| Author | Message | ||
     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 125 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: N/A |
So glad he is doing better. Now you know what to look for when a goat has bloat. It is the first thing I check for when a goat isn't eating well. Give the penicillin for another day, just to be sure. Give probiotics to replenish his digestive microbes, a good substitute is any yogurt with active cultures, give 2 or 3 tablespoons, mix with a bit of water to make it go through a big syringe or turkey baster better. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 124 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: N/A |
Apples and pears in moderation are okay (maybe one or 2). The apricots (and all single pitted fruit) is dangerous if they eat the pits. The pits, wilted leaves, branches and bark all contain cyanide, very deadly and a terrible way to die. They are dangerous for all animals that eat these things. The fruit only is fine, BUT NO PITS! A very small amount of wilted leaves can kill. Leaves start to wilt only minutes after a branch is cut or broken or if there is an unexpected frost. Keep the goats and other livestock away from apricot, peach and cherry trees. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cherie Rowland (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.242.150.30 Rating: N/A |
Hello Maggie Thank you for all you're help. He is acting fine and his stomach feels normal now.You saved his life, I'm sure. My only other question would be, how many days should I give the Penicillin injections? Also is fruit bad for goats? We have a small, old orchard and I find them eating apples, apricots and pears off the ground in the summer. I don't think they are able to get many because our horses also eat this fruit. Thanks again for all you're help. Cherie | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 121 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: N/A |
The stool thing is pretty normal for what he has been through. If he doesn't eat he doesn't make poop. No bread for him! No grain, just hay and water, minerals and the probios once a day for a few days would be good. he can have treats next week maybe, if he is totally back to normal. Right now he needs a very bland diet. About one bite of bread (1/4 slice) is ample treat for a healthy goat, bread is not very good for goats, it is very high in sugar and starch and upsets the rumen microbes. I know they love it, it is essentially goat candy. My goats get NO TREATS except for scratches and brushings. SQ stands for subcutaneous, an injection given just under the skin but not into the muscle. IM is intramuscular, or into muscle tissue but not into vein. IV is intravenous or into a vein, straight into the bloodstream. Nearly all injections of any drug no matter how it is labeled (unless labeled for IV only) can be given SQ. It is usually much less painful, especially in the long run and will not damage a muscle or a good cut of meat. ALL IM injections do some permanent muscle damage, some more some less. Almost all penicillin is the same strength, 300,000 IU (international units) of penicillin (in some form) per ml (cc). I recommend using procaine penicillin-G, the most commonly sold. The "long acting" penicillin is only long acting in cattle, not goats so it is useless to pay the extra when you are still going to have to give it twice a day when treating goats. The walk for healthy goats is fine, but this boy had been very sick for at least 2 days (Bloat often kills). You had to force him to go, not like taking willing goats for a walk in the woods. So glad to hear he is doing better. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cherie Rowland (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.242.108.2 Rating: N/A |
Hello I gave him some probiotics and treated him again. He had two little stools. One runny and one a hard DRY clump of goat berries.Tablespoon size. I didn't know walking that far was bad for them. I have 4 Pygmy goats and they follow me a couple times a week on this same walk. I am checking the fence line. Where do I give him the injection? I give all my animals their vacinations every year. Excuse my ignorance, but what does SQ stand for? In the muscle under the skin? What strengh of Penicillian? I also give them bread , all kinds, as a treat. How much is too much ? He ate a little this morning, half a slice. He still is not back to normal , but definately better then yesterday.He can lay down now, before he couldn't. Thank you for you're help. He is our special little goat. I raised him from day one, after I found him in a puddle of snow and ice water. His mother will only raise one at a time , the rest she leaves to die.He hangs out with the dogs and cats, sleeps with them too. The other goats he pretty much ignores. Thanks again . Cherie | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 120 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: N/A |
The walking thing is really only good for horses it is very stressful for goats. A little walking is fine around the yard, but a mile hike on top of a 2 day stomach ache with possible toxic effects is a bit harsh. A goat's heart just can't take it. Walking is recommended for horses to keep them from rolling and twisting their guts when they colic and this is not the same as bloat in ruminants. Keep treating with the oil, give the Milk of Magnesia too. He likely is developing a case of enterotoxemia due to the length of time he was bloated. Start him on penicillin give 1 cc per 20 pounds by SQ injection AND give an oral dose too the same amount. Then give only the SQ injection dose twice a day. If you have CD antitoxin (this is not the vaccine) give that too at the recommended dose (about 15 cc up to 3 times a day). Give a probiotic to help restore the good bacteria to his digestive system. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cherie Rowland (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.242.108.80 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Maggie I did that and it helped. He burped three times and his stomach was softer. I took him for a mile walk. He wasn't happy at first and by the end of the walk he was feeling much better. 3 hours later his stomach is hard again, so I am going to treat him again. Do I keep doing this every few hours until he is back to normal or is there something else I can do. He did eat a little hay when he felt better. Thank you for you're help. Cherie | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 119 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: |
Treat for bloat and do it now. Give 1/2 cup of vegetable oil using a turkey baster. Stand or hold him so that his head end is higher than his rear and deeply massage his left flank area just in front of the hip bone. This is where his rumen is and where the bloat is. This will help break up the froth holding the gas and help him burp. The dog food is the likely culprit. Eating dog food is VERY BAD for wethers. It is mostly corn and can certainly lead to urinary stones. I know of more than one wether that liked dog food that died of stones, when this was the only source of "grain". Keep him OUT OF THE DOGFOOD! The proper dose for using the ivermectin injectable for cattle is 1 cc per 25 pounds. For any other form of ivermectin the general rule is 3 times the sheep dose, 4 times the cattle or horse dose. Be sure you gave enough, it is very safe even at 100 times the recommended dose. On his diet he needs access to a good loose mineral mix (this is one of the reasons he likes dogfood). If youcan't get one for goats get a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio beef cattle mineral. Look for a mineral (no matter what you do get) with 900 to 1200 ppm copper. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cherie Rowland (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 4.242.108.99 Rating: N/A |
911 I have a 9 month old weither that has quit eating. He has not felt well for 2 days. He is not passing stool but is urinating. I have given him e-lax and a glycerine suppostory. It has not worked yet. His stomach is hard and he can not get comfortable. He normally eats grass hay and has plenty of fresh water, but he has a habit of getting into the dog food. I haven't wormed him for about 4 months , so I also wormd him with ivermetcin according to his weight last night. He is a much loved pet.What should I do next? Thanks Cherie |
