I have a doe who is due later this week.....{{{{nerves}}}, and she got into some cactus and has the splinters in one teat! Aside ffrom the ouch factor she must be experiencing..she REFUSES to let me pull them out. Is there some kind of a spray on topical anaesthetic that I can use on her? I asked the feed store man, and he couldn't think of anything. It sure would be useful to have something like that around. I was considering the chloreseptic stuff they sell for sore throats if there are no other options. Any ideas?

On another note, are there any kind of sedatives for goats that can be had for "just in case" scenarios? I have a wether that is a nightmare to trim his hooves. I think a sedative would help me to get his feet in better shape. Just curious. Thanks again!!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), July 23, 2001

Answers

Doreen, You might try Solarcaine, or (though not a spray on) Extra Strength Ora-Jel. Might work.

I would not try any sedatives with a goat. They often don't do well with that sort of thing. I wouldn't want to do it w/o a vet (and then with some reservations), and the cost would be prohibitive. I had a BIG wether (almost 400 lbs.!) that refused to let me trim his feet. He was definately too big for me to wrestle. I enlisted dh's help, and we would lay him on the ground and dh would sit on his neck to keep him down while I trimmed away. (Soon learned to do it the easy way and wait till he was lying down on his own, rather than us forcing him!) After awhile, he learned it wasn't all that bad, and he would just let me trim his hooves while he was taking his afternoon nap.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), July 23, 2001.

Banamine! It isn't an anesthetic in the true sense of the word, but it is a pain reliever, easily obtained for fever reduction and controlling spasms in goats with severe diarrhea, so get it for that reason, or I can send you some, but use it because it puts them into LA LA land given at just above the dosage. My vet used it on one of my does who came down with menengial worm, she had started self mutilating (chewing) on herself. She used the Banamine to "take the edge off" it worked wonderfully! I agree with the Solarcaine idea, and you want these stickers out! Go throw her to the ground have somebody sit on her and take the tweezers and get them out! There are times with our goats just like our children where you either mind or you get sat on! :) You take care! You are much to small of a women to let your goats run you around! Discipline LOL! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 23, 2001.

Try putting the wether in a milking stand. When trimming the rear hooves(they are the worst with these), stand behind him on the stand, and with uyour back facing his, bring his rear foot up between your legs, holding it there with one hand while you work on it. do not let it get stretched out behind him, keep it flexed and fairly close to his body. It is harder for him to get leverage that way. Wait till he stops kicking before you start to cut, I have been cut deeply while working on wild goats, it's a good idea to wear a leather glove on the hand that holds the hoof, and tough jeans in case the knife slips toward your leg. I do like to use a very sharp knife, dull ones take forever and are a pain and a greater danger than the sharp ones.

-- Rebekah (daniel@itss.net), July 23, 2001.