Some of the Topics I Always Cover with Goat Owners
When I see goats or sheep for annual ore preventive care exams, I usually try to collect a fecal sample to evaluate parasite burden.
I always, always, always check a FAMACHA score. [here’s a video on how to do that!] The FAMACHA score is a validated way to evaluate anemia in goats. FAMACHA scores should be checked often, between every week and every month. For sheep, I recommend checking them as often as the sheep are handled.
I always make it a point to recommend AGAINST deworming on any kind of schedule. Instead, owners should check FAMACHA scores monthly, and collect and bring in a fecal sample if it is 3 or above. Then, we deworm based on FAMACHA and her parasite burden found on fecal.
Goats generally need their feet trimmed 2-3 times per year to maintain their structure. In between trims, providing rocks or roof tiles to climb and walk on will help to keep them from overgrowing.
There are a few infectious diseases we worry about in goats, including caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), Johne’s, and caseous lymphadenitis (CL). I’ll have future blogs on each of these, but if there are plans to have more goats or breed animals, we should consider testing for these diseases yearly. CL is the most common disease to cause clinical signs of the three and leads to abscesses in or around the lymph nodes of the goat. If you find a swelling on your goat, it is best to isolate that animal and call your veterinarian so to come aseptically aspirate it to hopefully minimize contamination of your property.
Goats need an annual CDT vaccine to prevent tetanus. When they are pets, we sometimes also give rabies vaccines. That vaccine is not technically approved for goats, however many choose to vaccinate pet goats for rabies since they interact with humans often.
I also often cover diet. My biggest message?
Stop feeding boy goats grain!
Love, Dr. Speziok
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