# This is what vet gave me.. what now?



## ThornyRidge (Jan 24, 2011)

So I have been treating the Nigerian wether with penicillin and benadryl , vet rx in the nose, along with some probios and did manage to have him take a couple chewable vitamin c tablets..  anyway for 2 days now he has no fever.. today's temp was 102.9, yesterday was 103.5.  He is nibbling hay and drinking water, nibbling loose minerals and grain, and animal cookies. anyway he is not showing a major appetite at this point but does seem to act somewhat normally.. I called vet to see about getting some of the nuflor stuff to at least have on hand if he gets worse.. the goat is not showing many symptoms at this point but lowered appetite and some clear nasal discharge.. I listened to lungs this morning and they did not sound weasy or crackly nor does his breathing seem too labored.. It does seem like he has some congestion-- not showing any coughing activity lately a couple of sneezes (not sure how related to the stuff I am dumping in his nose tho).  anyway vet left my injections and the secretary not too helpful.. i did not get the nuflor.. he left me a shot of draxxin and a shot of dexamethsone (sp?)  I looked these up and don't seem to know much about them?  what is everyone's suggestion with these.. since he is not fevered now he is in my guess fighting off whatever he had.. and the weather here is miserable.. he is in stall that is much cleaner and drier with fresh wood shaving bedding but he is not happy about being alone.   suggestions on how to proceed?  I am also wondering since I gave the penicillin shot this morning along with some liquid benedryl will this affect him or new shots this evening?  advice?


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## ksalvagno (Jan 24, 2011)

I would use the Draxxin. It is a 7 day antibiotic. Works GREAT on pnuemonia. Give him the Draxxin shot tomorrow morning. It would probably be fine to give it to him this evening but I would probably feel better about doing it in the morning if it was my animal.


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## helmstead (Jan 24, 2011)

I would NOT give the dex...it can comprimise the immune system, which he doesn't need if he's fighting off some infection.

Appetite stimulator = B complex.  I'd add that.


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## ThornyRidge (Jan 24, 2011)

does anyone know the exact dose on the draxxin?  I think he gave me right round 1 cc maybe a bit more.. i do have some b complex.. willadd that.. what abnout the benadryl.. should I keep that up? and is the concensus skip the penicillin shot tonight and do the draxxin tomorrow?


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## ksalvagno (Jan 24, 2011)

1cc per 100.1 pounds or 1cc per 101 pounds. It is something weird like that.


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## cmjust0 (Jan 24, 2011)

I'd also hold off on the dex..  It could probably be given safely because the infection seems to be under control, but all it really does is reduce inflammation -- which is an immune response -- by compromising the immune system.  I'm not a vet, but in my opinion, there are better ways to reduce inflammation in this case with drugs like NSAIDS and antihistamines that *don't* weaken the immune system.



			
				ksal said:
			
		

> 1cc per 100.1 pounds or 1cc per 101 pounds. It is something weird like that.


I've never used Draxxin and I've never studied on using it, but are you sure it's not 1ml/110lbs?  Reason being, 1lb = 2.2kg, roughly, so 110lbs is the common conversion from 50kg..  Most drugs are tested and approved and dosed in ml/kg notation, and 50kg is a common increment for large animals, which is why we Americans see so many veterinary drugs -- like Ivomec Injectable 1%, for instance -- with recommended cattle dosages of 1ml/110lbs..  

Could be way off..  Just curious, I guess.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 24, 2011)

The draxxin could be per 110 pounds. I haven't used it since last winter and don't keep a bottle of it on hand so I don't fully remember. I just know it wasn't the usual simple 1cc per 100 lbs.


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## cmjust0 (Jan 24, 2011)

Ok, so I looked around a little and it appears to be 1.1ml/100lbs...which is weird, but is apparently tied to a 1ml/40kg dose..  I'd have called it 1ml/90lbs, but whatever.  

In looking around about this, I happened to notice that the actual drug in the somewhat-newfangled and very, very expensive Draxxin is 'tulathromycin' at a rate of 100mg/ml.

Now, we all know that I'm really just an ignorant redneck who don't know know better, but the word tulathromycin puts me in mind of the word erythromycin..  Maybe it's just me, but they seem kinda similar. 

Incidentally, there's an OTC injectable called Gallimycin 100, which is erythromycin formulated at a rate of 100mg/ml.  The goat dosage for Gallimycin is about 4x higher than Draxxin at 1ml/25lbs, but considering the price difference...$10.00 for 100ml vial of Gallimycin vs. $400.00 for 100ml of Draxxin...I'm pretty sure it works out to be A WHOLE FRIGGIN LOT CHEAPER even at 4x the dose.  Like, almost exactly 10x cheaper.  And it's OTC.

