Yellow pus draining from does ear. Advice please??

LoneStrChic23 · #1 10/01/10, 06:42 PM

Hi all! I have another question about my aunt's newly acquired pygmy does.

They are 4 1/2 months old, didn't come from a great breeder & are just now being started on decent management..

Anywho, my aunt called just a bit ago asking what to do for a goat with yellowish pus draining from the ear. They had a bit of a cough as well, though she says its not severe (I haven't seen them or heard it so I can't describe it) She's asking me what to do & I honestly don't know. I've never heard of a goat having an ear infection.

Any ideas on what I should advise her to do? I told her to clean up the ear and look for any signs of trauma (perhaps mites or maybe an injury to the ear) and to call the vet. She won't call the vet....so anyone have any advice I should pass along? Should she give them an antibiotic? I think she has penicillin on hand.. If so how much, how often? Anything she could put in the ear to give the lil doe some comfort?

Every time she's called me with a problem with these goats (an every other day thing) it makes me that much more thankful that I did some research and had y'all to help me out before I settled on a breeder! What a mess "cheap" goats can be...

Thanks in advance!

Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

LoneStrChic23 · #2 10/01/10, 06:49 PM

Okay, she just called me back. She said she poured a small amount of peroxide in the ear and when she did a solid "lump" of pus the size of her fingernail (this is her description) that was kind of a dark greenish-yellow came out and she says it smells really bad. She said she didn't see any wounds or scratches inside the ear, but it looks inflamed and the goat screams and fusses quite a bit when she touches it.

What a mess...I would assume this is a bad ear infection? Would the penicillin she has work for this??

Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

Alice In TX/MO · #3 10/01/10, 07:31 PM

Keep up with the peroxide four times per day.

LoneStrChic23 · #4 10/01/10, 07:40 PM

Thanks Alice, I will let her know. Apparently both does are coughing, she describes it as a rattle sound in their throat ??? But only one has the nasty ear.

Penicillin be helpful or should she wait it out & do just the peroxide for now?

I feel bad for the goats, and my poor aunt is a bit clueless....at the same time I wanna strangle her for jumping the gun & buying the 1st thing she saw after I gave her all the resources to find quality goats...O'well. Done is done I suppose.

Are ear infections common in goats? I did a google search & most of what I saw was keeping lamanchas ears clean to prevent infection, but my quick search didn't turn up any results for treating an ear infections...

Thanks again!!

Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

Pony · #5 10/01/10, 08:32 PM

Penicillin is good for soft-tissue infections, and is generally the drug of choice for ear infections. PenG Procaine is nicer b/c it doesn't sting quite so badly as regular pen.

Flushing w/peroxide is good. Do you have any oil of clove? A few drops of that will work as an antibacterial, as well as a pain reliever.

Smell a lot better than nasty infected ears, too.

When I had a dog with chronic ear problems, I looked up what is in panalog (expensive but effective ear infection treatment). Then I made my own home-brewed version that worked well for me and for others who have tried my concoction.

In the corner of a plastic baggie, squeeze the following on top of each other:

1" strip of miconazole (generic monostat 7)
1" strip of zinc oxide
1" strip of generic neosporin
1" strip of 1% hydrocortisone ointment

Smoosh them all together. Cut a bit off the corner of the baggie, and instill the glop into the ear and massage well.

Repeat 2x a day.

Helena · #6 10/01/10, 09:52 PM

I understand the using of peroxide...but...my "dog" vet told me not to use peroxide in the ears. The reason was that even though it is good to use peroxide will get very warm when put into the ear. Closed area and all. He suggested a little dawn dish detergent and warm water..and a few drop into the ear of a dog for cleaning..not any signs of infection. What is the problem with taking the goats to the vet ?? That is the first thing I would have done with new goats even as a seasoned goat person. Not to be negative about your aunt...but if she can not provide proper care or medical help for the goats why does she think she can take care of them ?? Please don't be upset with me over this...but the animal needs to have a vet check both of the goats.

LoneStrChic23 · #7 10/01/10, 09:57 PM

Thanks so much for the advice.

Although she thinks I'm crazy for this, I asked her to go in their shelter and sniff and tell me what she smells. She said "nothing, goats". Then after some arguing over it, I told her to kneel down and sniff where the goats sleeping area and she said the urine odor was VERY, VERY strong.

Apparently she hadn't cleaned the barn/shelter since she brought the goats home and it's a fairly small, enclosed area

I know I'm VERY particular about odors in my rabbit barn and high build up of ammonia odors can cause respiratory problems, so I would think the same would be true for goats, especially if they have to sleep with their faces directly in it. Perhaps the stress of moving to a new home a few weeks ago, the recent rains and the yucky barn are the reasons both goats have the cough??

