Coccidiosis in Goats

Coccidia are normal parasites that all goats carry in their bodies and that are in the environment, but stress, such as from weaning, going to new homes, weather, etc, can cause the coccidia to multiply, resulting in life threatening coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is the number one cause of diarrhea in baby goats. All new goat owners should keep coccidiosis medication on hand at all times and treat at the very first signs of scours. Do not wait to begin treating if the baby has scours. Neither probiotics or dewormers treat coccidiosis. You must use Coccidiosis medications and time is of the essence. Read the articles below for more info.

There are different medications that will treat coccidiosis. We us Toltrazuril 5% liquid from HorsePrerace.com , dosed at 1 ML per 5 lbs, both as a prevention and a treatment (some recommend 1 ml per 3 lbs as a treatment). It's expensive but only requires one dose to treat, versus 3-5 days in a row like most medications. And the goats seem to like it. We rarely have to treat adult goats but if we do the dosage is 1 ML per 15 lbs.

But this is what WE use. You should do your own research and consult with your veterinarian to decide what's the best medication for your goats. But the important thing is that you have medications on hand BEFORE you need them!