# Worming pregnant goats?



## RangerBrad

I have talked to diffrent people concerning this subject. Some say you can worm a pregnant doe with no problems while others say it will abort the fetus and you should wait to worm a bred doe till after the the birth. I use panacur and other vet offered wormers. What do yal think on this subject? Thank's, Brad


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## LomahAcres

It depends on the wormer, some are safe, others are not. Panacure is used for tapes and is safe for use in pregnant goats. But as always you should not worm unless you know you are having a problem with this type of worm. Tape worms do not create a big problem in adult goats, only for kids. If you are planning to breed a doe, your best bet it to have a fecal sample taken and have her wormed for the type of worm problem your having, *before* she is bred so you will not have to worry about it during her pregnancy. It is preferred NOT to worm during pregnancy because growing kids takes a lot of work, does don't need to be fighting heavy worm loads at the same time. They will be more stressed and it will wane on their, and the kids, health.


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## Laverne

At DairyGoatInfo it's recommended to worm at 100 days bred to avoid abortion and use IvomecPlus for lungworm, liverfluke and 4th stage HC worm which are problems in the South.


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## ozark_jewels

I agree with the above. One other thing. You are in an area where you will need to be on top of any worm problem. I hope you are using something stronger than Panacur?? Panacur will NOT get stomach worms which are the real problem worms for goats.

If you have a pregnant doe with worm problems, its better to worm her than to lose her, no matter where in her gestation, she is.


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## motdaugrnds

I don't like to worm my pregnant does; but if I need to, I do it "early" in their pregnancey; never during the last 2 months.


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## Alice In TX/MO

The critical period to *avoid deworming* is in the *first two months* in order to avoid abortion and birth defects in the kids.

I recommend you read info about goat worms and their treatment at:
http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,8934.0.html

Specific info about Valbazen caused birth defects (long):
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/Products/ApprovedAnimalDrugProducts/FOIADrugSummaries/UCM054872


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## motdaugrnds

WOW good thing ignorance is bliss. We've never had a doe abort yet; but thanks for the information Alice.


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## goatkid

I had to worm a few of my pregnant does last fall due to worms showing up on the fecal. I used Ivermectin. I was told to wait until they are at least 30 days bred to be sure the fetuses have implanted first. They had healthy babies. Do not use valbazen on pregnant goats. That is the wormer that causes birth defects.


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## The Tin Mom

The lady I purchased my goats from told me to wait until 50 days bred before using any dewormer. She also warned me not to use Valbazen on pregnant does. One friend won't use Valbazen at all because it causes abortions and birth defects.

I dewormed prior to breeding and am watching to make sure nothing shows up....


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## rootsandwings

piggybacking on this thread - I have ivomec resistant gut worms in my herd. my vet is ordering me Valbazen for the non-pregnant animals. I have one doe currently 76 days bred. today I got some advice from local breeders and a breeder/vet tech to worm her using cydectin cattle pour-on orally at 1cc/22lbs.

So, I will be asking my vet about withdrawal times etc also, but before I do any of this, my youngest goats are 6 months and three are milking - any cautions or concerns about the valbazen or the cydectin instructions?

thanks!


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## rootsandwings

oh, obviously the three that are milking are not 6 months old - duh!


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## Alice In TX/MO

Keep in mind this is an off-label use. There is *nothing* official, as it hasn't been tested in goats.

Here's a link to a chart with withdrawal times for many drugs. I recommend you print it and keep it in your goat notebook.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/goats/presentations/drugwithdrawtimeJan05.pdf


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## rootsandwings

Alice, I had seen that chart, it confuses me. If you look under "route" it generally says po or sq, but I am giving the meds orally.

So, under ivermectin, for example, "sheep drench" and "ivomec 1%" have the same dosage rate, different "route"s and vastly different withdrawal times. So I'm not sure how to interpret that. It seems like the route affects the withdrawal time (which makes sense) but then how do I figure the withdrawal time for oral dosage? Is it really safe to drink my milk 8 days after I dose my goats with valbazen?


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## Alice In TX/MO

Isn't PO orally? Per Os = by mouth

I can't tell you when it's "safe" to drink the milk. Honestly, it's going to be your personal decision for you and your family. If you are selling milk, you are stuck with the chart.

See the column where it says "Approval"? Across from Cydectin it says "Extra label" which means you are using it in a way that it is not labeled for. Hasn't been tested for goats/withdrawal, etc.

One of the reasons goat dewormers are administered by mouth is to reduce the time it's in the body and increase contact (with the worms) at a higher rate for a shorter time. According to "Sheep and Goat Medicine" (the textbook), this increases effectiveness and reduces the likelihood of the worms becoming immune due to low level/long term levels of the dewormer in the goat's system.

The name of the chart is "Medications Commonly Used in Goats" - not medications recommended for goats. It also says "Approximate Withdrawal Times."

Kind of frustrating, isn't it??

I looked up the author of the chart. She has lots of letters after her name. Here's here bio: http://www.clemson.edu/public/lph/bios/scharko.html


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## rootsandwings

Umm  I thought it meant "pour on" 

I see now.

This is why I ask even when I think I know - I am too dumb to know what I don't know.

It is pretty much all extra-label for goats. But the withdrawal time on the chart - that is for goats?


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## LisaDianeRN

motdaugrnds said:


> WOW good thing ignorance is bliss. We've never had a doe abort yet; but thanks for the information Alice.


Respectfully........ IGNORANCE IS NEVER BLISS..... there is a cure for ignorance if you choose to receive it... It's called "knowledge".


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## Alice In TX/MO

Some of the herbals cause abortion.


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## altair

Windmill Acres said:


> Does anybody here use Mollys Herbal Wormer? My does are pregnant too and its a weekly thing. I dont even know when they are due because I had a buck ( he was mine raised from a baby) in with them for months. I just sold him last week when their preggos tests came back positive for all three. Pepper looks like she could POP any day now , however!


Contact the company and see if their blends are safe for pregnant animals.


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## Alice In TX/MO

It is on the website.


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