I told her to get some sweet PDZ when the feed store opens tomorrow & clean their sleeping area tonight, but she's going to wait & clean it tomorrow when she has time

Thanks again for all the advice. Hope she follows it and gets these girls on the mend. I asked her to join this forum as I think it would really help, but she said online forums have a "Mob Mentality". ??????

Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

Helena · #8 10/01/10, 10:01 PM

Why do I feel sorry for these goats ???

LoneStrChic23 · #9 10/01/10, 10:10 PM

Oh no!! No offense taken what so ever! She came out to visit while my mom & I were working on the goat barn for the goats I'm bringing home soon...She was subjected to quite a bit of goat chatter and declared she wanted goats too. I explained all the important stuff (diseases, care, housing ect. ect) and tried to get her to join this board. Gave her some websites to research on & loaned her the goat book my daughter got for me to help her decide what breed she wanted. I told her that AFTER she researched care and decided on a breed I would do my best to help her find stock from a good breeder with a clean herd.

Next day, I get a call and she's excited about her 2 young pygmy does who have had no care other than one CDT shot, haven't been wormed, disbudded and have been on sheep/goat minerals!

I went through a lot of work & time to gather the info for her and she didn't use it, so instead she's been calling me several times a week to ask about some new problem

I'm frustrated over it, but on the same note I feel bad for the goats too...I was going to go out today & give her some of my Right Now Onyx minerals, give the goats a Bo-Se shot & try to copper bolus them, but she was meeting a friend in town today & couldn't/wouldn't meet me so I could do it & I'm not driving 45 minutes to get to her house when no one is home to help me..

Anywho, maybe this mess will be an eye opener and she can mend her ways. I'm hoping so anyways...

Thanks again for the help. I'll call her tomorrow and get an update on the does.

Best Wishes,
Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helena

I understand the using of peroxide...but...my "dog" vet told me not to use peroxide in the ears. The reason was that even though it is good to use peroxide will get very warm when put into the ear. Closed area and all. He suggested a little dawn dish detergent and warm water..and a few drop into the ear of a dog for cleaning..not any signs of infection. What is the problem with taking the goats to the vet ?? That is the first thing I would have done with new goats even as a seasoned goat person. Not to be negative about your aunt...but if she can not provide proper care or medical help for the goats why does she think she can take care of them ?? Please don't be upset with me over this...but the animal needs to have a vet check both of the goats.

Backfourty,MI. · #10 10/02/10, 06:18 AM

They both need to be wormed & again in 10 to 14 days. I would definately start them both on antibiotics for the respitory rattling. They could have pneumonia, worms, or from the strong urine in the barn can cause respitory problems. My guess would be the stress from the move & maybe worms but it doesn't sound like she's going to take a fecal to the vet so you should probly do that for her when you do the others things as well.
I would actually give them there CD & T shots like they hadn't had any yet also if these were goats I just brought home.
I also think I would try Pony's ear ointment, it sounds like good stuff. Alice knows alot about goats but 4 times a day with peroxide sounds like alot to me. I would probly only do it once a day then use pony's ointment in the ears.

Good neice you are for helping your Aunt & those poor little goats that don't sound like they came from too nice of a place to begin with.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 10/02/10, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

Penicillin is good for soft-tissue infections, and is generally the drug of choice for ear infections. PenG Procaine is nicer b/c it doesn't sting quite so badly as regular pen.

Flushing w/peroxide is good. Do you have any oil of clove? A few drops of that will work as an antibacterial, as well as a pain reliever.

Smell a lot better than nasty infected ears, too.

When I had a dog with chronic ear problems, I looked up what is in panalog (expensive but effective ear infection treatment). Then I made my own home-brewed version that worked well for me and for others who have tried my concoction.

In the corner of a plastic baggie, squeeze the following on top of each other:

1" strip of miconazole (generic monostat 7)
1" strip of zinc oxide
1" strip of generic neosporin
1" strip of 1% hydrocortisone ointment

Smoosh them all together. Cut a bit off the corner of the baggie, and instill the glop into the ear and massage well.

Repeat 2x a day.

Pony
I wrote your recipe down to save for the dog's or goats for later. Never had a goat with an ear infection yet but both my dogs have at different times. This sounds like good stuff.
You are so smart, I don't think I would have ever figured out how to make Panalog over like that. Thanks so much for the recipe.