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Last fall our big red billy goat named Scout, went to live in Driggs with some of Megan's does, and Sucker, Megan's billy goat, came to live with us.
A few weeks ago Luke came inside after feeding and told me Sucker didn't look too good. The next day, Steve and the boys went out to worm him and give him some vaccinations. If an animal starts to look poor, a lot of times it means they have worms.
While the men were worming Sucker, they noticed a growth on his neck, just under his ear. Hoping to save Megan the cost of a vet visit, Steve gave Sucker an injection of penicillin. It was a long shot, we were pretty sure the abscess would need to be lanced.
I was suppose to go out and check sucker a week later to see if the antibiotic had helped. Well, I forgot! I know, you are thinking how could I forget about a sick animal! In my defense, I did ask for updates from the boys, they go out twice a day to feed. Each time I asked they said he looked better and I'm sure he did, but they never climbed in the pen to check his neck.
Any way, yesterday Megan called to ask me a questions unrelated to Sucker. When she called I remembered that I was suppose to check his neck myself and then get back to her with an update. I'm such a dork! After we finished talking I ran directly out to his pen to check on his neck.
The growth hadn't changed a bit. This new information and my guilty conscience sent my day's plans in a new direction.
The vet was able to see him that afternoon. Before the vet lanced the growth he said there was a chance the goat has CAE or CL. When he lanced it he said if it was full of cottage cheese type stuff that would be bad, and he suggested sending in a blood test to determine if the goat had one of the diseases. If it was watery, that would be good, it would mean he probably received a hay puncture while eating and developed the abscess because of that.
Thanks goodness it was watery! The vet didn't think a blood test was needed and seemed confident it wasn't anything contagious.
Luke held sucker for the vet. He was a good sport. When the vet lanced the abscess it smelt horrible! I was gagging from the smell and I was across the room.
Steve happened to have a shift at Driggs last night and was sweet enough to drive the truck and trailer to work, instead of his Cadillac. I wanted to make sure Sucker would receive proper post vet care and I didn't trust my forgetful self to do it properly. Returning Sucker to his owner seemed like the best course of action.
Sucker has been safely returned to his owner and Scout is back home in his pen.
A few weeks ago Luke came inside after feeding and told me Sucker didn't look too good. The next day, Steve and the boys went out to worm him and give him some vaccinations. If an animal starts to look poor, a lot of times it means they have worms.
While the men were worming Sucker, they noticed a growth on his neck, just under his ear. Hoping to save Megan the cost of a vet visit, Steve gave Sucker an injection of penicillin. It was a long shot, we were pretty sure the abscess would need to be lanced.
I was suppose to go out and check sucker a week later to see if the antibiotic had helped. Well, I forgot! I know, you are thinking how could I forget about a sick animal! In my defense, I did ask for updates from the boys, they go out twice a day to feed. Each time I asked they said he looked better and I'm sure he did, but they never climbed in the pen to check his neck.
Any way, yesterday Megan called to ask me a questions unrelated to Sucker. When she called I remembered that I was suppose to check his neck myself and then get back to her with an update. I'm such a dork! After we finished talking I ran directly out to his pen to check on his neck.
The growth hadn't changed a bit. This new information and my guilty conscience sent my day's plans in a new direction.
The vet was able to see him that afternoon. Before the vet lanced the growth he said there was a chance the goat has CAE or CL. When he lanced it he said if it was full of cottage cheese type stuff that would be bad, and he suggested sending in a blood test to determine if the goat had one of the diseases. If it was watery, that would be good, it would mean he probably received a hay puncture while eating and developed the abscess because of that.
Thanks goodness it was watery! The vet didn't think a blood test was needed and seemed confident it wasn't anything contagious.
Luke held sucker for the vet. He was a good sport. When the vet lanced the abscess it smelt horrible! I was gagging from the smell and I was across the room.
Steve happened to have a shift at Driggs last night and was sweet enough to drive the truck and trailer to work, instead of his Cadillac. I wanted to make sure Sucker would receive proper post vet care and I didn't trust my forgetful self to do it properly. Returning Sucker to his owner seemed like the best course of action.
Sucker has been safely returned to his owner and Scout is back home in his pen.