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 and put the cover back on the needle.  Never walk with an uncapped needle in your hand..

Giving A Shot

There are two types of shots, IM (intramuscular or in the muscle) and SQ (subcutaneous below the skin).  Make sure that you give the shot the way the medicine bottle says to give it.  If it specifies to only give it IM or SQ then do it that way.  If it says that it can be given either SQ or IM, then give it SQ.  There is less chance of abscesses or muscle or nerve damage with SQ injections. 

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.It is a good idea to have help, but if you don't, then tie the goat's head to a fence near a wall, and then push his/her body firmly against the wall with your body, or put your legs on both sides of the animal and hold her that way.  You could also put the goat in the milking stanchion to give a shot.

 How to give IM shots (intramuscular)

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 the neck and flank.    The following picture shows a shot in the side of the neck.

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, point it straight at the skin and quickly pierce the skin.
4. Push the needle into the muscle.
5. 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.
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)

Procedure:

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

Video: how to give the shot IM or SQ in the area immediately behind the front leg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijd5ZPoXPC4

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)  

Normal pulse:

70-90 beats per minute in a resting adult goat.

(May be double that rate in active, young kids)

Fetal heart rates may be up to 180 beats per minute  (Smith, 10)  

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).  

Normal respiration rate:

10-30 breaths per minute (adults)

20-40 breaths per minute (kids) (Smith, 248)  

Taking a Goat's Temperature

1. To take the temperature, shake the thermometer down until the mercury is below 96 degrees. 
   
2. Restrain the goat. 
   
3. Put Vaseline on the thermometer and insert it into the rectum of the goat so that only 1” remains outside the rectum. Do not let go of the thermometer.  The sphincter muscles are strong, and can pull the whole thing inside the goat, or alternatively, push it out and drop it on the floor. 
   
4. After 3 minutes, remove the thermometer.  Wipe it off with a dry cloth, read  and record the temperature. 
   
5. Shake the thermometer down to below 96 degrees again.  Clean it with alcohol after use. (Batagglia)  

Normal goat temperature:   101.5 -104 degrees Fahrenheit (Smith, 10)  

If a goat has been running, or if the weather is hot and humid, then the body temperature may be higher than normal, even if the animal is well.  Put the goat in a nice cool place to rest before taking the temperature.

Link   http://www.goatworld.com/articles/health/temperature.shtml

Tattoo Identification

Supplies needed:

How to tattoo

You should have two sets tattoo pliers, one for each ear.  Put the desired tattoo letters and numbers for each ear into the correct tattoo pliers.  Punch them on a piece of test paper to make sure they are correct before you use them on the animal. 

Make sure the goat is restrained.  It is good to have a helper.

Clean the ears with rubbing alcohol.  If there is a lot of hair, clip it before you clean it.  (If you are tattooing a LaMancha, use its tail region instead of its ears, as its ears are too small to take the tattoo.)

Apply tattoo ink to an area on a flat part of the ear (or tail) that doesn’t have any large freckles or other obstructions to reading the tattoo.  Make sure it is between any cartilages and away from blood vessels.  Make sure you cover the entire area with ink.

Put the tongs on the inked area so that the bottom of the letters and numbers are facing the bottom of the ear (or the outside edge of the tail for a LaMancha.)

Carefully squeeze the tongs firmly.  When you release the tongs, make sure you lift them out straight.  If you drag them, you will not get clear imprints.

Using the toothbrush, rub more ink into the tattoo for about 15 seconds, getting it well down into the tattoo grooves. 

Rub in baking soda.

Release the goat.

Do not disturb the area until the healing process is complete, which may be from five to twenty-one days.

Note: Dip the tongs in alcohol or disinfectant before you do the next goat so you don’t spread infections.

Links:

How To Tattoo A Goat (American Dairy Goat Associationwebsite) http://www.adga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104:tattoo-policy&catid=909:catadgagoats&Itemid=131

Teeth

Goats have three groups of teeth:

1. four pairs of incisors on the lower jaw only, which bite on to a ‘dental pad’ on the upper jaw;
2. three premolars on each side of the upper and lower jaws;
3. three molars on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

The teeth usually erupt at about the times shown below.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/178336/goat-anatomy.pdf

Broken mouth in an old goat:

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

Dental anatomy in ruminants

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")

This is a dental float for a pony.

You can buy it 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 on Medical C-E page)

Tube feeding

   tube feeder

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

 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 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.)

 Using ultrasound to measure fetal age

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)

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. 

Pasteurella Pneumonia Vaccine

Tetanus

Adults: 1.5 cc. IM 4 weeks before freshening

Kids: Booster at 2 months of age

  Links

Vaccinations for sheep and goats  http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/flockvaccinations.html

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

Berrier, Randall J. DVM.  CLA in Goats. http://www.colorado-serum.com/vets/vol_2/vol2_10.htm accessed 4-2-11

Berrier, Randall J. DVM. Contagious Ecthyma. http://www.colorado-serum.com/vets/vol_1/vol1_5.htm accessed 4-2-11

Berrier, Randall J. DVM. Pasteurellosis in Livestock  Staff Veterinarian, Technical Service provided by permission from http://www.colorado-serum.com/vets/vol_3/vol3_6.htm 

Wattles

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 this table for meat goats or pygmies  This is for dairy goats only.)

  Method 2: Heartgirth and length formula

             Heart girth

 How to figure it:

Measure the length of the body from the point of the shoulder to the point of the rump._____”

Measure around the body right behind the front leg.  Pull tape snug.

Multiply heart girth times heart girth  ______ x ______=______

Take that number and multiply by body length. _____ x ______

Take that number and divide by 300. _______That gives you the weight in pounds

  
Example:  A buck has a heart girth of 39 inches and a body length of 33 inches.  How much does it weigh?

1) 39 x39 = 1,521   

2) 1,521 x 33 = 50.193  

3) 50.193 divided by 300=167 pounds