Lichen in goats: what it looks like, symptoms and treatment, methods of prevention

Goats are one of the most common farm animals domesticated by mankind since time immemorial. They are distinguished by good he alth, fertility, bring dietary meat, healing milk, wool. These animals are useful in home gardens, they are industrially bred, so the appearance of diseases can threaten the livestock. It is important to know the causes of lichen in goats and be able to effectively cope with the disease.

Causes of disease

Animals suffer from various types of skin infections caused by fungi. Ringworm is more common. They are sick domestic and farm animals. Cats and dogs are more susceptible to this, cattle, sheep and goats suffer from it less often.

However, fungal infections are highly contagious, meaning they are transmitted through contact with an infected subject. The disease is also able to migrate from goats and other representatives to humans and vice versa, since there are no specific pathogens that are different for humans and animals.

Trichophytosis, microsporia and scab are provoked by fungi Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton. In goats, they settle on the skin and damage tissues and wool, localizing in delicate areas - ears, nose, muzzle, stomach, then spreading throughout the body.

Symptoms of infection

Lichen looks like a whitish, pinkish or reddish spot, usually oval or round in shape, on which the coat falls out, and scaly and itchy scales form.

Kids and young animals are more often affected, because their immunity has not yet fully formed, and the skin is much more susceptible to infections.However, this does not mean that an adult goat cannot become infected. If she comes into contact with sick tribesmen or other inhabitants of the barnyard, pets, she can get sick at any age.

Initially subtle lichen marks can grow and grow, disturbing with itching and irritation. Goats will try to scratch the affected area, which can spread the infection to other parts of the body, as well as lead to a secondary bacterial infection due to microorganisms entering damaged tissues.

Diagnostic Methods

You can visually detect a fungal infection if the disease has gone far. However, a number of infections occur in a latent form, and external manifestations may be similar to each other. Therefore, the only accurate way to identify lichen can be a special diagnosis by a veterinarian.

To do this, a swab is taken from the focus of pathological activity and examined under a microscope.If this method also does not work, you will have to use the inoculation of the pathogen on a nutrient medium in a Petri dish. This method will allow you to accurately determine the type of pathogen and begin professional treatment.

How to properly treat lichen in goats

Fungal diseases are spread by means of spores that "cling" to the coat and attach to the tissues. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is desirable to remove the hair, at least on the affected parts, as short as possible or at least cut it. This will reduce the risk of lichen spreading to he althy tissues and will facilitate the simplified use of topical products.

Treatment consists in treating the goat's body with special antifungal drugs. Sheared wool, as well as used bedding, textiles, must be destroyed, and tools and accessories must be disinfected to destroy pathogens.

The animal must be treated with a compound that kills fungi and spores.Imaverol and Lime Sulfur preparations are best suited for this purpose, but you can also use shampoos containing miconazole, for example, Nizoral. Washing antimycotic agents work with direct contact, that is, they act on the pathogen during washing, but they are suitable for animals of large dimensions. For example, you can wash an adult goat with shampoo, and then, if necessary, supplement the procedure with treatment. One bath with a similar preparation is enough for a kid.

If bathing was not enough or there are deep, extensive damaged areas on the goat's body, complex treatment is used. Outwardly, wounds are treated with antimycotic ointments, and inside they are given preparations for fungi such as Griseofulvin, Ketoconazole or Itraconazole.The latter remedy has the least toxicity and side effects.

The choice of drug, dosage and treatment period are related to the type of disease, age and weight of the animal, therefore, they are the prerogative of the veterinarian.

Possible danger

Lichens may not appear outwardly or be hardly noticeable until a certain time. However, the disease develops, gradually undermining the strength of the body, weakening the immune system. In this condition, the goat can easily "pick up" any disease. The immune system may not be able to cope with colds or other diseases, so the animal will suffer or even die.

Mycosis and lichen in particular can cause a secondary infection, which further worsens the condition of the animal. From a purely technical point of view, the coat suffers, which can cause financial losses for the farmer when breeding fine-fleeced or downy goats. Also, lichen can cause changes in lactation, so the goat will not be able to feed offspring or will not produce enough milk if it belongs to the profile breed.

The medicine for lichen can also be dangerous, in particular if the dosage or time of treatment is violated. A number of drugs provoke side effects that negatively affect the functioning of the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and also depress the bone marrow.

Prevention Methods

To avoid outbreaks in goats and transmission to other animals and caregivers, the following guidelines should be followed:

1. Keeping goat facilities clean.
2. Cleaning, combing and, if necessary, washing animals, since fungi often develop on dirty, neglected and matted wool.
3. Isolating an infected goat or kid to prevent the spread of lichen.
4. Use of specialized vaccines.
5. Balanced feeding and compliance with the rules of keeping goats promotes strong natural immunity, which helps not to get infected or quickly cope with the infection by the body's own forces.

If you provide goats with living conditions, feed them with natural balanced feeds, start procedures quickly when lichen is detected, it will be possible to avoid serious losses and save livestock, including kids and adult animals.

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