Do goats need a tetanus vaccination after an injury?

Head4theHills · #1 10/29/10, 12:41 PM

Something happened to my goat Pigweed last night-he was either chased or just panicked and somehow hurt his back leg. It looks to me like he tried to jump out of his woven wire pen and maybe cut his foot on the wire or maybe on something else in the pen. He has a cut from the edge of his hoof up into the foot, through the coronary band if he was a horse. Not sure if the terminology is the same! I think he also wrenched his leg but he bled quite a bit so he's major owie on one leg, minor cut on the other leg. I'll watch for infection but the only other thing I could think of was a tet shot for now. He won't let me touch it at all but he is following me all over outside and is paranoid of dogs now so it's not a huge mystery what happened. My son found the neighbor's black labs in our yard last evening and while they weren't seen chasing anything they could have just freaked Pigweed out.

My poor goatie friend! I am searching for a guard dog now too... so tired of other people's dogs on our place! We took a shot at a husky cross last week that is known to chase livestock-not sure if we got him or not.

Thanks!

Bearfootfarm · #2 10/29/10, 01:14 PM

Yes and no

They need ANTITOXIN which is not a "vaccine" for long term immunity
The "vaccine" is a TOXOID

The difference is one gives long term immunity (toxoid) and the other gives short term but IMMEDIATE immunity (ANTITOXIN)

http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/ar...Antitoxin.html

Head4theHills · #3 10/29/10, 02:30 PM

Right-I meant the antitoxin which is what is usually given after an injury.

Thanks for the info...

Minelson · #4 10/29/10, 02:39 PM

Poor Pigweed! Sounds like a bad owie.

I thought that if they were up to date on the Toxoid then they wouldn't need the anti-toxin??????? hmmmm. I'll have to read that link

If he is in a lot of pain you might want to give him some banimine. That would help with inflamation too.

Head4theHills · #5 10/29/10, 03:18 PM

He hasn't had the vaccine so that was why I was wondering about the shot now.... we usually just call it a tet so I wasn't using state of the art terminology like I should have been. we always give them after the horses/cows get hurt and this is my first goat injury so I thought I'd check!

I should see if he can have bute? I don't have banamine on hand. He is pretty uncomfortable. I let him come sleep inside in the mud room so he can feel safe with me. Yes he's spoiled.

ETA same informative website from above says he can have some bute so I will give him a dose. That website is now bookmarked on my computer too.

Minelson · #6 10/29/10, 03:27 PM

ohhh I see

I never heard of using bute on a goat. But I see it listed here.
http://www.goatworld.com/articles/health/goatmeds.shtml
I would wait and see if anyone else on this forum has experience using it with goats before using it myself.
My goats are spoiled too

Head4theHills · #7 10/29/10, 03:54 PM

True... I might give it some time and see how he does. He feels pretty sorry for himself unless I get out the craisens! I could easily feed him an aspirin with them too...

In horses, I hesitate to use pain meds for fear they will aggrevate the injury so I'll see how he does. I just feel sorry for my little buddy. But he seems to be enjoying the woodstove and Food Network with me!

Minelson · #8 10/29/10, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head4theHills

I just feel sorry for my little buddy. But he seems to be enjoying the woodstove and Food Network with me!

I would love to see a picture of that!!!

I agree, sometimes pain meds will mask the pain and then they injure it worse!

Goat Servant · #9 10/30/10, 12:46 AM

Sheesh if he's watching Food Network & curled up with you near the woodstove I dont see how he could aggravate it