ANEMIA IN GOATS - Multiple Causes

The Barberpole stomach worm (Haemonchus contortus) is almost always the cause of anemia in goats. H. contortus  feeds on blood, destroying red blood cells that  deliver oxygen to all of the organs in the goat's body, including the brain and muscles. Oxygen depletion can be so severe that the goat's muscles cease to work and its brain and other organs fail.

Many goat raisers don't realize how life threatening the Barberpole worm is to goats.  Almost every problem in the goat’s life begins and ends with Barberpole worm infestation.

Hypoproteinemia is the protein depletion that results from a rapid reduction in red blood cells. A common external symptom is bottlejaw -- a swelling under the chin that worsens as the day passes and may seem to disappear by morning, only to re-appear the next evening. Edema is the term that describes the swelling that  results from  fluid leaving blood vessels (caused by severe protein deficiency) and pooling under the chin.

Anemia is a life-threatening illness to goats from which they will not recover until you have administered the appropriate dewormer to kill the worms causing the problem and complete a 30 day or longer treatment with Vitamin B 12 injections (vet prescription) and Red Cell oral iron supplement.  There is no quick fix for curing anemia in goats.  You have to kill 95% of the worms and treat with prescription Vitamin B 12 injections and oral Red Cell in order to rebuild red blood cells.   This is a time-consuming process, both in care of the goat and time  required by  the goat’s body to rebuild red blood cells.

Goat raisers can initially identify   wormloads caused by Haemonchus contortus by using the FAMACHA field test for worms.   Using a thumb or index finger, pull down the lower eyelid and look at the color of its inner membrane. A healthy non-anemic goat has a bright red to red coloration of the inner lower eye membrane. Pink to light pink coloration is not good.  White is definitely anemia and immediate treatment is required or the goat is going to die.   Repeat: A goat with a pink, light pink , or white inner lower eye membrane is anemic and is going to die without immediate treatment.  I don’t rely on the 1 through 5 scoring FAMACHA scoring system. Bright red to red coloration is my initial determining factor.

Goat raisers should attend a workshop teaching proper use of FAMACHA. Dr. Jim Miller, parasitologist and Professor Emeritus at Louisiana State University, provides FAMACHA training at GoatCamp™ at Onion Creek Ranch in Texas each October. Go to www.tennesseemeatgoats.com to the GoatCamp™ page for information.

However, you cannot solely  rely on FAMACHA to determine worm load. The only accurate way to know what you are dealing with is to do fecal egg counts using a microscope and a McMasters slide. You must know the number of eggs per gram and that is only possible by doing fecal egg counts with a McMasters slide under a microscope.

Dr. Miller also teaches how to use a microscope and McMasters slides to determine fecal eggs per gram at GoatCamp™ at Onion Creek Ranch every October.  Refer to my article on how to do your own fecals on the Articles page at www.tennesseemeatgoats.com.

LIVER FLUKES can cause anemia, but liver flukes by themselves usually disrupt just a few blood vessels and feed on the pooled blood. Over a long period of time anemia can slowly develop from liver fluke infection, but at nowhere near the level or speed that it occurs from the Barberpole stomach worm. FAMACHA does not reflect liver fluke infection but rather solely Barberpole stomach worms.  The presence of liver flukes cannot be detected by a normal fecal test; a fecal sedementation test using the Baermann technique is required.

Other sources of anemia may come from external parasites such as blood-sucking LICE, TICKS, and FLEAS. However, the blood loss from external parasites pales in comparison to that lost from internal parasites, with the exception of anaplasmosis.

ANAPLASMOSIS is not the usual cause of anemia in goats but it is showing up more often in  areas of the United States as an external parasite problem that causes anemia. Anaplasmosis is passed from goat to goat by insects (ticks, fleas, biting flies) that feed between infected and susceptible animals. Symptoms are generalized and often include extreme sensitivity to stress and overall listlessness to the point of weakness. The organism, Anaplasma ovis, can also cause abortions.

This parasite enters and destroys red blood cells,  causing anemia. Diagnosis is done through blood testing. Treatment involves oxytetracycline 200 mg/ml (LA 200 or equivalent) . Infected goats should be isolated and treated individually. Eliminating the vectors (ticks, fleas, biting flies) that carry anaplasmosis is very difficult, so it is wise to treat all animals in the herd at the same time. In large herds, individual dosing of every goat is recommended since it isn't possible to isolate each animal.

Fly bags and other insect control measures are highly recommended.

Suzanne W. Gasparotto, ONION CREEK RANCH, Texas. 7.9.23

The author, Suzanne Gasparotto, hereby grants to local goat publications and club newsletters, permission to reprint articles published on the Onion Creek Ranch website under these conditions: THE ARTICLE MUST BE REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THE AUTHOR'S NAME, ADDRESS, AND CONTACT INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRINT. We would appreciate notification from any clubs or publications when the articles are used. (A copy of the newsletter or publication would also be a welcome addition to our growing library of goat related information!)

All information and photos copyright © Onion Creek Ranch and may not be used without express written permission of Onion Creek Ranch. TENNESSEE MEAT GOAT ™ and TEXMASTER™ are Trademarks of Onion Creek Ranch . All artwork and graphics © DTP, Ink and Onion Creek Ranch.