giving shots?! (help...)

mamakl · #1 07/30/06, 09:44 AM

Ok, I feel really stupid even needing help with this. I really am a fairly competent person, and not squeamish at all (twice a month I draw my own son's blood...just a finger poke... for necessary blood work) but I'm having a terrible time giving my nubian doe these penicillin shots! I think my biggest problem is restraining her long enough to get the shot in. At the vet's yesterday, Rose (our doe) was laying down in the back of my van, and the vet assistant just got in, kind of leaned on her and gave her the shot. No problem... I can do that.

The reality here at home is that as soon as Rose feels the stick she goes crazy and I can't get keep hold of her and inject the penicillin at the same time. I've tried putting a collar and leash on her and tying her up (she moves sideways and backwards too much to get it done). Last night I got her in the milking stand, then sat next to her and leaned in and pinned her against the wall and that worked. But now she won't get into the milking stand again! Is there a way to get a goat to lay down (short of picking it up and forcing it down?) Any hints for giving a shot to a needle-phobic goat?!

Thanks...

Maura

lacesout · #2 07/30/06, 10:00 AM

Hi Maura,

For us, shots are always a two-man job. And we have itsy bitsy (comparititvely speaking) Nigerians. My daughter holds the goat in such a way that its rear legs are off the ground. That way the goat puts all her weight on her front legs - and I can give the shot without a fight. That's what has been working for us. I'm sure there will be plenty of good suggestions too.

Good luck.

Lynn in Western CO

homebirtha · #3 07/30/06, 10:17 AM

It's usually a two-person job here too. But if you have to do it yourself, you can tie her up on a very short lead, next to a wall. Then push her up against the wall and hold her there with your legs while you give the shot.

**mygoat** · #4 07/30/06, 01:00 PM

I do all my shots myself. I use a milkstand. I give my shots IM in the back of the leg. I straddle the goat which is restrained in the stand headpeice, facing it's butt. I hold them steady with my knees on either side of the goats's hips (these are pygmies we're talking about" and then find a site, jab, and inject. Most hardly notice till the the shot is done and the needles on it's way out. Before I had a milkstand I was able to tye my goat's faces into the fence. I hooked a leash to one side of a square in the fence, then around behind the goat's head, then around the other side of the square. Then I passed it back behind the goat's head, around the first side of the square, under the goat's chin, and tied it above it's eye on a different square of fence. works rather well.
But I don't know how I survived before I had a stand to restrain my goats. I highly reccomend you build one or buy one. building one is really, really easy. I built mine off of www.fiascofarm.com 's plans. they are excellent plans, and work with goats with horns as well. I just substituted the 2x2's for 2x4's. good luck!