# Are all the VetRx's the same?



## Mo's palominos (Dec 13, 2010)

I am super new to goats. I have been diligently reading this forum for about 5 months now. About 2 weeks age my mom got me 2 Nubians for an early Christmas gift. I have been helping her take care of her ND's for a couple of months due to her having knee surgery. We had a blizzard here yesterday and I brought all 6 of the goats in the house ( who needs a laundry room anyway ) and I noticed pepper had a crusty nose this morning. All I have is the vetrx for poultry. Would that be ok to use on her? I read all the ingredients on line and they all look the same. I'm going to the farm store to get a thermometer today. She is eating and drinking and poo'ing normally. Thanks for any info!!


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## elevan (Dec 13, 2010)

I don't know about the vetrx...

I just wanted to caution about bringing them into the house...extreme changes in temp (environment) can cause illness in any animal - jmo  After all it is just the start of winter and you'll have to move them back outside at some point...won't you?

Do you not have an enclosed outdoor shelter for them?


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## Mo's palominos (Dec 13, 2010)

They have a 10x30 shed to run into devided in half. Big girls on one side, little girls on the other. The openings are to the south. We had 50mph wind gusts with 3" of snow and it was blowing into every nook and cranny, covering everything. I was afraid they would freeze to death. The laundry room is about 50 degrees. I will probably make a stall in the garage, it's in the mid 30's out there. I just needed something quick and the laundry room seemed handy. Do you think bringing them in caused the crusty nose? If she doesn't have a temp should I do anything? Maybe bag balm or vasaline on the nose? It looks chapped. The nigerians seem a little more hardy than the 2 Nubians, but maybe that's because I haven't gotten to know them as well yet? Thanks


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## Roll farms (Dec 13, 2010)

The crusty nose could be due to anything from 'shipping fever' (a sort of generic term for when goat's immune system is compromised from stress from a move and opportunistic bacteria can kick in and make them sick.) to an actual cold virus.  
If she's not running a fever or having other obvious symptoms, I'd just keep an eye on her.
I have used poultry vet rx on goats in a pinch.  I didn't see any ill effects.

I would hang a stout canvas tarp over part of the opening to block the wind (or block the opening w/ hay bales...just cover it somehow), offer extra deep / dry bedding, and leave them out.  Moving them from place to place will aggravate shipping fever / stress, as will the temp changes from inside to outside, as someone else said.


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## elevan (Dec 13, 2010)

I don't know where you live, but here in Ohio we had a snow storm move in yesterday and so far we've got about 5" on my property with more coming down as we speak.

Unfortunately I've got some snow blowing into my barn too due to the high winds that are accompanying this storm.  What I did was as Roll said tarps and straw bale walls.  Giving them a smaller area to huddle in till the storm blows through.

From what I understand animals with larger ears (such as nubians) tend to be a little less cold tolerant so that may be what you're noticing there.

Best of luck to you as you ride out the storm.


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## jodief100 (Dec 13, 2010)

We have had teens to 20's for temperatures, wind chill in the single digits and 6 inches of snow over the weekend.  We have three sided shelters and everyone is doing fine.  I make sure that there is plenty of hay to eat and lie down in. I also make sure no one is being kept out by the bullies.


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## helmstead (Dec 13, 2010)

elevan said:
			
		

> Unfortunately I've got some snow blowing into my barn too due to the high winds that are accompanying this storm.


No Kidding!  The snow here is coming in the barn through the ROOF VENTS it's blowing so hard, leaving snow drifts INSIDE the dang barn.

Craziness.


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## Mo's palominos (Dec 13, 2010)

I will know better next time. I've had horses for 15 years and never brought them in lol. I guess just being new it scared me to death I'd walk out this morning to goatcicles.  I'll go to town and get a thermometer and some canvas to hang over the doors. I've been trying the deep bedding method, so I guess I'll stack the straw bales in front of the door with just enough room for them to get in and out. That kills 2 birds with one stone. Wind block and I don't have to carry it to bed them, it will be right there !! I'll turn the heat down in the laundry room to 40 and on Wednesday it's suppose to be in the 30s. Will that be the best time to move them back outside? I've had a horse with shipping fever. Cough, temp and nasal discharge. Would the symptoms be the same for a goat ? I will keep a close eye on her!


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## elevan (Dec 14, 2010)

If it were me in order to transition them back I'd do as you did lower the temp to 40* then in a day to 30* and keep going down until it matched the outside temp in the barn (without freezing my water pipes) and then move them outside.  Giving them at least a day in the colder temp in the laundry room before moving them outside to make the transition smoother.  Kind of like lowering the temp in a brooder for chickens before you transition them to the outside world.  

I wouldn't worry too much about the first time mistake of bringing them inside - goats are so adorable they just pull to our heartstrings.  I have my DH going outside every couple of hours to check on ours!


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## Mo's palominos (Dec 14, 2010)

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I'm in Illinois and it's suppose to get into the 30's by Friday.  I'll transition themslowly and move them out to the barn on Friday. I hung some canvas and some wool blankets over the door ways and stacked straw infront of that so I'm ready for the next storm. The 2 Nubians are super sweet and the kids like having them in the house but I told them they're going back out to the barn on Friday. Thanks everybody !!


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