As it happens, I actually own a bottle of Gallimycin, but I've never used it.. I know -- imagine that...me buying a drug I've never used, just to have it..  :/   Anyway, i'ts s'posed to be pretty good for upper respiratory stuff, pneumonia, etc..  I also happen to know it is HEAVILY excreted in milk, which made me think it might be useful for mastitis..  And it's $10/bottle.  Anyway... I'm not sayin' -- _I'm just sayin'._


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## Renegade (Jan 24, 2011)

> 1lb = 2.2kg


CM,

You have it backwards. 
It should read 1kg = 2.2lbs


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## ThornyRidge (Jan 24, 2011)

I am holding off on that shot of draxxin until tomorrow.. most likely when I get home from work and am down in barn for awhile that way I can watch him for a bit.. like to do that since I have never used before.. did not give the penicillin tonight.. did do the benedryl again and some more vet rx.  he seemed to have a better appetite and was eating hay and drinking plenty of warm water.. seems to be on the mend except for some clear nasal discharge (maybe some slight nasal congestion) and that is about it.. hopefully this shot of draxxin will nip whatever it is in the bud!  temps are supposed to be warmer tomorrow up actually in the 30s.. whoa!!  I am so ready for spring and warmer temps and no snow so I can get barn cleaned out!!!!  and get goats out in warm fresh air!  also decided against the dexo shot as all advised.. guessing benadryl is same kinda premise but not as harmful.. sad thing is he seems to hate the taste of the benadryl.. kid stuff tastes like bubble gum.. I think it is quite paleatable myself!   his weight is a rough estimate around 85 lbs.. will try to finagle this down a bit tomorrow.. looks like vet gave me shot at exactly 100 lbs or the 1.1 dose..   with this being a weird amount not sure how to make exactly for him!


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## ksalvagno (Jan 24, 2011)

Last winter my whole herd had pneumonia. The draxxin was the only thing that cleared it all up. Also nice that they didn't have to get daily shots.


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## rebelINny (Jan 24, 2011)

How do you know if your goat has pneumonia?


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## ThornyRidge (Jan 24, 2011)

pneumonia seems to be a broad spectrum of respiratory ailments in goats.. the concern with mine is that even though there were minimal tell tale signs ( cough, colored discharge from nose,eyes, raspy breathing, crackling breathing, etc) my dude had a fever along with some mild coughing and some clear nasal discharge.. at first sign I got him on antibiotic (penicillin) becasue that is all I had.. he has come around some but still has clear nasal drainage and seems to have some nasal congestion.. spoke with vet who gave me this shot to help him.. will give it a try tomorrow.. oh and it seems at least the penicillin fought off infection as he has been fever free for over 2 days!


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## ThornyRidge (Jan 24, 2011)

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Last winter my whole herd had pneumonia. The draxxin was the only thing that cleared it all up. Also nice that they didn't have to get daily shots.


that is the key.. poor guy,, tonight was first night I did not stick him with needle.. I think he was kinda shocked that he is getting a bit of a break until tomorrow.. I know how awful it is.. I hate giving shots.. although unfortunately with my episode last week with Tink I seem to have gotten really good at SQ shots!  especially since I have done over 30 in the past week or so... ready for a break!


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## ksalvagno (Jan 24, 2011)

Practice makes perfect!


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## cmjust0 (Jan 25, 2011)

Renegade said:
			
		

> > 1lb = 2.2kg
> 
> 
> CM,
> ...


You're absolutely correct.


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## Calliopia (Jan 25, 2011)

The reason I went with Draxxin over others is that it is 1 dose per WEEK and with an impossible to catch goat w/ pneumonia it was my only option.


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## ThornyRidge (Jan 25, 2011)

gave him the draxxin shot tonight..  hopefully works.. he was not too happy about needle.. this morning other than snotty nose (still clear) he was cudding and seemed to be good.. after shot tonight I hung around in barn for over 1.5 hours and it seemed like the shot may have made him drowsy..  hope that is somewhat normal .. i know that happens when I get antibiotics sometimes.. he was nibbling hay and drinking water good tonight and when I left barn he was nibbling some hay..  will check on him before work tomorrow and see .. I am sure I will have more restless sleep tonight..  gave him some probios gel and some vet rx in nose.. will see what tomorrow brings.


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