Sick senior pygmy...

Zilli · #1 01/30/13, 01:15 PM

Well, here I go again.......

I have a sick pygmy wether. He's one of my seniors (12-13) and hasn't been looking so great over the past couple of months but he's been eating good and has stayed engaged with the other goats.

But lately I've seen his behavior change somewhat; several times I've had to go bring him in out of the rain.

Anyway, last night when I fed, I noticed he wasn't eating. I also noticed some green snot.

After my last experience with the Zoey and the vet only recommending Nuflor once every four days or so, I decided I would buy a bottle myself so that I would have a little more control.

Anyway, I just got off the phone with my vet and they quoted me $1.19 a cc - for a 100 cc bottle! She did say they would discount it 10%, but still! That would still make it over $100.00 a bottle! Does that sound right?

So, for now, I'm going to go in and just pick up some individual doses of the Nuflor, Banamine, and B Complex. They are still insisting that I only need to dose him once every four days but I told them that I would like to have some "extra" on hand in case anyone else shows similar symptoms but in reality the extra is so that I can dose him three days in a row.

They NEVER have the B Complex on hand when I try to buy a bottle, so I can only get some individual doses for today - she is going to order me a bottle, though.

Please keep your fingers crossed for old Squirt. He and his twin sister (Minny) and an old agouti pygmy (Muffin) and my old Saanen (Sweet Pea) are the last of my seniors who are between twelve and fourteen and I just dread what may likely lay ahead over the next year or two.

April · #2 01/30/13, 01:44 PM

I've never used Nuflor, so I don't have a clue on the price.

Hope your wether improves quickly and without incident!

trnubian · #3 01/30/13, 01:49 PM

I hope he gets better soon. Yeah some vets are not good about giving extra meds so what you did was a good idea. Having some on hand to give him now.

Hope he gets better soon. The weather, at least here, has been wonderful for pnemonia. And 12 is old but for a wether... he could go many more years. one of my earliest goat memories was a 15 year old alpine wether...

momagoat61 · #4 01/30/13, 01:55 PM

http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/categ...ons/50050.html

I order most all my supplies from this company, TSC carries the Vit B

68.46 This is a prescription

Minelson · #5 01/30/13, 02:01 PM

I hope Squirt gets better fast for you!

Zilli · #6 01/30/13, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momagoat61

http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/categ...ons/50050.html

I order most all my supplies from this company, TSC carries the Vit B

68.46 This is a prescription

I think the Vitamin B Complex is prescription only now. I'll have to do some checking on that to be sure, though.

That's a much better price on the Nuflor and one I would be willing to pay.

I'm also going to check Valley Vet. I'm pretty sure my vet will call in a prescription for me (or fax it or whatever they do). I've asked them about doing that for some other meds in the past and they said they would.

I just got back from the vet. I haven't given him the shots yet but ran out to check on him, because while I was driving, I came to the decision that I was going to bring him into the house. But when I went out to bring him in, he was eating alfalfa and looking quite a bit better, so I think, for now at least, I will leave him out there.

I wonder if I should also hit him up with penicillin?

Zilli · #7 01/30/13, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trnubian

I hope he gets better soon. Yeah some vets are not good about giving extra meds so what you did was a good idea. Having some on hand to give him now.

Hope he gets better soon. The weather, at least here, has been wonderful for pnemonia. And 12 is old but for a wether... he could go many more years. one of my earliest goat memories was a 15 year old alpine wether...

Yeah, the weather here has been miserable - non-stop rain.

And like I said, for some reason, he's taken to standing out in it. I suspect that's where his snotty nose has come from.

I also have to apologize to one of my goats - when I mentioned the four seniors, I forgot about Pinky! She's also in that 12-13 range - an odd mix of pygmy, Togg, Saanen, and Nubian. Kind of a funny looking little thing, but a pretty good milker in her day - especially for being 1/4 pygmy.

Zilli · #8 01/30/13, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

I hope Squirt gets better fast for you!

Thanks.

I'm actually killing a little time here before going out to shoot him up. I have to go to the bathroom - bad! - and my son is in there......with a book.

Zilli · #9 01/30/13, 03:24 PM

Shots have been given. Gave him some probiotics. And wrapped him up in a flannel shirt of mine.

Anyone have an opinion about the penicillin? I asked the vet and he said that I could give him penicillin, that it wouldn't hurt him, but that he felt the Nuflor would be enough. But it seems that I have seen it recommended here to do both.

momagoat61 · #10 01/30/13, 03:43 PM

I wouldn't give both, one might cancel out the other and since you gave him the Nufol go with that. On the farm we have used Nufol with the cattle and horses but I haven't ever had pnemonia in my goats in 22 years with goats. Nufol has worked for what my family has used it for here on the farm over the years, calves, cattle and horses. Knocking on wood I've never had one of my gaots with pnemonia.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 01/30/13, 03:48 PM

I would just give him the Nuflor. Give it 3 days in a row. Some may tell you 5 days in a row but last time I needed it from the vet I gave it 3 days in a row & that kicked the pneumonia. I sure hope Squirt feels better soon.
Don't forget the Probios since Nuflor is a really strong antibiotic & will mess with his rumen fucntion but it works.

How lucky you are to have so many senior goats that you Love. That says a lot for your herd management.

Minelson · #12 01/30/13, 03:48 PM

When I was giving Gretta anti-biotics I learned that I should not give probios at the same time but to wait 3 hours (before or after) because the anti-biotics cancel out the pro-biotics.
Glad to hear Squirt is doing a little better and eating ....keep us posted

Zilli · #13 01/30/13, 04:04 PM

Ok, I won't do the penicillin and next time I will wait a little while after I give the Nuflor before giving the probios.

He was chewing cud when I gave him the probios, so I suspect, that for now at least, his rumen is working.

One thing, though, that scared me is that when I gave him the Nuflor, he dropped to the ground. It scared me but I got him back on his feet and gave him the Banamine and the B and he was fine. Is that normal?

Minelson · #14 01/30/13, 04:12 PM

It stings like all get out! I'm surprised he didn't scream. Gretta would go down and cry out at the same time

it really sucks

Minelson · #15 01/30/13, 04:13 PM

Someone said to make sure it's at room temp before giving it ... draw it up and let the chill get out of the syringe. That might help

Zilli · #16 01/30/13, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

Someone said to make sure it's at room temp before giving it ... draw it up and let the chill get out of the syringe. That might help

The vet said Nuflor doesn't need to be refrigerated.

Minelson · #17 01/30/13, 04:20 PM

Oh shoot... I hope I'm not thinking of something else!!! sorry! I can't actually remember now if it was in the fridge or not. ~ brain fart ~ I'll see what I can find

Zilli · #18 01/30/13, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

It stings like all get out! I'm surprised he didn't scream. Gretta would go down and cry out at the same time

it really sucks

Yeah, it does! It scared me; I was afraid I'd killed him - shocked his system or something.

I wonder if you inject it slowly if it makes a difference? I'll admit to going a little fast with it because I was being harassed by all the other goats trying to see what I was doing and I just wanted to get it into him.

Minelson · #19 01/30/13, 04:23 PM

This is off the label as posted on Valley Vet
STORAGE INFORMATION Store between 2°-30°C (36°-86°F). Refrigeration is not required. The solution is light yellow to straw colored. Color does not affect potency.

So your vet is right. I don't know what I was thinking of unless whoever told me that thought it was refrigerated.

Minelson · #20 01/30/13, 04:25 PM

I tried to inject it as fast as possible to get it over with