# Safeguard wormer question



## DownHome (Jan 20, 2006)

Took one of my does in and had a fecal done. Vet said she had coccidia? and a couple of others I can't remember. She told me to treat them with a double dose of Safeguard, sometime within the next month. A couple of weeks later we just treated them a couple of days ago. However, I noticed our youngest doe is having loose stools today, very loose stools. Would Safeguard cause this or should I have used a stronger wormer? We also just put a buck in with them about 3-4 days ago. Could he have caused it. His stools seem to be fine.


Thanks


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## fcnubian (Sep 7, 2006)

She told you to treat coccidia with Safeguard?


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## oceanmist (Mar 21, 2006)

DownHome said:


> Took one of my does in and had a fecal done. Vet said she had coccidia? and a couple of others I can't remember. She told me to treat them with a double dose of Safeguard, sometime within the next month. A couple of weeks later we just treated them a couple of days ago. However, I noticed our youngest doe is having loose stools today, very loose stools. Would Safeguard cause this or should I have used a stronger wormer? We also just put a buck in with them about 3-4 days ago. Could he have caused it. His stools seem to be fine.
> 
> 
> Thanks



You can NOT treat Coccidia with any type of wormer. You have to use a coccidiostat...

sulfadimethoxine 12.5% solution such as Albon, or Di-Methox, or Sulmet... usually found in the poultry department of your local feed store... safeguard is strictly for worms and even then it won't get every type of worm so you need to look at adding Ivomec 1% injectable for cattle and use it orally on your goats...

what are you feeding? what else would be changed or affecting their stool consistency?

Misty


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## DownHome (Jan 20, 2006)

I'm not sure exactly what she (the vet) meant. But she said that the goat had worms (she didn't say what kind), she seen evidence of coccidia, and she recommended that we worm them within the next month and showed me a bottle of Safeguard. She said to use it double strength. Since that was the only recommended treatment, I assumed that it would treat all of the things she listed.

I, at that time, thought coccidia was just a type of worm. Her food has not changed. When I saw her loose stool, I stopped all grain and increased alfalfa. She also has access to fresh grass. She was wormed the day before I noticed the loose stools. Would that be associated?

The only other thing that has changed recently is we put a buck in with them. The day after she had her loose stools it also looked as if she had been bred. There was a light pink tinted oozing coming from that area. Sound right? We haven't seen him do anything besides act a little interested sporadically.

I need to know what else I need to do inorder to take care of these problems. specifics would be greatly appreciated. Please keep in mind that we did just use Safeguard double strength about 2-3 days ago.


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

Fenbendazole (Safeguard) is and older wormer that is ineffective against worms in most areas of the country, if not all. I'd try ivermectin injectable or pour-on, dosed orally as a drench, then get anther fecal to make sure it is effective.

Sulmet (brand name) or Sulmet/aureomycin in the drinking water at the swine dose (if I recall it is 2 oz. powder per 50 gallons; check the package) is what I use for cocci. Make sure that water is the only source of water.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I think all goats normally have some level of cocci in their gut and you only treat if it becomes a problem.


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## DownHome (Jan 20, 2006)

Okay I got off the phone with the vet and she said Safeguard would not work for coccidia (newsflash). She said maybe she was having an off day or something and said I should use Amprolium. I'm off to the vet to pick it up, since typically you have to buy it in gallon jugs and I only need a little bit. Does that sound right?


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

You can use Corrid (amprolium) but you have to be careful with it because too much can kill your goat in too high doses, as it is a thiamine uptake inhibitor. I have used it for years. 

You can also use Sulmet in the drinking water, which will kill the lil buggers. 

Corrid used to be cheap in a powder, but now they put it in liquid and want the high dollar. So I switched to Sulmet because of cost.

Any chance you can find another vet? Or clue her in to this forum? LOL.


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

fishhead said:


> I think all goats normally have some level of cocci in their gut and you only treat if it becomes a problem.


You are correct, my friend. Usually, it is only young goats and adults who are stressed from other factors that get cocci. Birthing, cold and wet weather, a touch of pneumonia, feed changes, the stress of breeding on a buck...lots of different stresses can create a problem, and especially so if the environs are conducive to cocci reproduction, ie wet, fecally contaminated, and confined.


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