So here we are after 5 days of herbal wormer with the goats. After the first day when they ate the entire half batch that I made , they didn't eat much of it any other day.
I did a fecal on Ty who has had diarrhea for a few days that I thought was related to coccidosis. I did see what i thought were HC, but they weren't elevated the way I have seen in the others. But the meds weren't working, and he was still eating and playing well. So I decided to take him to the vet. Turns out he has Stronglytes. Which looking at pics of these and Hemonchus Contortus look the same to me. Are they the same?
The vet gave me some medicine to help Ty's tummy and told me to worm him with Ivomec in 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS??? Can I sue for wrongful death due to your bad advise, which I paid $56 for? Why was the vet looking at his EYEBALL to determine FAMACHA score? Which is roughly 3-4 if you look at the EYELID. I really just don't know about this guy... should I say something next time he does that? He said though that Ty looked very healthy despite his tail being down and the bad poops. When I did chores yesterday morning everyone and everything looked good. No bad poops aside from Ty.
When I got back from the vet with TY there were clumpy poops, checked eyelids on everyone else. Isabel and Brandi were about 2. SO, when I went to the feedstore to get dog food, I bought the last bag of positive pellet they had. I weighed it out for each goat on my food scale including Ty. Isabel actually ate it this time! I am really surprised! Also gave them some red cell and they ate some hay.
This morning there didn't appear to be any new berry bunches, and everyone is up and around and eating.
I put a few flakes in the Radio Flyer and left it just outside the pen so they can stick their heads through and eat it...just to see what would happen. I have always wondered. So far, so good. If only I could figure something to cover it with so it doesnt get rained on that they could still eat the hay.
I am not ready to give up on the herbs so quickly. I ordered a few ounces of Slippery Elm, Cloves ,Cinnamon Ginger, Goldenseal, Myrrh, Echinacea, Juniper Berries, Dandelion, Chaparral, Cayenne, Yarrow, Comfrey, Arnica, Raspberry Leaf, Peppermint Oil, and Eucalyptus Oil
At the recommendation of someone who has been using herbs for a long time, and I am going to try a couple specific Fir Meadows mixes that she recommended. Once again, I don't know if it will work but I am willing to try.
I still haven't found an herbal nutrition facts, but I am still looking. So far my first goal of keeping my herd alive is still going on.
got a new rake and a different tiller, so we will see how that does today.
Comments
I figured you would when you got round to it Deborah. You are quite thorough and considerate, and probably interested to see how this turns out. As I am.
Haemonchus contortus and strongyles are both roundworms, so they're related like a poodle and a schnauzer.
That's very weird that the vet told you to worm Ty in two weeks when he clearly needs it now. I had a goat in good body condition almost die on me a year and a half ago. She even had normal poops. One day she wasn't eating, so I looked at her eyelid, which was completely white. I immediately wormed her but was not at all optimistic because she was already so weak. I'm amazed she did survive and is doing great today, but I had ignored that FAMACHA score (or not checked), she would have died.
Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I've been traveling a lot, and I don't get email notifications of new blog posts.