Shots

If a drug can be given either SQ or IM, choose SQ.  There is less opportunity to form abscesses or cause tissue or nerve damage.

(Mobini) (Schoenian)

Filling a syringe   Read through the directions completely before you start.

1. Wash the work area (where you will set the drug and syringe) well with soap and water.

 

2. Wash your hands.

 

3. Check the drug label to be sure it is the right drug.  Check the expiration date on the vial. Do not use a drug if it is past the expiration date, or you see small pieces floating in it or it is discolored

 

4. Remove the lid from the top of the bottle. Wipe the rubber top with an alcohol swab or a cotton ball moistened with alcohol.

 

5. Check to make sure the needle is attached tightly to the syringe. Turn it clockwise (to the right) to tighten it.

 

6. Remove the plastic needle cap by pulling it straight off. Do not touch the needle. If the needle touches any surface, do not use it.  Get a different syringe.   It will have germs on it that you will inject under the skin, causing an abscess or giving an illness to your goat.

 

7. Pull back the plunger of the syringe to the dose you want to give.  This will draw air into the syringe.

 

8. Place the drug vial on a flat surface, and push the needle through the rubber top. Push down on the plunger to push the air into the vial.  (If you don’t do this, the fluid may not come out of the bottle when you want to draw it up.) 

 

9. Leave the syringe in the bottle and turn the vial upside down, holding the syringe and needle in place.

 

 

10. Make sure the tip of the needle is in the drug solution. Then pull the plunger back by the flat knob.  This will draw the drug into the syringe. Keep pulling on the knob until the drug reaches the amount of drug you want to give.

 

 

11. Check for air bubbles in the syringe.

 

To remove air bubbles from the syringe:

Hold the syringe with the needle pointing straight up (still in the vial).

Gently tap the barrel of the syringe so air bubbles float to the top.  Then slowly push the plunger until the air bubble is gone.

 

Leaving the needle in the bottle, read the mark on the syringe, at the rounded end of the black rubber.                                

                                       

 

If the dose is not right, move the plunger up or down until it is correct.

 

Now take the bottle off the needle.  Put the cover back on the needle.  Never walk with an uncapped needle in your hand..

Giving A Shot

Make sure that you give the shot the way the bottle says to give it.  If it says that it can be given either SQ or IM, give it SQ.  There is less chance of abscesses or muscle or nerve damage that way.  Make sure your goat is restrained completely before you start.  He will jump when you put the needle in and will fight you until you get it out.

 

How to give IM shots (intramuscular):  in the muscle  

IM shots are normally given into the large muscle of the thigh, but be careful to enter from the side of the goat and not the rear in order to avoid hitting the sciatic nerve.   Alternate sites are neck and flank.    The following picture shows a shot in the neck muscle.

 

  

Procedure:

Make sure your goat is restrained.

1.      Remove the needle cap from the syringe.

2.      Place your fingers of your left hand on either side of the site, pulling your fingers apart slightly so the skin is tight.

3.      Holding the syringe in your right hand like a dart and pointing it straight at the skin, quickly pierce the skin.  Push the needle into the muscle.

4.      Pull back on the plunger to make sure you are not in a vein.  If you are in a vein, blood will come into the syringe. 

5.      If this happens, choose another site and repeat the process until you are not in a vein.

6.      Push on the plunger to inject the drug.

7.      Remove the syringe from the goat.  Put the cap on the syringe. Dispose of the syringe in a box set aside for this purpose. 

You can buy syringe disposal boxes from most medical clinics or hospitals.  Do not put bare needles in the garbage.   Make sure they are in a container that will protect garbage workers from injury. Better yet, ask your vet where to dispose of them.

How to give SQ shots (subcutaneous): under the skin

 

Procedure:

Make sure your goat is restrained. 

1.      Select a site, either in the armpit area behind the front legs or loose skin over the shoulder.  

2.      Swab it with rubbing alcohol.

3.      Remove the needle cap from the syringe.

4.      Place your fingers of your left hand on either side of the site and pinch up the skin.

5.      Holding the syringe in your right hand like a dart, quickly pierce the skin and push the needle into the space between the pinched up skin..

