Article Index "Goat Drugs and Dosages" Article Index

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GOAT DRUGS AND DOSAGES

By: Jack and Anita Mauldin
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This is a listing of different medications that are useful in treating problems with your goats. We are not experts or vets and you should only use this as general information and not expert advise. The majority of this information was taken from articles in goat magazines, specifically Goat Rancher. We are not recommending any specific brand names nor specific dosages but believe we should include what was stated in the articles.

General Information on Injections
Intramuscular (IM) Injected deep within a major muscle mass, such as that in the hind leg or on the shoulder. It should be given with an 18 gauge, 2.5 to 4 cm needle, pointed straight into the muscle. Before injecting the drug, always withdraw on the syringe plunger to make sure you haven't hit a blood vessel. If this happens, blood will flow into the syringe. To correct, simply replace the needle in the muscle.
Subcutaneous (SQ) Injected under the skin, usually in the neck or behind the shoulder. Usually a 1 to 2.5 cm needle is inserted at an angle through the skin. So that you do not stick yourself, pick up the skin with your fingers and insert the needle through the skin while it is pointed away from your fingers.
Intravenous (IV) Injected into a vein, usually the jugular or neck vein. This procedure takes some skill and practice. Become thoroughly familiar with the method before attempting to use it. Thevein must be blocked with one hand near the shoulder to enlarge it and make it visible. Usually a 4 cm. 18 gauge needle is used for IV injections. All IV injections should be given slowly. The heart should be closely monitored as heart block may occur. This may be done by use of a stethoscope, placing your ear against the chest, or by merely feeling the heart beat with your hand.
Intramammary Injected within the milk gland, the end of the teat through the natural opening. Always wash the teat end with soap and water and wipe it with alcohol before injection. Use only sterile, blunt, teat infusion needles or "throw-away" mastitis medicine applicators. Unclean material entering the teat will case mastitis. Our vet has indicated this type of treatment for goats is of little value.
Important Conversions 1 ml =
1 Tsp =
1 Tbsp =
2 Tbsp =
1 pint =
15 drops =
1 gram =
1/2 oz. =
1 oz. =
16 oz. =
1 cc
5 cc's
15 cc's
30 cc's
480 cc's
Information on Dosage Conversions

Warning - Warning - Warning - Warning - Warning
----- Micotil (tilmicosin) can cause fatal reactions in goats -----
Warning - Warning - Warning - Warning - Warning

