Faith has a cold ...

motdaugrnds · #1 09/17/11, 09:30 AM

Some of you might remember the little doe [last of 3 to a dam who had a very difficult time birthing & we lost all but this last one (very weak in beginning), which I jerked up and took in the house to tend]. I named her "Charity" but that got confusing because my shepherd's name is "Cherokee"; so I renamed her to "Faith". Well it took quite an effort to get her bonded with her mother while tubing her with her mother's milk and keeping her in the house at night so as to keep her alive...took near a good week. However, it all worked out fine. She is now a little over 7 months old, near as large as her dam (a large Nubian) and doing fine.

The last few days I've noticed she seemed to have a slight cold (in her head) as her nose seemed to be stopped up. I figured it would pass. This morning she is having a harder time breathing through her nose. Since it has recently turned cold and damp, I didn't want to continue waiting for her to deal with that head cold on her own; so I crushed 1,000 mg Vit C and gave her half of it (orally of course). I also gave her the first shot of Procaine G. Penicilin (10cc in muscle) and will give her consecutive injections (4-5cc IM) every 12 hours for 3-4 more times.

Does anyone have suggestions as to what might work best in this case or comments (negative or positive) about what I've done so far? I would greatly appreciate some feedback. (I've been raising Nubians for over 15 yrs but I've never had one that did not beat a head cold without interventions; and I'm not very objective when it comes to this little one.)

HappyFarmer · #2 09/17/11, 06:13 PM

Goats don't get "colds".

Can you tell if she's congested in her chest? Does she have a fever?

Giving her Pen 2-4 more times will mean she's only had it 2.5 days. You need to give her the full 10-day course, or you will risk a re-lapse. I would also give her thiamine or high doses of B-Complex, and a decongestant if I thought she needed it.

If I didn't start to see improvement after 24 hours I would switch to Nuflor.

The few times I've had a sick congested goat, I've always given Pen - until I lost my buck to pneumonia 2 years ago (his symptoms could have been a variety of things, it was undetermined until necropsy) and I lost him. Since then I start with Pen & switch to he heavy duty stuff if no improvement quickly.

HF

Minelson · #3 09/17/11, 07:28 PM

HF..is Baytril a good anti biotic for Pneumonia symptoms???

motdaugrnds · #4 09/17/11, 07:38 PM

HF, there is no fever nor any sound of congestion in her chest/lungs. I'm starting to wonder if she didn't inhale some of the dust from the grain pan.

The label on the Pen bottle states 4-5 cc every 12 hours for 4-5 more times (after the initial 10cc).

What is "Nuflor"...a Rx?

pookshollow · #5 09/17/11, 08:51 PM

Quote:

What is "Nuflor"...a Rx?

Yes, and a very expensive one, at least up here. But one of the most effective antibiotics against respiratory disease.

HappyFarmer · #6 09/18/11, 07:41 AM

I would continue the Pen for the full course-you started it you should finish the treatment or switch to something that will knock out what you are treating for. This is how medications become inneffective, and Pen is no longer as effective as it was as it is. I don't feel as though the 4-5 doses (2.5 days) of Pen will be effective if it is infection of some sort.

I don't put much stock in label directions when treating goats, most is off label to begin with, and an older antibiotic like Pen would not have had it's label updated as it became inneffective...it's outdated but still has purpose.

If is it just dust, it should clear up quickly and a decongestant will help determine that and help her symptoms. If it does not clear up it can turn into pneumonia easily. On another noteIntertestrial pnumonia does not show classic symptoms and kills quickly, if this is the case she would have gone downhill quickly by this morning.

I only keep 3 antibiotics on hand: Pen G, LA200/biomyacin, and Nuflor - my vet calls this the "big guns" and yes it is expensive but then so are my goats. I'm not familiar with Baytril but I understand it to be a general antiobiotic of prescription strength so I can't really comment on it or how well it worked for me.

HF

motdaugrnds · #7 09/18/11, 06:14 PM

Ah, good news. Today Faith's nose is cleared; thus, it must have just been something she inhaled.

bknthesdle · #8 09/18/11, 06:20 PM

So glad to here she is ok. Hugs to Faith.

motdaugrnds · #9 09/19/11, 04:05 AM

Thanks back in the saddle