6.      Pull back on the plunger to make sure you are not in a vein.  If you are in a vein, blood will come into the syringe.  If this happens, choose another site and repeat the process until you are not in a vein.

7.      Push on the plunger to inject the drug.

8.      Remove the syringe from the goat.  Put the cap on the syringe. Dispose of the syringe in a box set aside for this purpose.  You can buy syringe disposal boxes from most medical clinics or hospitals.

Links

Injections made easy  http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/injections.html

Taking a Goat's Pulse (Heart rate)

To take the pulse, make sure goat is resting quietly.  Put your index and middle fingers on the artery just below and slightly to the inside of the edge of the jaw, 2/3 of the way back from the muzzle. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the rate. (Battaglia)  

Taking a Goat's Respiration Rate (Breathing rate)

To count respirations, watch the side of the goat go up and down.  One rise and fall is one respiration. Count it when the goat is resting quietly. Count the number of respirations for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the rate per minute. (Batagglia).  

Taking a Goat's Temperature

Tatoo Identification

Coming soon  

How to tatoo

Link   

Teeth

Broken mouth in an old goat.  

http://www.das.psu.edu/goats/health/gallery/

Dental anatomy in ruminants

See http://vetmedicine.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=vetmedicine&zu=http%3A%2F%2Farbl.cvmbs.colostate.

edu%2Fhbooks%2Fpathphys%2Fdigestion%2Fpregastric%2Fcowpage.html

This picture of the dental pad is from that site:

Sore teeth, especially in older animals

Many older does have sore teeth.  Feel along the outside of the cheek for tenderness.  

If the doe flinches, she may have sharp or broken edges on her molars, or tooth decay.  Pain may keep her from eating.

Treatment (called “floating the teeth")

          Pony float              

You can buy a “pony float” from your vet, or vet supply catalog.  This is a large, rasp-like bar that can be used to rub off high, uneven points on the teeth.  To get the doe to open her mouth, place your thumb between her jaws and pry open.  (Do not do this by her molars or you will get bitten.) 

Press the float on the top back teeth and rub back and forth 3-4 times.  Move to the other side of the mouth and do the same. Now turn the float over and do the bottom back teeth on both sides.  Observe the animal for a couple days to see whether she eats better.  If not, repeat the procedure.

Ticks (see External parasites)    

Tube feeding            

How to insert a feeding tube

Below you will see  a photo summary from  http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1998/eb1998.pdf

Please go to the site and read the article in full.  It is loaded with clear pictures.

Links

Tube feeding neonatal small ruminants  (Pictures and directions) http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1998/eb1998.pdf

Tube Feeding a weak kid http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/info/tube_feed.shtml Written directions with diagram

Tube Feeding a Weak Kid  http://www.nwinfo.net/~milkmaid/tubefeeding.html

This article has pictures, shows how to measure the tube to get the right length, and it has a pattern for a sling to hold the kid in, to make it easier to tube feed.

How to Tube Feed A Goat Kid http://www.goatworld.com/articles/kidding/tubefeedingrw.shtml Written directions.

Ultrasounds

The following information is summarized from Dr. Scott Haskell's speech to the Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association, November 12, 2005, “Reproduction and Breeding of Dairy Goats” and  from Haskell, Small Ruminant Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy  starting at p.238. 

Ultrasounds are the best tools for pregnancy diagnosis.  Dr. Haskell recommends buying a B mode "real time" ultrasound machine  ($2000-3000), and says that you should NOT buy an A mode Doppler- type ultrasound.  You will also need two probes ($2000-2500 each) (also called transducers),  one 7.5 MHz and one 5 MHz.  You will be using the 7.5 MHz most of the time.  Buy the best transducers you can afford.  There are two types of transducers.  Linear array v. sector scanning.  The linear array probes are less expensive and show a rectangular wide angle area.  (most vet clinics have this type.)  This type can detect pregnancy from 25 to 100 days gestation.  The sector scanning transducer is more expensive and shows a wedge shaped area.  It is more accurate and improves fetal examination.  It is commonly used for abdominal scanning.

