remove many (but not all) of the ticks and fleas.[16]
- Consult your veterinarian on the best insecticide for treatment. Once you’ve identified the specific tick or flea species infesting your goat, call your veterinarian to find out which insecticides combat those species most effectively.[17]
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Apply insecticide every 30 days for 3 months. Spray the insecticide down your goat’s spine, under the chin, and on the chest between its two front legs. Rub the insecticide into their fur with your hands to evenly spread it around their body.[18]
- Make sure to avoid the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.[19]
Expert Q&A
Tips
Things You’ll Need
- Tweezers
- Flea comb
- Flea shampoo
- Gloves
- Shears
- Insecticide
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about goats, check out our in-depth interview with Alexandra Doss.
References
- ↑ https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/finding-ticks-your-dog-5-places-look
- ↑ https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/finding-ticks-your-dog-5-places-look
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/tick-control-cattle-11372.html
- ↑ https://www.petmd.com/dog/dos-and-donts-tick-disposal
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/tick-control-cattle-11372.html
- ↑ http://www.thebugsquad.com/fleas/flea-comb-guide/
- ↑ http://www.thebugsquad.com/fleas/flea-comb-guide/
- ↑ http://www.thebugsquad.com/fleas/flea-comb-guide/
- ↑ http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf
- ↑ http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf
- ↑ http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ https://www.hobbyfarms.com/how-to-spot-treat-goat-parasites/
- ↑ http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/B112/
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/how-to-use-frontline-on-goats-12356125.html
- ↑ http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf
- ↑ http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2396&Itemid=2656
- ↑ https://www.hobbyfarms.com/how-to-spot-treat-goat-parasites/
- ↑ http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5175/EPP-7019web.pdf
- ↑ http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/identify-control-goat-external-parasites/
- ↑ https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Safe-use-of-flea-and-tick-preventive-products.aspx
- ↑ http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/identify-control-goat-external-parasites/
- ↑ http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/identify-control-goat-external-parasites/
About This Article
Unfortunately, goats are prone to getting ticks and fleas, but if you treat them thoroughly, your herd can be happy and healthy again. If your goat just has 1 or 2 ticks, you can remove them with tweezers. Grasp the tick above the head with the tweezers and pull gently so you remove the entire tick. For fleas, pull a flea comb over your goat’s body in the direction of its fur to remove them. Start with the head and work your way to its tail to ensure you get them all. You can also use a livestock shampoo to remove fleas or ticks. First, look up an identification guide online so you can figure out what species is on your goat. Then, purchase a shampoo made for that kind of flea or tick. You’ll need to spray your goat down with water, apply the shampoo, then rinse it out with more water. To learn how to apply an insecticide on your goat, read on!