Goats have dandruff: what to do and what is the cause, treatment and prevention

White flakes can sometimes start to fall from the head, not only in humans, but also in domestic animals and livestock. Therefore, the question of what to do if a goat has dandruff is not so rare. You need to figure out why the disorder develops, whether it is safe or can cause complications, how to properly treat and prevent 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. By itself, dandruff is pieces of the top layer of skin (epidermis), which is regularly updated.Normally, in an animal, a change in the 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 cattle are:

• skin damage by mites, fleas and other parasites;
• sunburns - occur more often during the molting period, when the goat's hair becomes thinner, and the animal itself grazes outside from morning to late evening, in hot weather;
• insufficient air humidity leading to drying of the epidermis;
• hormonal and gastrointestinal diseases;
• poor-quality feeding, when the goat's diet lacks vitamins and nutrients;
• overweight;
• Stress - Although goats are considered to be cocky and bold animals, they can be very shy and feel nervous when handled rudely by their owners.

The most dangerous cause of dandruff are skin diseases. Often these are pathologies of fungal etiology, for example, trichophytosis (trichophytosis). Trichophytosis is a disease caused by the Trichophyton fungus that affects 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 a white flake that can be found inside a goat's coat or on the floor of a stall. Seborrhea caused by beriberi or stress can be easily treated by adjusting the diet and improving the maintenance of the animal. It manifests itself not as strongly as that caused by diseases of fungal etiology. With trichophytosis, areas with coarsened, scaly skin covered with a crust appear on the body of a goat. The hair may fall out or break off profusely, the skin looks inflamed, serous contents may ooze from the cracks.

Spots reach a size of 1-5 centimeters in diameter, with a running form and more. On palpation, small tubercles are felt.

The goat looks agitated due to itching, there may be a decrease in appetite and weight loss. The skin is tight and dry, so the animal tries to scratch against the 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 has appeared as a result of stress, improper feeding or care, it is recommended:

• balance the diet of the animal - if the goat is on free pasture, it is necessary to choose a pasture rich in clover, alfalfa, chicory, legumes, shrubs, young trees.Do not feed goats potatoes, cabbage and tomato leaves. The presence in the diet of hay, fruits, combined feeds with the addition of vitamins, wheat and soy flour, corn, oats is important;
• introduce fodder yeast into the menu - they are rich in protein, protein, fiber, fats, vitamins of groups B, E, D, K;
• keep animals indoors with normal humidity levels (at least 50%);
• to relieve the goat of stress.

Dandruff resulting from skin diseases, in particular fungal nature, is treated differently. High-quality diagnostics with the participation of a veterinarian is needed.

If you suspect a disease transmitted from already infected animals, you need to take a scraping from the surface of the skin, examine the secret of the sebaceous glands, examine the hairline for the presence of parasites in the hair follicles.To destroy the fungus, regular treatment of the skin and hairline with the following compounds is necessary:

• green soap;
• with warm alkaline solution;
• 10% tincture of iodine - after softening and removing crusts from the surface of the skin;
• 5% solution of copper sulfate on Lysol;
• formalin-kerosene emulsion;
• 25% bleach solution.

The LTF-130 vaccine is administered intramuscularly. Griseofulvin tablets have a good antifungal effect - they have an antimycotic effect on a wide range of fungi. Tablets can be crushed, given with food or water. Outwardly, antimycotic ointments "Amorolfin", "Cyclopirox", "Flucytosine" are prescribed.

Severe fungal skin lesions are fraught with the addition of a bacterial infection, in which antibiotics Amoxicillin, Zinaprim, Interflox, Kanamycin and others are prescribed, at the choice of a veterinarian.

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 beriberi, stress or poor-quality care, it is necessary to immediately eliminate the provoking factor. In this case, there will be no negative consequences for the he alth of the animal.

In a situation where seborrhea occurs due to skin diseases, the risk of secondary infection increases. This is fraught with deterioration of the goat's well-being, loss of appetite, and a decrease in the 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 is decreasing.

After a course of treatment of fungal skin lesions, it is recommended to carry out therapy with immunomodulators. This will help the animal restore immunity and its own defenses, as well as minimize the risk of infection in the future.

Prevention measures

To avoid skin problems in goats, it is recommended:

• provide a balanced diet on the farm 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, sticky clods of dirt;
• don't give 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 paddock;
• do not leave goats in the sun for a long time, especially during the molting season;
• 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.

He althy skin is an indicator that goats are well cared for and provided with a complete diet. If dandruff appears in small quantities, especially during the molting period, do not immediately worry. With abundant separation of skin scales, a violation in the secretion of sebum, 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.

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