Medication Source Description
Banamine
(FluMeglumine)
Prescription Anti-inflammatory that is good for bringing down high fever, stopping severe diarrhea in very young kids, calming the gut in digestive illnesses, and relieving pain and soreness associated with animal bites and other injuries. Cannot be used but once every 36 hours, because it builds up in vital organs and will cause permanent damage to the animal, including but not limited to ulcerations in the digestive system of the goats.
Dosage is 1 cc per 100 lbs IM. Refrigerate
Bar-Guard-99 Over-The-Counter Protests newborns against scours caused by K99 strains of E.coli. We use this to help prevent Floppy Kid Syndrome and it has worked well. We give 2cc drench right after kid has had some colostrum from the mother.
Baytril
(Enrofloxacin 2.27%)
Prescription A broad spectrum antibiotic to be used only after other antibiotic therapies have failed. Can cause tenderness and swelling in joints. Comes in injectable and tablet form. Injectable dose at 1 cc per 20 lbs. for five consecutive days. Good for gut-related illnesses.
Benzathine Penicillin
(long-acting penicillin)
Over-The-Counter Antibiotic that has been overused and not effective against many problems. Dosage is 5 cc per 100 lbs SQ. Refrigerate
Bo-Se and Mu-Se Prescription Injectable medication for selenium deficiency. Since selenium deficiency exists at different levels throughout the US, it is critical to follow your vet's direction on the usage of these products.
Bovi-Shield Prescription Vaccine against bovine respiratory syncytial virus. For cattle, but some vets and ranchers are giving to goat herds. Annual revaccination needed.
C&D Antitoxin Over-The-Counter Used for many problems. Fresh cuts, castration, dehorning. Severe diarrhea in very young kids, toxicity situations in which the goat is frothing at the mouth, one of the products administered to combat Floppy Kid Syndrome. Provides short-term protection (just a few hours) but works quickly towards solving the immediate problem. Young kids should receive a minimum of 3 cc SQ up to three times a day; adults should receive 10-15 cc, depending upon size of the animal. C & D negates any protection previously given by CD/T vaccine therefore, wait for at least five days and re-vaccinate and booster shot. Refrigerate
CD/T
(Clostridium Prefringens Type C & D - Tetanus Toxoid)
Over-The-Counter Provide long-term protection against overeating disease and tetanus. Newborn kids and newly purchased animals should be vaccinated with 2 cc (kids at one month of age) and then a second vaccination should be given 30 days later (kids at 2 months of age.) Two injections 30 days apart are required in order to provide long-term protection. Annually thereafter, one injection of 2 cc per animal will renew the protection. Can be given either IM or SQ. Do not be surprised if it makes a knot at the injection site. This is the body' reaction to the vaccination, and in most cases, it eventually goes away. Refrigerate
CHX Guard LA (.12% Chlorhexidine Glluconate) Prescription Aids in treatment of Sore Mouth. Contains an effective antibacterial agent in a long-acting gel. This adhesive-based gel adheres to the gums, thereby increasing the amount of time the antibacterial agent is in the animals mouth.
CMT (California Mastitis Test Kit) Over-The-Counter Is a screening test to quickly detect mastitis.
Colostrum Supplements and Replacers Over-The-Counter Do not confuse these two types of products. Newborns must have colostrum during the first hours after birth. If the dam is colostrum deficient, use the colostrum replacer. The best colostrum replacer is frozen colostrum taken from does on your property who have already kidded. This colostrum will have the immunities needed for your particular location. If you don't have a supply of frozen colostrum, then you must use a commercially-prepared goat colostrum replacer. In such instances, usage of colostrum supplements along with the replacer is often helpful. Do not use colostrum or colostrum replacer beyond the first 24 hours of life. Switch to goat's milk or goat's milk replacer.
CoRid Over-The-Counter Treatment for Coccidiosis. Give kids 30-40 cc of mixture twice daily; adults should receive 70-80 cc twice daily. Confine the entire exposed herd to a single source of water for five consecutive days. Using the treatment dosage on the CoRid package, mix CoRid into the only source of water. In some areas, vets are finding that new strains of coccidia are resistant to CoRid and should consider Albon or its generic equivalent, Sulfadimethoxine 12.5%.
Cydectin Over-The-Counter A cattle pour-on dewormer. Use a a drench on goats. Works against internal and external parasites. We drench with 1cc per 15-18 lbs.
Dexamethasone Prescription Can be used to induce labor if required in a doe after day 141 of pregnancy. Also used to improve appetite after kidding.
Doprem Prescription Eliminates respiratory distress in newborns caused by troubled births, including C-sections. Drop 2/10 cc under kid's tongue immediately upon birth to stimulate long activity. May also be used when kids are pulled out of their dams. Refrigerate.
Epinephrine Over-The-Counter Never be without it. Used to counteract shock in animals from other medication. Always carry it with you when giving injections. Dosage is 1 cc SQ per 100 lbs.
Ivomec 1% cattle injectable Over-The-Counter For eliminating stomach worms. A clear, oily liquid works best if used orally at a rate of 1 cc per 75 lbs. Do not under dose. Achieves a quicker "kill" via oral dosing.
Kopertox Over-The-Counter Product for hoof rot and hoof scald. For topical application as a "liquid bandage".
LA-200
(oxytetracycline)
Over-The-Counter Broad-spectrum antibiotic use. Thick liquid is painful to the goats. Never use on pregnant does or kids under six but preferably under 12 months old. Interferes with bone & teeth formation both in utero and while kids are growing. Can cause abortion in pregnant does. Dosage 1cc per 25 lbs. IM every third day for a maximum usage of three doses. The non-sting version of oxytetracycline is called Bio-Mycin. Can be used for pinkeye. Refrigerate.
Lutalyse Prescription Used to bring a doe into heat or cause an abort of a early pregnancy not desired. If a doe has an unwanted breeding, wait 11 days and then give her a shot of lutalyse. We use 2cc in the muscle. Although Lutalyse will bring a doe into heat, it does not mean that she produced an egg.
Milk of Magnesia Over-The-Counter Useful for constipation and toxicity reactions, including Floppy Kid Syndrome. Use as oral drench at rate of 15 cc per 60 lbs.
Naxcel
(ceftiofur sodium)
