[Anita Martin]

I have a doe that for the past couple of days, has been shaking her head every once in a while, like she's gotten something in her ear. I have looked inside and don't see anything at all. Can they get ear mites or other bugs in their ears? (hers look nice and clean and healthy). Is there some kind of disease that manifests itself by the goat shaking it's head as if it's ear were full of water?
Thanks
Anita

 

[Kaye White]

Ear infection, ear mites, and biting flies. Do you have a microscope? You can check for ear mites by taking a Q-Tip and inserting it straight down,(the ear canal makes a backward L into the head so it's unlikely that you will damage the ear drum) make a smear and use 10x to check for mites. Or if you've got access to a ear checker from the vets...you can see them. It's just a magnifing glass.
Kaye

 

[mamatomany]

I have a doe that is doing the same thing...no microscope yet...do you think maybe a dusting of DE would take care of it if it were bugs?

 

[Kaye White]

Don't know...I have used an ear mite treatment for dogs. You also have to re-treat as there are eggs hatching after the adults have been killed.
Kaye

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

Fill the ear with peroxide, they hate this by the way so expect a bath. If it bubbles it usually means an infection, if not just fill the ear with oil, or use miticide to kill the offending bug. If left untreated it can cause severe problems. Vicki

 

[Anita Martin]

The ear is so clean that I really was thinking more along the lines of a burr or something trapped inside. I"ll try the peroxide and swab and see what I get and go from there.
Thanks
anita

 

[VickiLynne]

Also, check for nose bots in her nose from flys. If the larvae crawl up their nose it will cause them shake their heads.

Vicki in NC

 

[Sondra]

I use peroxide like Vicki said and then I use 400 iu people capsul of Vit E not only will it smoother the mites it has antibiotic properties. NO Don't expect DE to do a darn thing for ear problems.

 

[doublebowgoats]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in... How do you check for nasal bots?

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

You can plainly see nose bots, they lay eggs right at the opening of the nose. They look like brown soot, the goats usually try to blow buggers all the time since the bots fly up into their noses also. vicki

 

[Anita Martin]

Is there a season for nose bots? Are they anything like the bots that lay eggs on horses during the fall?
Thanks,
Anita