About a month ago, I saw a great note on Goatslite from Sue Reith of Washington State regarding the medicines a well-prepared goat keeper should know how & why to use , and what medicines he/she should keep on hand. Sue has most graciously allowed me to filch her missive and publish it here.

I read through Sue's list, and keep most of these medicines on hand myself. As she points out - knowledge of what to do in a crisis is of little value if you don't have the "tools" with which to work at the ready. As a preface, it is recommended that most medicines be kept under refrigeration excepting during actual use. You may as well bite the bullet and give up a portion of your refrigerator to your goats. I well imagine that at some future date, you will raid your goat's medicine cabinet for some tidbit for yourself - at the very least for the Pepto or the KOPectate - so all is not lost. Another point of importance to note is that no vaccination (toxoids or bacterins) given before two months of age will infer proper permanent immunity on the kids to which they are given. It takes their little bodies two months to mature enough to start making their own antibodies. Hence, before two months of age, Antitoxins are the only things that might be effective in a crisis. This first group of medicines is available through catalogs (e.g. Jeffers, Omaha Vaccines, etc.) Some of them are available at your local COOP, at feed stores, or at your vets, also. Some of the meds are listed by "brand" names, but generics are often available at less cost.

The medicines are not listed in any particular order - for example alphabetically or by order of importance. So here goes:

Medicines and supplies to Keep on Hand at All Times


• Epinephrine: Very Important - for anaphalactic shock. Basic backup to have on hand at all times when administering all shots.
• Tetanus Antitoxin: If the doe has not been vaccinated prior to kidding, her newborn should receive 1/2 cc within 24 hours of birth as an immediate but temporary protection against tetanus. It continues to be effective for about 10 days. If castrations or disbuddings are done after that, but before tetanus toxoid has been given, Antitoxin should be re-administered.
• CD Antitoxin: Clostridium Perfringens C&D (enterotoxemia) Antitoxin. Emergency measure, for immediate use at first sign of enterotoxemia, and the possible difference between life and death in the victim. Most victims are under two months of age. This is a great insurance policy, which hopefully will never be used. For a full article about the recognition, treatment, and prevention of enterotoxemia, consult our archive.
• CD/T Bacterin Toxoid: For permanent immunization of all goats against enterotoxemia and tetanus. Two shots given 3-4 weeks apart starting at about 6 weeks of age. Boosters are then given annually within one month of forthcoming parturition (kidding). Bucks are vaccinated along with the first group of kidding does at our farm.
• Oral Sulfa: Excellent for treatment of Coccidiosis in young kids.
• Oral Neomycin Sulfate: great for handling bacterial enteritis. Please note that after the administration of any antibiotic - oral or otherwise - a stout slug of Probios should be administered. Ruminants such as goats depend on the good bacteria in the rumen for proper digestion of food. Failure to replenish the "good" bacteria can cause serious scouring.
• Safeguard: good general wormer for young animals. It is difficult to overdose with this wormer, it can get tapes, and can be given to the pregnant does (I don't like to worm the preggies unless absolutely necessary).
• Chlorpheniramine maleate: simple oral antihistamine, 4 mg tablets for correction of simple aspiration pneumonia in neonates and for any other aspiration or inhalation difficulties. Also useful for treatment of simple allergic reactions.
• CMT (California Mastitis Test) Kit: Essential for testing milking does for presence of subclinical (or worse) mastitis while it can still be treated somewhat economically and before permanent damage to the udder can occur. Folks, this is very cheap and very effective. Keep this on hand at all times and use it at least once a week on each milking doe.
• Propylene Glycol: Oral energy supply. Any time a pregnant or lactating goat does not eat for even a couple meals, there is a danger of ketosis (a killer) because the animal uses its own body reserves during that period. Propylene glycol keeps the doe from using its body reserves. Buy this stuff by the gallon. Its a whole lot cheaper that way, and will last a long time if stored properly. This can be the difference between life and death, and its difficult, if not next to impossible, to find this at the drugstore if you have an emergency. Have this on hand at all times.
• Ketosticks: Available at the local drugstore or Walmart. Hold stick in the flow of urine from the suspect doe. Follow the instructions on the label to determine if your doe is suffering from ketosis and hence is in immediate need of propylene glycol (see above).
• Vitamin A/D injectable: Vitamin A makes Vitamin D available to make calcium available (See below). Important adjunct to Calcium therapy. Some folks also inject 1/2 cc to neonates during the gray Winter months.
• Probios: Oral paste for replacement of "good" bacteria in ruminants when digestive crises occur or to prevent digestive crises after the administration of antibiotics .
• Calcium/Magnesium Supplement: Some form of this, either oral or injectable, as emergency measure when pregnant or lactating doe suffers from either Pregnancy Toxemia or Parturition Pariesis, both of which result from low calcium levels in the animal. We use the oral form. The does seem to chug it down if they need it and leave it alone if they don't.

So this is our first installment on the medications and supplies to have on hand. Next month, I'll give you the other half of the list. If you're new to "goating", you must be thinking by now that the goat is the most fragile and sickly of animals. Not so!!!! But as old Benjy used to say: "A stitch in time saves nine". And once you've lost that favorite old doe or your best youngster, you, too, will subscribe to strict preventive medicine. None of us surely wants to lose any life entrusted to us because of our ignorance. Good luck, and good "goating".

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