How to Identify Internal Parasites in Goats

Your goats' lives depend in part upon your ability to identify and properly manage internal parasites. All goats have internal parasites -- potentially serious health problems only develop when these parasites get out of control in your goats' bodies, often as a result of improper feeding practices, overstocked pens and pastures, and excessively wet or humid weather conditions. Two of the most common types of internal parasites, stomach worms and coccidia, inhabit your goats' intestines and -- when allowed to run amok -- may cause serious health problems and death. (see reference 1) As microscopic organisms, these intestinal parasites are too small for you to see with the unaided human eye, so your best chance of identifying them is to watch closely for signs of parasite problems.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic sandwich bags
  • Rubber gloves
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Instructions

    • 1

      Monitor your goats' eating habits on a daily basis. Look for goats that hang back from the feeding trough or appear listless, as well as ones that seem weak and disinterested or don't want to get up and greet you, all possible signs of a potentially serious internal parasite infection. Run your hands across their backs to assess their coat quality; a healthy goat typically has shining, sleek hair, while a parasite-infected one often possesses a rough, dull hair coat. (see reference 1)

    • 2

      Check the consistency of your goats' stool, which in a healthy goat, typically consists of a collection of berry-like pellets. Look for loose, watery or blood-tinged diarrhea in kids under the age of six months, a key indicator of coccidiosis, according to Dr. Christine Navarre, associate professor at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine and coauthor of "Sheep and Goat Medicine." (see reference 2) Diarrhea in adult goats often points to a serious stomach worm infection.

    • 3

      Inspect the insides of your goats' eyelids once weekly to identify anemia, a common symptom of stomach worms, according to Dr. Maria Leite-Browning, extension animal scientist at Alabama A&M University. (see reference 3) Gently pull down your goat's lower eyelid and note the color of the conjunctiva. Look for the pale pink or gray color that characterizes the conjunctiva of a stomach worm-infested goat, a sign that a heavy load of stomach worms has attached to the lining of your goat's intestines to suck its blood.

    • 4

      Collect a stool sample from goats that demonstrate any signs of internal parasite infestation. Gather the feces sample in a plastic sandwich bag, using rubber gloves to maintain sanitary conditions. Take the stool samples to your veterinarian, who will examine them under a microscope to identify the exact internal parasite causing the symptoms.