Contrary to what many believe, Goats can not and should not eat everything they can get their mouth on. There are a few reasons a goat would eat a poisonous plant, curious, accident, or they are starving. There are many plants extremely toxic to goats...A single bite of Oleander or Elephant ears or Rhododendron can have our goat in serious if not deadly trouble. Take time to know whats growing on your property. I make it a habit not to plant pretty flowers or bushes without looking them up for toxicity. I wont have any thing planted my goats cant eat safely, even in the font yard where I hope they wont get to..goats are goats...they get out.
These links may help..I encourage you to look up plants native to your region. Keep in mind, most ordimental plants can be toxic..know what you grow!!
http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/156...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/623...
Keep on hand:
Activated Charcoal: Sheep & Goats: 1-3 mL per kilogram (2.2 lbs) body weight.
Cd antitoxin ( not to be confused with cd&t toxoid)
kids under 6lbs 3ccs injected SQ every 12hours
kids 6-15lbs 5ccs injected SQ every 12 hours. kids 15-20lbs: 10ccs injected SQ every 12 hours. For adults- 80lb goat will get 20ccs injected SQ every 12 hours
Milk of magnesia 15 cc per 60#
Two recipes found in the files of a Natural goat raising FB page for Rhod poisoning, but I bet will work with most plant poisonings
#1 Lorraine’s Recipe for Rhododendron Poisoning.
Quantities do not need to be too exact.
¼ cup cooking oil ( coats the intestinal lining to help prevent absorbtion)
½ cup strong/strong cold tea (6 to 8 tea bags removed) [English tea] ( antidote)
1 teaspoon ground ginger ( sooths and helps with pain)
1 teaspoon baking soda( balance the PH in tummy)
MIX ALL TOGETHER and drench the goat with it all. How does this work? Oil puts a lining on the stomach preventing more poison going into the system, tea is the antidote, and ginger relieves pain, baking soda helps bring up the gas. You can take 15 minutes over the drenching, a ml or two at a time between sickies, if you have to.
#2 Irene’s Recipe for Rhododendron Poisoning.
15 mls Renco (rennet) ( Neutralise toxins)
15 mls Mylanta (milk of magnesia) (Coats and protect lining, also binds and flushing toxins)
5 mls brandy (Alternatively you can use sherry, which is a fortified wine. They are both made from grapes, and work better for medicinal purposes than spirits or wines made from grain or other substances.) (She has no idea why this works, but it does)
Mix all together. This is the adult dose!
For kids under 4 months give 5 mls each of Renco and Mylanta and 2 mls brandy, for kids over 4 months give 10 mls of both Renco and Mylanta and 5 mls brandy. The action of the rennet is to neutralise the toxins from the rhododendron.
During crisis
Keep the goat warm and provide fresh water during the throwing up, change each time it get soiled...we want to encourage fluids, don’t stop the vomiting
Once the crisis is over
Feed hay, and natural browse food only for a few days..Pine is amazing for tummy issues. Repopulate flora with good probiotics for about 3 days..If rumen is compromised, Dark beer at room temp is amazing in kick starting. ( 6 oz for standard adult, 4 oz for Minies, adjust for kids) and keep electrolytes offered to help restore balance lost
These links may help..I encourage you to look up plants native to your region. Keep in mind, most ordimental plants can be toxic..know what you grow!!
http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/156...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/623...
Keep on hand:
Activated Charcoal: Sheep & Goats: 1-3 mL per kilogram (2.2 lbs) body weight.
Cd antitoxin ( not to be confused with cd&t toxoid)
kids under 6lbs 3ccs injected SQ every 12hours
kids 6-15lbs 5ccs injected SQ every 12 hours. kids 15-20lbs: 10ccs injected SQ every 12 hours. For adults- 80lb goat will get 20ccs injected SQ every 12 hours
Milk of magnesia 15 cc per 60#
Two recipes found in the files of a Natural goat raising FB page for Rhod poisoning, but I bet will work with most plant poisonings
#1 Lorraine’s Recipe for Rhododendron Poisoning.
Quantities do not need to be too exact.
¼ cup cooking oil ( coats the intestinal lining to help prevent absorbtion)
½ cup strong/strong cold tea (6 to 8 tea bags removed) [English tea] ( antidote)
1 teaspoon ground ginger ( sooths and helps with pain)
1 teaspoon baking soda( balance the PH in tummy)
MIX ALL TOGETHER and drench the goat with it all. How does this work? Oil puts a lining on the stomach preventing more poison going into the system, tea is the antidote, and ginger relieves pain, baking soda helps bring up the gas. You can take 15 minutes over the drenching, a ml or two at a time between sickies, if you have to.
#2 Irene’s Recipe for Rhododendron Poisoning.
15 mls Renco (rennet) ( Neutralise toxins)
15 mls Mylanta (milk of magnesia) (Coats and protect lining, also binds and flushing toxins)
5 mls brandy (Alternatively you can use sherry, which is a fortified wine. They are both made from grapes, and work better for medicinal purposes than spirits or wines made from grain or other substances.) (She has no idea why this works, but it does)
Mix all together. This is the adult dose!
For kids under 4 months give 5 mls each of Renco and Mylanta and 2 mls brandy, for kids over 4 months give 10 mls of both Renco and Mylanta and 5 mls brandy. The action of the rennet is to neutralise the toxins from the rhododendron.
During crisis
Keep the goat warm and provide fresh water during the throwing up, change each time it get soiled...we want to encourage fluids, don’t stop the vomiting
Once the crisis is over
Feed hay, and natural browse food only for a few days..Pine is amazing for tummy issues. Repopulate flora with good probiotics for about 3 days..If rumen is compromised, Dark beer at room temp is amazing in kick starting. ( 6 oz for standard adult, 4 oz for Minies, adjust for kids) and keep electrolytes offered to help restore balance lost