# BoSe and alternatives



## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

My magnificent vet, whom I have LOVED for 30 years has retired. Doc wasnt exactly goat savy, but open minded and willing to learn with me. When I called Doc and said "I need BoSe" or "I need Nuflor"...........he would have the tech get it ready for me.

The new guy isnt this way. He will not be giving even BoSe without a farm call (at a 100$ fee per visit). I've been giving a BoSe shot in the fall, but "the new guy" was honest enough to tell me that I could have him out for the 100$ farm call, or I could haul my six goats in to him to save money, but he would not be giving BoSe to goats as it is intended for Cattle and he does not use products off label.



Oh, how I miss my vet. There is no one else around here that will touch a goat.........

So while I panic and pray I dont have an emergency, what are the alternantives for BoSe injections and how effective are they?

lol, many vets like "the new guy" (I refuse to call him by name. I REFUSE. He is a JERK on top of it all).....anyway, many vets like "the new guy" and there will be some underground black market goat drug cartel.

I'm gonna have a chat with Doc to see if he can talk some sense into this new guy. But new guy is young, fresh out of school, and knows EVERYTHING there is to know.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Hopefully the new guy will learn through experience. There is an oral selenium gel. But that doesn't help in the case of an emergency, like a weak newborn kid who needs BoSe.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Fir Meadow sells Cop-Sel which is her copper/selenium herb mix product. But that also wouldn't help in an emergency and you do have to feed it daily.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That is horrible. Some vets seem greedy to me.


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## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

Ksalvagno...........I keep seeing you mention Fir Meadow. I'll have to check them out.

Would feeding the daily herbal "stuff", help prevent the weak kids?


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear that! When I lived in Az I was a tech so all i had to do was tell him hey I need this.
We only have one "goat" vet in a 90 mile radius, the others won't even do a goat fecal, and this guy is good but a fecal is like $50-55! When he's "out" there is no body that seems to be capable of treating a goat so that is scary. Like I had to post on here in late July for my very sick buckling because he was out of town and nobody seemed to help. Thank god for Goatspot.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

redtailgal said:


> Ksalvagno...........I keep seeing you mention Fir Meadow. I'll have to check them out.
> 
> Would feeding the daily herbal "stuff", help prevent the weak kids?


I really don't know. I have only been using it for the past month. And I have to admit that I gave my 2 pregnant girls a BoSe shot. I will see if any of the kids need one once they kid. I usually have at least 1 kid that needs a BoSe shot the day they are born.

I know Kat would probably swear by it but I haven't gone totally herbal or anything. 

I'm not a total herbal person but I did use Fir Meadows herbs when my girls had worms and they worked great as directed. Previously I had used Molly's and they just didn't work for me so I was pretty much writing off any herbals but decided to use Fir Meadow for one last try. I'm sold. I still have all my chemical wormers but I'm hoping to use them less.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I use human selenium pills. Never had a problem with it. However as already stated this can't really be used in an emergency. I did however have a kid that suddenly got terribly knock kneed and after a couple of days of treatments her legs straightened out.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Even though your old vet is retired, he should still be able to buy meds and/or write you a prescription so you can buy it yourself if you can't get the new vet to come around. Santa Cruz Animal Health sells Bo-Se (prescription required).


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

ptgoats45 said:


> Even though your old vet is retired, he should still be able to buy meds and/or write you a prescription so you can buy it yourself if you can't get the new vet to come around. Santa Cruz Animal Health sells Bo-Se (prescription required).


Exactly what I was thinking. Valley Vet will even call your vet. Talk to the
old Doc and run it by him first... then have the drug company call him. I'd
make a list of all the things you might need and stock up.
I'll refrain saying what I want to say about the new guy and just say,
"that's disappointing". I have two goat vets. One is a small animal vet
and works on goats. She is like "the new guy". The other is a cow vet that
also has a vet supply very close to me. I've had him do some work for me
and he's starting to know me and my herd management, so he's getting
pretty good about selling me whatever I want. His office staff still freaks 
out when it's Rx, but it's all good when they call him.


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## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

I was informed by the new guy that there is a NC rule now that vets MUST see the animal before prescibing meds now. I'll have to get ahold of Doc and find out how true this is.

I'll give him a week or so.....dont wanna cause drama on his first week of retirement.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have just simply been putting sel. salt blocks out for my goats and so far (knock on wood) have not needed bose. That is their favorite one of all the salts out so they must need it but also must be getting enough to not cause a issue.....just a idea


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

I also have a hard time getting BoSe. No vets around me will give out bottles. Only option would be a one time injection for $40 plus an exam fee...per goat.

Last year I used the Selenium & Vitamin E gel from Jeffers. I gave one dose (5ml) at 30 days before prekidding. I had trouble with 1 kids' legs (out of triplets). I dosed the kid immediately with the gel (and some other supplements) and splinted the legs. The problem resolved itself within a week. This was a new doe and as far as I know she never had any other Selenium supplements. The issue could have been the gel didn't do it's job or improper prenatal care across the board. I'll never know.

This year I will be using the gel again. But twice. Before breeding and 30 days before kidding. I'm hoping the 2 doses will do the trick.


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## redtailgal (Mar 29, 2011)

hmmm, may have to look at the gel! Thank you for that information!


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