You can do one ultrasound every 5 minutes at the beginning, and work up to several hundred per hour after you are experienced.  Dense tissues such as bones produce high intensity images and appear white.  Fluids produce low intensity images and appear black.  Variations of shades of black or white are dependent on the thickness of the tissues examined.

Two methods of doing the ultrasounds: rectal and abdominal 

Rectal ultrasounds, the goat should be restrained and may be standing or laying on her backbone.  Use at least 60 cc of ultrasound gel and 6 cc (ml). of Lidocaine premix (numbing agent).  Attach the probe to a piece of plastic PVC pipe to extend the length.  The rectal exams work well to determine if there is a problem with the ovaries and are good for pregnancy diagnosis, but should not be done after 35 weeks of pregnancy.  Some does may need to be sedated for the rectal ultrasound.  You should withhold food for 12 hours before the exam to improve the ability to scan the genital organs.

What you can see rectally (using 7.5 and 5 MHz transducers):

Heartbeat detected by day 23-25 with the 7.5 MHz probe

Fetal count detected by day 25 with the 7.5 MHz probe (Use a sector-scanning transducer to improve accuracy of counting fetuses.  (Sex them by looking for a penis or lack of it.)

Embryo detected at day 25 with the 5 MHz probe. 

Embryonic vessels detected at day 16-17 with the 7.5 MHz probe

Abdominal ultrasounds, put the probe on the right side of the goat’s body to avoid the rumen, which is on the left side.    Shave off the hair above the mammary glands on that right side and wash the area.  Put water or alcohol on the skin so the probe is making good contact with the skin.  Put the probe on that spot and aim it back toward the uterus (toward the left pelvis.)  You can tell how many babies there are, what sex they are and whether they are alive.  Use abdominal ultrasounding after day 35.  24 hour fast prior to test.

 

What you can see abdominally (using a 5 MHz linear-array or sector-scanning transducer.  Can use 3 MHz on small stock):

Prior to day 40, see only fluid and embryo, but no caruncles (round or oval thickenings on the maternal side of the placenta, which attach to the cotyledons or fetal side of the placenta)

After day 40, caruncles are visualized with the 5 MHz probe.

Days 45-60 are the absolute ideal time to ultrasound for pregnancy.

After day 110, visualization becomes more difficult.  Fluid and fetal position shifts toward the mother’s head.

Fetal counts done at 60 days of gestation

Placentomes (raised buttons where the maternal side and fetal side of placenta join together) seen at 35-40 days.  They become c-shaped between 40-50 days.

Fetal numbers are best assessed between 40 and 70 days gestation.

Caruncles, fluid levels and fetuses need to be evaluated to make a proper diagnosis.

Ultrasounds and Abortion  

In abortions you will see the placentomes, but they are found close together and there isn’t the usual amount of fluid volume.

Ultrasounds and Hydrometria

In Hydrometrias, (also called false pregnancy or pseudo pregnancy), which are common at beginning and end of breeding seasons, you will see large saculated organ, full of fluid with white specks in it, with no fetuses and no placentomes present. The thin uterine walls will undulate when probed.   (More of them occur when using out of season breeding and when reproductive drugs are used to induce breeding.)

 Measuring fetal age with ultrasound

Means of measuring fetal age: 

-crown of head to end of rump length

-biparietal diameter (diameter across skull, side to side)

-carunclular size and chest diameter.  

 

In Alpines and Saanens, fetal length correlates closely with age: 

-40 mm at 45 days

-100 mm at 60 days

-240 mm at 90 days  (See Smith at 415)  

Biparietal diameter approximately correlates with age.  At 40-100 days gestation, the correlation is closest.

