Oxytetracycline ok for pregnant goats?

[Katharine Norton]

Hi folks,

begging your wisdom again - is Oxytetracycline ok for pregnant goats?

Thanks!

Katharine

[Katharine Norton]

Thanks for you comments Deborah.  I'd noticed Zeerays udder too, but I've kinda lost hope that the baby will be born alive.......we'll see..........I'm still thinking I should get some  Oxytetracycline into her, does that sound wise?  I've had no success with the tablets, she sniffs them out whatever way I try to disguise them.....so I may just have to get the vet to do injections.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

I'm not seeing anything in the pictures that jumps out as obviously bad, but without lab tests, it's really tough. I'm not really sure what I'd do if I were in your situation. Next time I have to drive two hours to get to the U of I vet clinic, I'll think of you and be thankful that it is an option!

Zeeray has got a nice udder going there. Looks like she'll kid within a month or less.

[Katharine Norton]

Here is the other goat, Zeeray, again, any comments welcome.

[Katharine Norton]

Deborah, I appreciate so much you saying that these issues are complicated - they feel complicated, thanks for acknowledging that!  As you'll guess, getting lab work is not an option here, so we'll just keep reading and learning and seeing what to do.  I hope its not chlamydia too, it sounds awful..............particularly since we were hoping for raw milk.....

Meanwhile the goats seem healthy, they are up and moving and eating as normal.   I've attached pictures of Gingerbelle so you can see her, just in case that gives you any insights.  On the rear view if you zoom in you can just see the small amount of greenish discharge.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

Wow! You are certainly dealing with some complicated issues. Sorry I didn't check sources before responding to your first question. That's what I get for thinking I can remember stuff! There are a number of reasons does can abort, including nutritional deficiencies. You can order copper oxide wire particles online from the UK.

I really hope it's not chlamydia. In Matthews Diseases of the Goat, it sounds like you can't get a definite diagnosis without lab work. Under "Treatment and control," it says:

* Segregate aborting animals for 2 weeks until the excretion of chlamydia has ceased.

* Dispose of aborted material and disinfect the area.

* Cull any live kids born to infected does.

* Treat all pregnant goats in the herd with tetracyclines for 10 days and move them to uncontaminated pasture halfway through treatment: Dairy goats -- 20 mg/kg long-acting oxytetracycline IM every three days.

Then it talks about vaccines for chlamydia. Also, VERY important --

The organism is excreted in body fluids including milk. Pregnant women are particularly at risk from contact with aborted material and from drinking unpasteurized milk.

[Katharine Norton]

Thanks Patty for your prayers, would love to have you here too!!

[Patty Meyer]

Actually, you have to scroll down farther for the vet's recomendation, which is 1cc per 20 lbs. once a week until delivery.  The drug she suggested is LA-200, which has 200 mg of the drug per ml of liquid.  If you find out how much of the drug there is in a tablet, you can then know how much tablet that would be.  However, going through the goat's stomach is much different than going into the muscle.  It is never recomended to give any antibiotic to a goat orally.  It is always by injection, either IM, in the muscle, or sub-Q, under the skin.  LA-200 will work given under the skin as well.  You could cause the goat some serious digestive trouble giving it orally, since the rumen is delicate.  She  really needs the flora of her digestive system to remain alive and doing its job.  So, I don't know exactly what to recomend.

If you do decide to try it, remember that it can't be given to an animal that gets dairy,  That means no yogurt for a probiotic, as many people do when giving an antibiotic.

I wish I could stop by and give you the things you need, and a helping hand.   Hang in there:  life with goats can be a lot of fun! :)  I'm saying a prayer for that doe and her kids, and of course you. :)

[Katharine Norton]

Thanks Patty for your messages.  much appreciated!

I found this dosage in that thread:  Use 1 cc per 25 lbs. body weight IM every third day for a maximum usage
of three doses."  I am not comfortable giving injections - never done it before!  But I have oxy tablets, anyone know how do I convert cc to tablets?

[Patty Meyer]

I did just find this thread about using oxytet to prevent abortion caused by chlamydia.  My goat vet had me wait until after my doe kidded to use oxytet for a strain of mycoplasma that had caused my doe to have a chronic sinus infection.  He said that it could interfere with tooth and possibly bone development, but the veterinarian who answered this woman's questions had a different opinion on it's use to treat chlamydia.  She even gives a dosage for treating for preventing abortion caused by chlamydia.  Again, best wishes.

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/la-200-during-goat-pregnancy-...

[Patty Meyer]

Also, it is inefective to use it in any animal that is drinking milk, so it is not for use on nursing kids either, and you have to make sure you don't use it on a doe and give her any type of dairy products.  I'm wishing you the best! :)

Patty Meyer said:

No, it is not safe to use in pregnant goats.  It interferes with tooth and possibly bone development of the kids.  I hope I saw this in time to let you know that.  I have had two different veterinarians tell me that, so I believe it to be reliable information.  I hope all goes well with your doe and her kids.