May 2021

You have goat to be kidding me

​A 1-month old Boer buckling was presented to the veterinarian for lethargy, recumbence, distended abdomen, tachycardia, and hypoglycemia. He was diagnosed with metabolic acidosis and was unable to recover.  During necropsy several of the following specimens were recovered from hair. 

Video 1: Specimens recovered from the hair.

What's your diagnosis?

Linognathus africanus (African goat louse) are Anoplurans or bloodsucking lice, with piercing mouthparts used for feeding. They spend their time on the hairs of the host, where they deposit eggs.  All life stages occur on the host. Linognathus africanus and L. stenopsis, are species that can infest goats. Linognathus spp. first pair of legs is shorter than the second and third pairs, and L. africanus have a greatly expanded head behind the antennae compared to L. stenopsis.
The African goat louse is distributed world-wide. Infestations by these lice are usually localized around the head, while the goat sucking louse (L. stenopsis) can be dispersed over the entire body. Lice are usually a nuisance, but in some cases severe infestations can cause scabby, and bleeding areas that may lead to bacterial infections.