Worms in goats: signs and symptoms, how to treat and how to deworm

Worms start up in goats as a result of poor hygiene in the premises where livestock is kept, consumption of contaminated food and water, contact with already infested animals. It is important to diagnose the defeat of worms in time and start treating it, since the invasion adversely affects the quality of meat and milk, affects the well-being of the animal, the state of its immune system, and in advanced cases can lead to the death of the goat.

Causes of infection

Helminthiasis, in common worms, is caused by the introduction of larvae of parasitic worms into the body of an animal. Methods of treatment and diagnosis differ depending on what type of worms the goat is infested with:

• cestodes are flat tapeworms. Initially, they are introduced into the lungs, kidneys and brain, as they grow older they move to the intestines. A goat can become infected through contact with the faeces of domestic and wild animals in the pasture - foxes, cats, wolves, dogs;
• trematodes are fluke worms. Cause damage to the liver and pancreas in goats;
• nematodes - some worms from this group can live and develop in the soil for up to several years in a row. They can parasitize in the stomach, intestines, lungs, bronchi, brain.

It is difficult to avoid infecting livestock with worms, as parasite larvae can be found anywhere. Therefore, regular prevention of invasion is very important, both in the form of compliance with sanitary standards when keeping animals, and in the conduct of preventive anthelmintic therapy.

Main sources of deworming goats:

• fresh forbs;
• wetlands pastures;
• hay, straw;
• unwashed roots and vegetables used in goat feeding;
• dirty dishes from which animals are fed and watered;
• poor quality grain;
• wild and domestic animals, birds, and some insects (dragonflies).

More often affected by worms are animals with weakened immunity (with low fatness, low-quality content), in the absence of regular treatments.

Over time, an immune response develops to most helminths - due to the content of antibodies in the blood of goats, the development of parasites is suppressed.

The main symptoms of the appearance of helminths

Signs of helminthiasis in animals may differ depending on which group of parasites the body is affected, as well as the development of which disease the infestation has led to. Most often, goats show symptoms of monieziosis and fascioliasis.

Monieziosis is a pathology that develops when a large number of tapeworm larvae multiply in the small intestine.

The disease strikes a goat when eating grass crops in a pasture infested with ticks. They are intermediate organisms that transmit parasite larvae to goats. The symptoms of monieziosis are as follows:

• diarrhea alternating with constipation;
• deterioration of appetite up to complete refusal of food;
• reducing body weight and milk yield.

If the farmer pays attention to the changed state of the goat, he will notice small light segments of the parasite in the animal's feces. Fascioliasis is a disease that goats suffer more often in the winter-spring period.It develops when the liver is damaged by brown flat parasites, reaching a length of 3 centimeters. Worms lay their offspring inside the liver, in the bile ducts, from where the eggs enter the intestines along with the digested food, and from there - with the feces.

Invasion of goats with flatworms is associated with grazing in wetlands with dirty, stagnant water.

Fasciolosis is manifested by weakness and increased fatigue of the animal, loss of appetite. The disease often becomes chronic, and its symptoms resemble hepatitis:

• bloating;
• alternating diarrhea and constipation;
• temperature increase;
• weight loss.

It is important to pay attention to the symptoms of worms in time, since the invasion significantly worsens the quality of life of the animal, and through infected meat and milk, the larvae and eggs of parasites can be transmitted to humans.

Diagnostic Methods

It is not always possible to detect particles of adult worms in the feces of goats. It is better to invite a veterinarian who will take animal feces or a swab for analysis. Research is conducted in several ways:

• sequential flush method;
• floration method;
• preparing a native smear;
• allergic tests;
• serological diagnosis.

The results of the study are compared with the clinical picture, after which the therapy is selected.

How to get rid of worms in a goat

The following drugs are used for deworming:

• "Panacourt";
• "Acemidophen";
• Polytreme;
• Bitionol;
• Nelverm;
• Tetramisol.

Drugs can be given with food, dissolved in water, there are also injection forms among the drugs. The dosage and frequency of application is determined by the veterinarian. It is important to repeat the treatment after one and a half to two weeks, even if the instructions for using the product do not indicate this.

The first dose of the drug will kill adult worms, and the second will affect the individuals that have developed in 2 weeks.

Possible consequences

The consequences of helminthiasis can be severe if the farmer does not diagnose the disease and take timely treatment:

• inflammation and necrosis of pancreatic tissue;
• blockage of the bile ducts by a ball of helminths;
• inflammation of the liver with the development of hepatitis, cirrhosis;
• damage to the central nervous system during the reproduction of worm larvae in the brain;
• chronic respiratory and bronchopulmonary diseases, with the localization of helminths in the upper and lower respiratory tract.

In severe cases, when helminthiasis causes chronic systemic diseases, they can lead to exhaustion and subsequent death of the animal.

Prevention measures

To prevent worms in goats you need to:

• quarantine and process new goats and runaways from the farm;
• make sure that outside animals do not enter the territory of the farm and livestock grazing areas;
• install disinfection barriers;
• purchase feed from trusted suppliers;
• to harvest fodder in places where cattle do not graze;
• feed and water animals from clean dishes.

In order to destroy insects, which are intermediate organisms for carrying eggs of parasites, it is necessary to treat pastures where goats will graze with insecticides. Adults are regularly destroyed by treatment with prophylactic doses of anthelmintic drugs. To get rid of eggs and worm larvae, it is necessary to disinfect the premises and heat-treat the manure.

Can I eat milk and meat

Using common deworming drugs, you can drink milk after 3-5 days after goat treatment. It is allowed to slaughter animals for meat 7-10 days after the end of anthelmintic therapy.

It is important to diagnose the presence of worms in time and treat goats. Adult animals affected by helminths will excrete larvae and eggs of parasites in large quantities, risking infecting young animals, which tolerate helminthiasis more severely.The weight gain per day will decrease, the beginning of the case among young kids is possible.

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