Goat Wormers

I was asked to type up the many different types of wormers that can be used on goats. So, here we go.

My personal favorites as far as how well they work are the injectable Tramisole (levamisole) and Cydectin Pour-On (given orally to goats). Tramisole is unfortunately not on the market anymore to my knowledge - thankfully I have a large bottle given to me by an old time breeder. I only use the Tramisole sparingly due to this, and usually use Cydectin with good success.

No goat rearing is going to be successful and worm free, especially here in the wet south, without proper feed, watering, minerals and worming - all on a good, consistent schedule. One way to help keep worms under control is by copper bolusing. Copper bolus' help keep the worm population under control, especially in the cases of bottle jaw. Goats should be copped bolused 3-4 times a year.

Another great way, and really the only way to tell which kind of wormer you should use on your herd, is by doing fecal testing. Many people do this on their own with their own microscope. If you do not know how to do that, ask your vet. Most vets only charge $10-$15 for a fecal sampling.

Disclaimer: I am not a vet. Use these dosages at your own risk. These are the dosages that have worked for many years for many goat breeders. Always use medication with caution and correctly weigh your animal.

Goats metabolize wormers differently than other animals - drugs clear their system faster. As a result, goats require higher doses of wormers for effective treatment. Most of the wormers available for use on livestock are not labeled for us in goats and so are not labeled with the correct dose for goats. For a treatment to be effective, you need to use the correct dose. Please not that most of the doses given for goats on this site are "extra label" (Extra label means that the dosage given for goats differs from that found on the bottle and/or the FDA has not cleared their use in goats).

These are the name brands and then the class of wormer. There are other wormers on the market, but these are the most commonly used and most effective in goats.

Ivomec - Ivermectin
Treatment & control of: Lungworms, gastrointestinal roundworms, larvae, lice, mange mites & cattle grubs. External parasites.
Dosage:
Given orally to goats, at the rate of 1 cc per 50 lbs. Lately, many breeders have been using a higher dosage at the rate of 1 cc per 34 lbs with great success.
Safe for use in pregnant does.

Valbazen - Albendazole
Treatment & control of: Lungworms, gastrointestinal roundworms, stomach worms, tapeworms, intestinal worms & liver flukes (adult).
Dosage: 1 cc per 10 lbs, given orally.
Do not give this to pregnant does during the first 45 days of gestation. To play it safe, do not give to pregnant does at all.

Safeguard, Panacur, Benzelmin - Fenbendazole
Treatment & control of: Lungworms, gastrointestinal roundworms, stomach worms, tapeworms, intestinal worms, bankrup worms & nodular worms, liver flukes (adult).
Dosage:
Using the dosage on the bottle of the horse/cattle kind, give the goat 4x the dose - according to your goats weight. For example, if your goat weighed 100 lbs, give her the amount of wormer for a 400 lb horse.
There is now a goat version. Use the goat dose on the label.
Safe for use in pregnant does.

Tramisole, Levasol, Prohibit - Levamisole
Treatment & control of: Lungworms, roundworms & gastrointestinal parasites.
Dosage:
Tramisole injectable 13.5% is given subQ at the rate of 1 cc per 50 lbs.
Oral sheep tablets are given at the rate of 1 tablet per 50 lbs.
Prohibit powder - follow the directions on the package for mixing it with water. Once mixed, dose it orally at the rate of 1 cc per 20 lbs.
Safe for pregnant animals.
Do not overdose this wormer. There have been reports of toxicity if overdosed.
Personal note: I highly recommend the injectable version of this wormer. It works wonders. I am not sure that it is on the market though due to some regulations.

Cydectin Pour-On - Moxidectin
Treatment & control of: Lungworms, gastrointestinal roundworms, larvae, lice, mange mites.
Dosage: given orally at the rate of 1 cc per 20-25 lbs. Do not pour-on goats.
Not sure if this is safe for use in pregnant does, so just avoid during pregnancy.
Personal note: Another favorite wormer in the south. One of the only wormers left that actually works.

Some of the information on this page was gotten from years of goat rearing, and Fias Co Farm's page on various goat wormers. Her page is somewhat outdated, which is why I retyped it here with new information.