[Zoobec]

I've just got 2 goat kids, Toggenburg/Saanan, they're 2 1/2 months old. I've had them 2 weeks. They were wormed with panacur before they left the breeder. One of them started scouring a week ago, so I called out the vet, who thought it may be the wormer or the change of environment and lush grass. the vet gave an injection of antibiotics in case of an infection and left electrolytes for me to give her, and took a fecal sample to test for worms etc.  I've kept them off the grass, the scouring has stopped and it would seem shes pooing more normally, but its still dog poo like. Last night got a call from the vets to say she has or had high levels of coccidiosis in her fecal sample, and she would look into treatment options. I've only got the 2 goats. Looked on here and it would seem some people use vecoxan, sometimes Baycox. The vet receptionist called to say that they didn't have anything in suitable for treating just the 2 of them, but that the vet could come out and inject them with something on Monday. I'm unsure what to do, as I can get Baycox but looks like only on prescription and that would mean waiting for a delivery, and if the vet comes out then it will be another visit charge, when really they probably should have been treated for it as a matter of course last week. Anyone got any ideas as to the best course of action? Or advice as to where I can obtain a suitable treatment easily? Thanks!

[Roxy]

I have had goats for 40 years,and last year was the first time I went through the horror of this.  I just bought the bottle, as as I had to repeat the dose, it soon went down.  Please take action soon - I lost some of my AN kids, and one of the pygmy kids.  Going through a large herd it takes a grip. They were the same age as yours, and it broke my heart, and that is why we have not bred this year - I needed time to get over the horror of what happened.
 
Is it not possible to take the kids to the vet, to save a call out?  If they can jab them, it will help. Mine went downhill very fast, even after the treatment, although like I said it only affected some of them.
 
Fingers crossed for your little ones, but please , I will repeat, act quickly.

[Lesley Silvester]

What a horrible thing to find out. Hope you can get them treated and well soon. 

[Zoobec]

It's been a baptism of fire for me I feel like I'm having to spoon feed the vet info on drugs and I'm a complete beginner... 

[jaykay]

Take them to the vets, just bung them in the back of the car (I didn't say that) with a blanket and maybe a piece of polythene/feed sack underneath them.  It needs treating quickly and the injection is the fastest way. It can do permanent damage to the gut lining, and as Roxy says, if you don't get it sorted fast they can die.

[Roxy]

Stuck mine in the back of the pick up.  In all honesty I thought the summer grass just gave them the squits. In fact, one showed no symptoms  The speed at which it took hold was fast, so time is of the essence. 

[Zoobec]

I'm panicking somewhat now. The goats are fine apart from the dog poo like droppings, eating, drinking and very lively, I want the vet to come out, she says she won't till Monday and they'll be fine till then if there's no blood in the droppings. I've put my foot down and said I want them treated now, so she said she'll get injections ready for me to give them or I'll have to wait till Monday. Now I'm waiting for her to calculate the dosage and then I'm off to collect them to inject them myself tonight..... I really feel she should have treated them last Thursday on a "just in case" theory

[jaykay]

Doing the injections yourself is easy and by far the best option - wasn't sure if the vet was offering that.

[Zoobec]

Just going to get the injections now, will they need follow up jabs?

[jaykay]

Possibly. I had two kids who had it very badly and they had another jag, three days later.

[Zoobec]

Well they've both been jabbed now so I'm just hoping and praying that they will be ok

[wytsend]

You can buy Vecoxan at most Agricultural suppliers.................very useful to have in the First Aid cupboard anyway.
Time is of the essence with coccidiosis.......... the gut can become very damaged irreparably.
Kids should be treated routinely at around 4wks and then again at 7wks with Vecoxan.    Baycox is excellent but is a different drug only available on prescription.    Vecoxan does 'keep' in the fridge !
You will need to treat all goats on your property at this stage.  The adults will be carrying larvae but they don't get so bad.

[Zoobec]

We've just looked up the drug that the vet gave us was Panomec and when we've looked it up its a wormer/ lice treatment... I can't believe it

[jaykay]

You need a new vet, preferably a farm vet. Whereabouts are you?

For kids who actually have coccidiosis symptoms you need Baycox, it kills coccidia whereas vecoxan is a coccidiostat, ie stops them breeding, so the numbers don't build up, and you treat as Wystend describes, as a preventative.

Too late to do that once your kids are ill, so you need the prescription only drug and you can only get that from a vet. A farm vet will keep it. You might need to ring around and specifically ask for Baycox (tolrazuril).

[Zoobec]

I know I need a new vet, they are diabolical. They are a farm vet which is the ridiculous thing! I am in Sheffield.