Coccidia is not just a killer of goat Kids but Adult goats can get it as well.
Scours (What we call Diarrhea in goats) weight loss and stunted growth in kids ages 3 weeks and older may be the first signs of coccidiosis. Coccidia, the protozoal parasite that causes coccidiosis, is breed-specific, so if you fear your chickens will pass it to your goats - not to worry.
The parasite causing Coccidiosis is passed through fecal-to-oral contact, meaning as your goat kids mouth everything on the ground, if the adult goats are shedding coccidia Ooocsyts (eggs) , the kids will pick them up and the cycle begins.
Clinical coccidiosis is most prevalent under conditions of poor nutrition, poor sanitation(or overcrowding), or after the stressful situations such as weaning, shipping, sudden changes of feed, or severe weather.
Coccidiosis is extremely contagious and will quickly spread through the goat herd. Usually the first thing you will see is a weak goat, a kid down on it's side with a weak cry or scouring goat or goats- most typically with poops that resemble chocolate pudding (In severe cases may be very watery) or may have mucus or blood in it (Bloody scours is blackish in color or may have actual blood streaks in it), may or may not have bubbles in it when it is first passed and most often has a terrible scant odor- Once you have smelled it you will never forget it. The goat may or may not have a fever and may or may not yet look dehydrated.
Immediate treatment Must be administered because permanent damage is done to the walls of the small intestinal (which is where nutrition is absorbed into the goat's body). Clinical Coccidiosis attacks the intestinal lining causing inflammation in the small intestine and much of the time severe pain. Weight loss can be severe and sometimes chronic (cannot be reversed). If the goat survives, it will more than likely always be a a bit weaker and never really fully healthy. Intestinal bleeding is typical and in severe cases, death can occur from blood loss.
Typical causes of death from coccidiosis are dehydration, electrolytic imbalance and acidosis. Serious clinical Coccidia infections can leave severe intestinal scarring and stunted growth due to poor digestion and nutritional mal-absorption of any nutrition the goat ingests.
Gastro-Intestinal worms are more of a problem with goats browsing on pasture, coccidia are more of a problem in goats (most likely recently kidded does, sick, young and older goats) that are in confinement or under intensive grazing systems.
Treating Coccidiosis!
Deworming will not treat coccidiosis! Let me restate this
DEWORMING WILL NOT TREAT COCCIDIOSIS!
Coccidiostats of Choice
Sulmet Drinking Water solution
Given right from the bottle without diluting
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DiMethox Drinking Water SolutionGiven right from the bottle without diluting
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Treating coccidiosis is always oral and always with a product called a coccidiostat, usually called a "sulfa drug" by goat owners. There are a few out there from which to choose: Sulmet (Sulfamethazine Sodium 12.5%), Di-Methox (Sulfadimethoxine) 12.5% Drinking Water Solution by AgriLabs, or Albon Liquid (Sulfadimethoxine 12.5%)(Which has recently been discontinued due to marketing - not that anything was wrong with the product itself)
NOTE:Do NOT, DO NOT use Corid, even though it says that it is used for cocci
CoRid is a thiamine (Vitamin B 1) inhibitor. Thiamine in the goat's system is essential for keeping the goat in good health, using Corid will undo anything you are attempting to do in getting your goat healthy!
Treating coccidiosis is a 5 day process
1st day: 6 tablespoons (3 fl oz) for each 100 lb body weight
providing approximately 112.5 mg/lb (247.5 mg/kg) body weight.
2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th days: 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 fl oz) for each 100 lb body weight,
providing approximately 56.25 mg/lb (123.75 mg/kg)body weight.
NOTE:1 TBSP (tablespoon) equals 15ccs or 15mls, so when you draw this up into a syringe you can figure this easily
Even though this is a "drinking water solution"- adding it to the water as opposed to using this directly from the bottle undiluted- you cannot gauge how much each animal is getting- do Please - use this directly from the bottle undiluted in the amounts stated above (adjust as needed per your goats approximate weight) so you are sure of the amount your goat has ingested.
In addition to treating the coccidia, you will also need to treat the gut for inflammation and try to stop the scouring without the use of anti-diarrheal medications.
To stop inflammation in the gut:
Over-the-counter people medication, Tagamet 200 can be given to your goats:
For kids the dosage is one half of a Tagamet 200 tablet daily for 5 consecutive days.
For Adult goats, use one Tagamet 200 tablet daily.
Pills and tablets can be crushed in 2 spoons and a very small amount of water added from a dripping faucet to wet the dry powder and then give this on the spoon orally to the goat. OR an Unbroken pill can be hidden in a rolled up piece of bread and allow the goat to eat it- Make sure the pill doesn't get spitted out. Also, a small amount of Pepto-Bismol given orally may also be used to coat the lining of the stomach reducing gut irritation.
To stop watery scouring:
By far the best (although a vet prescription is required) is called TMP-SDZ
Generic Name
Trimethoprim/Sulfadiazine
Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole
Brand Names
Tribrissen (veterinary-approved trimethoprim/sulfadiazine) also known as TMP-SDZ, SDZ-TMP, Co-trimazine
Septra, Bactrim (human-approved trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole)
200mg/40mg per 5 mL - dosage is 2mls or 2ccs given orally for a 100lb goat- overdosing can cause constipation!
One more note:
You may hear that adult goats cannot get coccidiosis, that this is Only a kid disease. NOT TRUE!
I learned the hard way years ago which is why I decided to research and write this article for you.
The following photos are of my goat "Boopie" who lost her life due to coccidia after kidding. I did have a fecal done, BUT Important!a normal fecal exam does not allow enough time for the coccidia oocysts (eggs) to float to the top - an additional 5-15 minutes is required for this to show in a fecal exam- so if you are dealing with a non goat vet- let them know this.
The color of the inner eyelid membrane is light due to blood loss internally due to the coccidia in this goat's system. The "bottlejaw" edema has traveled to the eye area in this photo- this goat is suffering from anemia due to coccidiosis.
This photo shows the bottlejaw of this goat who has severe anemia due to coccidiosis- improperly diagnosed by the vet who did the fecal exam. This goat died a week after these photos were taken- Lesson: Adult goats CAN get coccidiosis- it is Not just a neonatal disorder-a second fecal exam was taken at the time of death showing a very heavy cocci load.
Read More on worms and anemia:
BottleJaw in the Goat
Deworming Information for Goats