Prescription Excellent broad-spectrum antibiotic for respiratory illnesses (pneumonia). Comes in two bottles...one bottle contains a powder which must be kept refrigerated and another bottle of sterile water. When the two are mixed, they keep for only seven days. So draw up syringes in dosages of 1/2 cc 1 cc 2 cc and 3 cc, put needle caps o them, place the filled syringes in a ziplock bag, label and date it, and put it in the freezer. Syringes thaw quickly, but hold the needle cap up, because some times the medication will settle into the needle cap. Dosages on the bottle are insufficient for goats. If newborn kids have respiratory distress or e.Coli infections, they must receive a minimum dosage IM of 1/2 cc daily for 5 consecutive days. A 100 pound goat needs at least 5-6 cc's of Naxcel IM over the 5-day course of treatment.
Nuflor
(Florfenicol)
Prescription Same as Naxcel. Administer IM every other day for a minimum of three injections. Dosage is 1 cc per 25 lbs. Refrigerate.
Oral Ruminate Gel Over-The-Counter Should always be used after the completion of antibiotic therapy and treatment for diarrhea/scours. Also works well when shipping goats. Refrigerate.
Ovine Ecthyma Vaccine (live virus) Prescription For the vaccination of sheep and goats against sore mouth infection. Humans have been infected with this virus. Protect against such accidents.
Oxytocin Prescription Use when a doe kids and does not pass her afterbirth. Must be used before the cervix closes (within approximately five hours after kidding). Causes contractions that expel the afterbirth. This is not a comfortable experience for the doe, so use it sparingly. Dosage is 1.5 cc per 100 lbs. Vet has recommend we use .5 cc to doe.
Pepto-Bismol Over-The-Counter Controls diarrhea in kids under one month old. Use up to 2 cc every four to six hours for newborns; 5 cc over the same timeframe for kids approaching one month old. Follow up with oral ruminant get Probios to repopulate the gut with vital live bacteria used for digestion. Do not use Immodium AD to control diarrhea in goats, because it stops the peristaltic action of the gut and death is a likely result of its use.
Primor Prescription Oral antibiotic that comes in tablet form, by weight of animal, for gut-related infections. Primor 120 is for 5-15 lb goats, Primor 240, 10-30 lb goats; Primor 600, 25-50 lb goats; and Primor 1200, 50-100 lb goats. Give two times the appropriate weight's dosage the first day, than then match the goat's weight for the next 9 consecutive days.
Probios Over-The-Counter Used to get the rumen back working. Contains a source of live naturally occurring microorganisms. We use this prior to trips with goats and after shots to keep the rumen microorganisms in balance and working.
Procaine Penicillin G (Regular) Over-The-Counter Good for treating Clostridial myositis, Enterotoxemia, or Strep. mastitis. Generally used twice a day. Give in the muscle if you want the blood level to come up faster. SQ injections are less damaging and usually less painful than IM injections. Penicillin injections that hit a blood vein can kill an animal almost immediately. Dosage recommended between 3-5 cc per 100 lbs.
Propylene Glycol Over-The-Counter For ketosis in does. Comes in one-gallon containers. Use 50-60 cc twice a day for an average-sized doe until she gets back on feed. Administer orally. If this product is not available, use molasses or Karo syrup.
Red Cell Over-The-Counter Red Cell can be used to combat anemia in goats. Packages in quart bottles, use it in conjunction with Vitamin B12 injections or as a stand-alone treatment. Should be administered daily via mouth for at least one week in no less than three cc amounts for an average-sized goat.
Re-Sorb oral electrolytes Over-The-Counter For rehydrating sick animals, regardless of age. Can be used as an oral drench, put into baby bottles for kids to suck, or mixed into pans of drinking water. Each packet should be mixed with 1/2 gallon warm water.
Selenium with Vitamin E Over-The-Counter Complements potential deficiencies. Deficiencies can result in mastitis, retained placentas, and white muscle disease.
Spectam Scour Halt Over-The-Counter Controls diarrhea in adults and kids over one month of age. This is a pig scour medication which works well on goats. Follow label directions when pumping this liquid into the goat's mouth. Follow up with oral ruminant gel (Probios) to repopulate the gut with live bacteria necessary for food digestion.
Synergized De-Lice Over-The-Counter Applied along the backbone from base of neck to base of tail. Follow the directions carefully, and do not use on kids under one month old. Maximum application is 3 oz. per animal, regardless of weight.
Tagament Over-The-Counter Use in conjunction with Primor for gut-related pain resulting from illness like coccidia. Dosage is one half of a HR200 Tagamet (200 mg) for 3 - 5 days.
Tetanus Antitoxin Over-The-Counter Protection against tetanus and tetanus-like infections. Comes in single-dose vials; use the entire vial IM for adults; cut it back proportionately for kids. No sooner than five days after this medication is last used, will have to re-vaccinate with CD/T and booster.
Thiamine
(Vitamin B12)
Prescription Used in conjunction with large dosages of antibiotics to treat listeria and goat polio, diseases which demand vet assistance. Moldy feed and hay may cause these illnesses. Refrigerate.
Tincture Iodine 7% Over-The-Counter Topical antiseptic for use to reduce the risk of infection of superficial cuts and abrasions. Use on navel cords at birth of kids after mother has cleaned them.
To-Day
(cephapirin sodium)
Over-The-Counter For mastitis treatment. Milk out the bad milk/pus/blood and infuse one tube of To-Day into each infected udder for a minimum of two consuctive days.
Triangle 9 Over-The-Counter Vaccine for pneumonia type of illness. For cattle but some vets are using on goat herds. Given annually.
Tylan 200
(tylosin)
Over-The-Counter For respiratory problems. Dosage 1 cc per 25 lbs for 5 consecutive days IM. Refrigerate.
Valbazen Over-The-Counter De-wormer of the "white" wormer family. Can cause abortion in pregnant does at certain points in the the pregnancy.
Vitamin B12 Prescription Wonderful for use on goats who are anemic from worms or stressed from just about any illness. Dosage 1 cc per 100 lbs. Refrigerate.
Please visit JACKMAULDIN.COM for more excellent goat information!

About the author: Thanks to Jack & Anita Mauldin Boer Goats for working together with GoatWorld to bring helpful information to the goat industry. Please visit JackMauldin.com for more helpful and up-to-date information regarding goat health.

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