# Poison oak and goat milk, what about cow milk?



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

So I have learned my poor daughter is HIGHLY allergic to poison oak. Poor baby, I was helping my husband on a brushing job and there is a ton of poison oak. She ended up blowing up like a blow fish and the only thing I can figure is she is so allergic that the smoke got on her and she got it so bad. 
But anyways she is finally doing better but I got to thinking. I’m not sure if its a old wives tale or what but some claim If you feed poison oak to goats and then have the person drink the milk it’s supposed to make it so they are not as allergic. 
Well I no longer have any milk goats, but I have a jersey cow that we have been milking and drinking the milk. So I’m wondering can I cut her a bunch of poison oak will it do the same? I’m not sure If they say goats because no one thinks cows will eat it (they will we don’t have any here because the cows ate it all) or if it simply doesn’t work with cows.
I would prefer not to go playing in the stuff if it won’t do anything. I’m not highly allergic but I do break out but I will break out for my kid lol


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

No idea lol. But my son will get poison oak/ivy by just looking at it. My daughter is like me. We could sleep in it, and never even break out... Doesnt help that when he goes hunting, he climbs trees and he brushes up on it without realizing. A few years ago, he got it BAD on his face and neck, and he said it was starting to get hard to breath. We took him to the urgent care, and they gave him a steiroid shot in his bare butt! He said that HURT! It really scared me! Now i try to spray it when i see it! I think it may have been in his mouth, cause the kid chews his darn fingernails! 
Glad your daughter recovered! I dont have an answer though, just a story LOL!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah we debated on taking her but it would be a ER visit and that wasn’t going to happen with this madness so we just kept a eye on her. Shes only had it once before and she got it bad but she was so young we just thought she basically rolled around in it. At least now we know better! My son though he was right with me and he doesn’t have one spot on him! I usually don’t get it too bad if at all but i think being so hot and sweaty that’s why I have it fairly good this time


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Oh no, your poor daughter...I hope she feels better soon. 
I've not heard that old wives tale before. It's sort of the same principle as vaccines though...Anti venom is created by horses getting snake venom injected ...then their blood produces the antibodies to help people who've been snakebit.
I have no clue if it would work or not though. I'd not do it.
How's your sons arm...has he gotten the strength back from it being broken?


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Ok. So I just spoke to my sister. She is a vet of the bovine. Poison oak does cause allergic reactions from their fecal matter and milk if this is a cows primary diet. So to answer. No. Drinking the milk of a cow that ate poison oak or poison ivy does not create antibodies that help the human kind. If the poison oak is part of the primary diet it can cause the milk to cause a reaction in a human who is highly allergic.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Tanya said:


> Ok. So I just spoke to my sister. She is a vet of the bovine. Poison oak does cause allergic reactions from their fecal matter and milk if this is a cows primary diet. So to answer. No. Drinking the milk of a cow that ate poison oak or poison ivy does not create antibodies that help the human kind. If the poison oak is part of the primary diet it can cause the milk to cause a reaction in a human who is highly allergic.


Thanks for checking with your sister! That's great to know


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

My friends daughter had a emergency reaction to goats milk from a goat who ate night shade. (She's highly allergic) it put her in the ER. So I have to agree with Tanya..best not risk it.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Cows and goats systems go through a highly progressive digestive system that makes them immune. But it does not completely remove the toxins from the milk.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Whoa! I’m glade I did ask first! I was thinking it would hurt anything at first but I happy I asked. That could have gone bad!
Goofygoat thank you for asking about him  he is back to 100%! And boy am I happy to have him back lol he’s been my life saver helping keith out on this job


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

(thumbup):hug:


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## friesian49 (Jul 2, 2018)

I feel their pain, I learned it was poison oak versus poison ivy. A friend showed me the vines and helped me cut about 2-3 inches out at the bottom to kill it. Said it takes about a year for the top to die, but I have some dead ones that I'd prefer to be dead when they fall! That stuff scares the heck out of me! I couldn't imagine breathing it in.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I guess it depends on how bad your allergic to it when it comes to the smoke. I always wondered why firefighters were not on their death beds after fires with poison oak. Thankfully my daughter only got it on her skin and not in her lungs. This is way worse then when she got it the first time. But I guess my dad used to get it really really bad when he was a kid. He has a big scar on his chest.


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## friesian49 (Jul 2, 2018)

It's been a month ago when I first got it and it's still healing! I still feel itchy sometimes, not sure if it's in my mind or not, but it feels good to be able to scratch! Glad she's okay.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

There is a plant called white snakeroot. It used to kill thousands of horses and cattle in the 18th and 19th centuries. Milk from cows and goats can kill people! Abe Limcolns mother died from drinking cows milk after the cow had eaten the white snake root.

It is a pretty flower that grows in the woods and along creeks etc. 
all over the Eastern USA. 

So, to bring this back to the topic at hand, cows and goats eating poisonous stuff may harm us thru the milk!


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Jessica84 said:


> Yeah we debated on taking her but it would be a ER visit and that wasn't going to happen with this madness so we just kept a eye on her. Shes only had it once before and she got it bad but she was so young we just thought she basically rolled around in it. At least now we know better! My son though he was right with me and he doesn't have one spot on him! I usually don't get it too bad if at all but i think being so hot and sweaty that's why I have it fairly good this time


To you a d @Nigerian dwarf goat GET AN EPI PEN! They are cheaper now but worth any price when you need to use it!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

they gave us an epi pen when he went to the urgent care a few years ago. Thankfully, He hasnt gotten into it since then! When he goes to friends houses to hunt, i give the mom his epi pen! That boy is wild LOL!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Maybe I’ll call her doctor and See if they will just give me one. My county keeps adding 1 or 2 people to the list on corona so there’s no way I’m taking her in right now. If not it will just have to wait. It was definitely a bit scary


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

You know what though it makes a whole lot of more sense now on dairy set ups. I always wondered why they wouldn’t let the cows out on pasture more, but I guess the risk is just not worth it


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

You can use an antihistamine for sinuses as well. Where they say take 1 3 times a day you take 2 twice a day for 48 hours.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Jessica84 said:


> Whoa! I'm glade I did ask first! I was thinking it would hurt anything at first but I happy I asked. That could have gone bad!
> Goofygoat thank you for asking about him  he is back to 100%! And boy am I happy to have him back lol he's been my life saver helping keith out on this job


That's great he's back to 100%
Yay! great news.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good to hear.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah I gave her Benadryl and that helped her a lot. I am out if that but I think she can probably take some Zyrtec now so I’ll see if that helps. 
Boy am I happy he’s 100% too lol he has finally reached this stage that he is a young man. If he sees me packing something he rushes over to help. Like on this job we were so tired and I gave him the option to stay home. He asked if I was going and I said yes so he had to go too in case I needed help. Not long ago it seemed like I was always nagging at him to help out lol


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