CL... It's no joke

[Goat Whisperer]

Was he really tense?

I was just out on a call and needed yo pull blood on a bunch of goats. Got all the goats on the first try with no issues. The last doe was a fat (obese) yearling who was a complete spaz. Just crazed and the moment someone touched her, her who body was tense. You could feel her "crazy vibe" just from being around her.
I got somewhat of a vein, as soon as I inserted the needle she flipped.

Sat with her trying to calm her down for well over 10 minutes. She was still very tense and could not come down.

The doe had an obvious love for food, so I told the owner to get a small handful of pellets and let the doe slowly eat. That did the trick, as soon as she smelled the food she eased up and I got the blood right away.

I wouldn't do this all the time, but in this case it worked very well.

If he is intact, he is in rut and their necks swell, making it much harder to pull blood. Sometimes vets can't even get blood from a rutting buck, their necks are just too swollen!

We got this head piece, it is worth the $30 and works great for copper bolusing, blood draws, and clipping for show.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

Thanks GW!

I had a hard time with Bergamot's son, who is at least 3/4 Nigie, but was finally able to get him in a position where I was able to hold his head and draw the blood. Bergamot didn't have the same result, lol. I finally had him up on a tote to add some height, and he stood more still, but I still wasn't able to get the blood. I will have to try again! Shipping one blood sample would be expensive though... Not sure what I'm gonna do there...

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

I don't know that I would say he was really tense, but he was tense at times. When I had the tote he was standing on he seemed pretty calm.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I find that having a helper straddle the goat (works for nigis and smaller goats, not so much for larger), and use their knees to put a little pressiure on the ribs, just behind the front legs to keep them from backing up. My helper holds the goats head firmly up, but with the muzzle only angled partway up (too high and you will put too much tension on the vessels). Usually that does it. Hope this helps.

 

[Jeanne Sheridan]

One thing I'm wondering... What do you do with the CL+ goats? How do you dispose of them? I know you don't eat them, but I'm thinking you wouldn't want to bury them? Or does that not matter?

A couple people in my area have a herd of CL positive goats that they lease out as brush clearers. We have black berries here that can cover an entire lot in a year if you let it. Where the whole herd is positive and they only have does and wethers it works out OK, no unwanted pregnancies. They make sure their customers know but most of the time they aren't clearing farm land, but construction sites. The goats get a good life eating weeds to their hearts content and there clearing of land more than pays for their up keep.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

So, the blood for 4 of the 5 boys was sent out on Tuesday. Hopefully this Wed or Thurs I will get the results back. I pray they come back with good results, especially Leo... Leo is my favorite buck I've ever had. He's so sweet!

 

[Latestarter]

 

[Hens and Roos]

for the test results!

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

I am so thankful and happy!! Leo came back negative for all three diseases, CAE, CL, and Johnes, as did Donatello!! Praise the Lord! I'm so happy for Leo especially, he's very dear to me!
Ashton did come back positive for CL... I put him in the CL pen, and put Bergamot with him. I had a bad feeling about it when I couldn't draw Bergie's blood, and I don't feel comfortable leaving him in the pen with my sisters goat, who also came back negative for all three diseases.

So happy about those three that got a clean bill! Lord Willing I will test again in a couple of months, I'm thinking six... Safety precaution to get past the incubation period of CL, in case they had it but it hasn't shown up yet. I don't remember for certain what the incubation period was...

 

[Latestarter]