Raising Goats For Dummies
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If you have only a couple of goats, you probably can afford the occasional veterinary visit. But as your herd grows, you're likely to find that you want to save money and hassle by treating some of their minor ailments or handling some of the health care yourself. But even if you don't want to take over some of this care, you still need to be prepared for those times when a vet isn't available or the problem is minor.

The following lists show you what to have on hand in a goat first aid kit. You can get all of them from a feed store, a drug store, or a livestock supply catalog. None require a prescription.

Include the following equipment and supplies:

  • Surgical gloves

  • Drenching syringe for administering medications

  • Cotton balls

  • Gauze bandage

  • Alcohol prep wipes

  • Elastic bandage

  • Digital thermometer

  • Syringes and needles

    • Tuberculin needles and syringes for kid injections

    • 20-gauge needles and syringes of various sizes — 3 cc, 6 cc, 15 cc

  • Tube-feeding kit (tube and syringe) for feeding weak or sick kids

  • Small clippers for shaving around wounds

  • Sharp scalpel

  • Sharp surgical scissors

Include these medications:

  • 7 percent iodine

  • Terramycin eye ointment for pinkeye or eye injuries

  • Antiseptic spray such as Blu-Kote for minor wounds

  • Blood stop powder, for hoof trimming injuries

  • Di-Methox powder or liquid for coccidiosis or scours

  • Epinephrine, for reactions to injections

  • Kaolin pectin, for scours

  • Antibiotic ointment, for minor wounds

  • Aspirin, for pain

  • Activated charcoal product, such as Toxiban, for poisoning

  • Children's Benadryl syrup, for congestion or breathing problems

  • Procaine penicillin, for pneumonia and other infections

  • LA-200 or Biomycin, for pneumonia, pinkeye, or infections

  • Tetanus antitoxin, to prevent tetanus when castrating or for deep wounds

  • CDT antitoxin, for treatment of enterotoxemia

  • Milk of magnesia for constipation or bloat

You also want to include these items:

  • Betadine surgical scrub, for cleansing wounds

  • Probiotics, such as Probios or yogurt with active cultures

  • Powdered electrolytes, for dehydration

  • Fortified vitamin B, for goat polio or when goat is off feed

  • Hydrogen peroxide, for cleaning wounds

  • Rubbing alcohol, for sterilizing equipment

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Cheryl K. Smith has raised a small herd of Nigerian Dwarf and Oberian dairy goats under the herd name Mystic Acres since 1998. She is the owner of karmadillo Press and is the author of Goat Health Care, Goat Midwifery, The Best of Ruminations Goat Milk and Cheese Recipes, and Raising Goats: Some Essentials.

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