What Are the Treatments for Goats With Scabies?

Also called sarcoptic mange, scabies in goats occurs when tiny mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) dig into your goat̵7;s skin, creating hair loss, thickened skin, itchiness and crusty areas on the skin. Treatment for goats with scabies varies, depending upon the severity of your goat̵7;s mange infection.

  1. Treatment Types

    • The Merck Veterinary Manual states that injections of ivermectin are an acceptable treatment for goats with scabies. You can also use topical sprays, which typically include permethrin (a topical insecticide) as an active ingredient.

    Topical Treatments

    • According to the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, topical treatments approved for use with goats include Atroban (11 percent permethrin) and GardStar (40 percent permethrin).

    Potential

    • In a small study, published in Tropical Animal Health and Production in 1993, researchers from the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, India, successfully used an herbal spray containing various plant extracts to treat sarcoptic mange in goats.

    Time Frame

    • When using topical medications to control scabies in goats, you will typically need to retreat your goats approximately 10 to 12 days after your initial treatment, due to the delayed hatching of mite eggs.

    Considerations

    • Use your goat̵7;s scabies infection as a guide to help you in determining the type of treatment you should choose. Although milder cases of scabies may improve without any medical treatment, more severe infections typically require chemical medication before the mange will improve significantly.

    Warning

    • Although medications used to treat sarcoptic mange in other animal species, such as horses, may be effective, they most likely are not labeled for use with goats and may cause serious side effects in goats. Always consult with your veterinarian regarding diagnosis and treatment requirements before you treat your goat for scabies.