Links

Reproductive Technologies http://www.luresext.edu/goats/training/advrepro.html

 

Small ruminant clinical diagnosis and therapy  http://www.rmncsba.org/SMALLRUMINANT.pdf  Page # 238 of original document or website screen 244) 

Vaccinations

CD&T  For prevention of overeating disease ( also called enterotoxemia)

Give subcutaneously (SQ)  high on the goat’s neck, and as close to the head as you can get, pinch up the loose skin, using your thumb and index finger.  Carefully put the needle in so that

it is between the two sides of the pinched up area.  Inject the vaccine.

Schedule:

adult buck……..………5 cc. once a year

breeding doe…………  5 cc. once a year (4-6 weeks before kidding so some immunity is passed to the kids) (or) twice a year (4-6 weeks before breeding and 4-6 weeks before kidding)

kids……………………2 cc.  *

*If the mother was vaccinated before kidding, vaccinate kids at 8 weeks of age, then again at 12 weeks

If mother was not vaccinated before kidding and you experience problems, vaccinate kids at 2 weeks of age, and again at 6 weeks. (Coffey, G, 10)

You cannot send a goat for slaughter until 21 days after you vaccinate with CD&T.

Do not give a CD&T booster within the last three weeks of pregnancy.  Give it before the goat is 4 months and one week pregnant. (Dawson)

Some vets recommend using Ultrabad 7 instead of C, D &T. 

Ultrabec 7 (clostridial)  Prevention of blackleg, (CI, chauvoel), malignant edema (CI, septicum), black disease (CI. novyl), and Clostridium sordel and Clostridium perfringens types C and D enterotoxemia

5 cc. subcutaneously, followed by a second dose 4–6 weeks later.
Annual revaccination with a single dose is recommended.

Selenium:  prevention of White Muscle Disease (inadequate selenium)

1 cc. of BoSe intramuscularly for every 40 pounds of body weight twice a year. The best time for bred does to receive BoSe is about one month before they kid and then 5 months after they kid. Babies should have their first injection at six weeks of age (1/2 cc), unless they need it sooner to correct a problem.

Note: Dr. Van Saun recommends adding selenium to the ration instead of giving BoSe shots, because much of the BoSe is excreted and gone within 24 hrs.  

If you feed selenium in your ration, the amount stays steady in their blood all the time. (See Nutrition section under "Minerals" for amounts to feed).

Pasteurella Pneumonia Vaccine

Kids: 2 ml. IM at 2 months and repeat in two weeks at 2.5 months old

Tetanus

Adults: 1.5 cc. IM 4 weeks before freshening

Kids: Booster at 2 months of age

  Links

Meat Goat Vaccination Program  www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/ extension/animal/meatgoat/MGBrdKidd.htm -

"Factors Affecting Immune Response To Vaccines" and "How Rapidly Do Vaccines Provide Immunity?" 

http://www.saanendoah.com/immunity.html

Herd Health Program  (outlines vaccination program for dairy goats)  www.adga.org/kidding.pdf

Vaccines Used In The Sheep and Goat Industry: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/vaccinestable.html

Understanding Vaccines:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=437

Wattles (removing them)

Wattles are globules or pendants of skin that hang from the sides of the goat’s neck.  

They are generally about 2” long.  

They are found on both sexes and on all breeds.  

They are non functional and can be left on the goat or removed as the owner wishes.  

Sometimes kids will suck on them, causing an irritation and possible infection. 

Remove them when they are large enough to be easily managed.

Procedure for wattle removal:

1.  Restrain the animal.

2. Thoroughly disinfect the skin around the base of the wattle, where it is attached to the goat.

3. Disinfect the scissors, and while holding the wattle outward from the animal, snip it free where it joins the goat.  

    This is the thinnest point of the wattle. If it is clipped free at its thinnest point, usually there isn’t any bleeding.

4.  Disinfect the removal site with an antiseptic.

 (Batagglia, p. 443)

Weight

Method 1: Heartgirth conversion chart

Put the measuring tape around the body, just behind the front legs.  Pull snugly. 

              Heart girth            

             

  Now find that measurement on the chart below to find the weight.  

   (Do not use for meat goats or pygmys  This is for dairy goats.)