Orange essential oil is studied to be effective against barberpole worm specifically. For a BP issue, this is the protocol I would use in my Nigerian herd. Start with a fecal if possible. Double all dosages for standard sized goats:
- 1 drop lemongrass EO
- 1 drop oregano EO
- 2-4 drops sweet orange EO (or more, see note)**
- 3-5ml blackstrap molasses diluted enough to drench*
- 1/2 teaspoon nettle leaf powder*
You can buy all three of these oils in my Goat Essentials set.
*While I ordinarily use olive oil for the dilution in an essential oil dose, we’re adding molasses and nettle here specifically to combat barberpole induced anemia. Molasses and nettle are both high in iron, nutritive and a powerful boost for this treatment. You can add in or substitute with chlorophyll as well, just be sure to get unflavored/no mint chlorophyll. See also my complete anemia protocol.
**The research that indicates orange EO for barberpole translates to a once-daily dosage of .5 drop per pound of body weight, dosed for three consecutive days. If you have an acute issue, you can greatly increase the orange EO during active treatment. I would only dose at this level for three days, then assess and either continue with a smaller maintenance dose for a few days or switch completely to the anemia protocol for recovery.
Dosed orally:
- 4x daily 3 days
- then 3x daily for 2 days
- then 2x daily for 2 days
- then 1x daily for 2-3 more days, assessing each day to determine if stepping down a dose is a suitable approach.
While I will step down the essential oil dose, I would continue to dose the nettle + blackstrap molasses 4x daily. So if dosing EOs 3x daily, add nettle + blackstrap to those 3 doses and dose nettle + blackstrap one more time separately. Blackstrap + nettle can be dosed for a couple of weeks if needed. If that much support is needed, I would also add kelp and chlorophyll.
We’ve had numerous member reports that this protocol is working when conventional remedies do not. Orange essential oil is a powerful ally!
It is totally acceptable to add double the sweet orange; sweet orange has a very high margin of safety in and out of pregnancy. For pregnant goats, feel free to eliminate the oregano if you are concerned. See the oregano in pregnancy topic and pick up a copy of the book Essential Oil Safety (aff) by Tisserand if you would like a detailed authority on EOs – it’s what I reference frequently for researching topics like this.
Send in a follow up fecal in 10-14 days to assess results and determine the next course of action. Barberpole eggs take roughly 2-3 weeks to mature and show up in feces. By sending in before and after fecal samples, you can verify if what you’re doing is working in your specific situation.
