# giving IM to a 200 lb goat



## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

Thanks ahead of time for the quick responses:

We have a 5 year old wether who needs a shot of penicillin. I tried last night while my husband held. I got the needle in and pulled back a little to make sure I wasn't in a vein and the first little bit went in fine and then disaster. The medicine started coming down his leg and then the syringe broke (the needle part fell to the ground).

I would much prefer my husband give the shot, but I can't restrain a 200 pound goat OR can I? 

We don't have a milk stanchion as we have no milking goats (now I think we need to buy one). 

I need to give another shot this evening, any tips for restraining or doing a shot?

Thanks again!
Tonia


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

The next best thing to a stanchion is a garage door. Tie the lead to the handle, push the goat forward so his head is down, put your back against the goat and pull up one rear leg in front of you. 

You can do the same with a tree in a pinch. Otherwise see the thread on flipping. When the goat is down wait until he relaxes. I flip them to trim their feet just because my back is so bad I can't bend over to do it the way Rex does.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I also have a 200 lb. goat with no stanchion, and things like giving shots and cleaning under his tail can be a real drag if he's not properly restrained. First, make sure to tie him with a halter since it allows less movement than a collar. If you don't have one, you can make a figure 8 halter from a piece of rope or you can use a rope hooked to his collar, wrapped over the nose and back through the collar ring. Then tie it off so it can't slide back through. But use a halter! 

Next, tie him against some solid surface such as a garage door (good suggestion, Bob, except that some of us don't have a garage door!), a sturdy fence post, a ring in a wall, or even against your porch railings or the side of a vehicle or trailer. Snub him up as short as you can so he can't move his head at all. Then pin him against the wall with a knee under/into his body just in front of the hind leg. Take a bracing stance since your goat is big and strong. If you still can't hold him still, you may move a bit further forward and pull up a hind leg as Bob suggested, but still keep him pinned against the wall. He'll try to hop around, but he can't do much if you've got him tied and pinned securely. 

Try to put the needle in fast. Pushing it in slowly hurts more and also gives your goat more time to screw around. Then after you give the shot, massage the area and make a big slobbery fuss over your big, brave goaty goat. And if your goat tells you that goats who get shots deserve cookies, he's absolutely right!


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## Blueroan (Mar 6, 2010)

short tie them to a post, then wedge yourself on the side to where they can not get turned. Put the injection in the triangle of the neck. I sometimes will put half the dose on the opposite side of the neck. I have done calves like that. I also have epinephrine available in case they happen to be allergic to PCN.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

If you put the rope down at the base of the post and then wrap it so it pulls their head down they don't have any leverage to jump around much. THen proceed as above. My vet has a ring imbedded in her cement floor to hold small livestock as she can snub them down to this.


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## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

Thanks for the tips!

We tied his head down low to a fence post and had his head towards the fence and his body towards a solid wood gate. My husband was then pushing against the gate and holding the back leg while I administered (I did need help with the second 1/2 of the medicine going in). Overall, it worked well. I felt much better than last night when the needle/syringe broke and Sven (the goat) was bleeding.

I know we need to learn to do our own injections, but it is rather scary when you read all the stuff that can go wrong (get the penicillin in the blood, hit the sciatic nerve, the goat goes in to shock, etc...). 

I used to want to be a vet when I was a kid and there is a good reason why I didn't go to vet school - I love animals, but don't like the medicine side! 

Again, I appreciate all the feedback from the members on this forum! 

Tonia


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## AACmama (Jul 29, 2010)

I'd like to piggyback a question: is it better to use a thicker needle that allows the medication to squirt faster or a slender needle that inserts easily but takes longer to allow the medication to pass?

Our vet had me give Ivermectin shots last weekend for possible lungworms. It was not a fun experience for any of us people or goats. I used a slender needle recommended by the lady at the feed store and it seemed to take forever to get the dose down (requiring multiple pokes because the boys squiggled away from the needle...wish the great tie-down tips had been posted at that point!). The needle we used several months ago on one of our babies for a 10-day course of antibiotics for scours was much thicker and the process was far easier.

Next weekend we need to give CDT vaccines and don't want a rerun of this experience. I hear it is a thicker solution and will need a thicker needle...suggested sizes????

I appreciate all the wisdom in this thread. Thanks to folks for sharing!

Tonia, I am SO with you on disliking this shot business! The only good needle is one that sews cloth...

Rose-Marie and the not-so-happy Saanen boys


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## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

We were at the vet yesterday and she gave us a 20 x 3/4" for a 20 pound kid. The vet last week gave us a 20 x 1" for a 200 pound goat. Both goats were getting penicillin which is thicker. 

I'm not sure if that helped, but that was our experience in the last week. The kid did just as well with the 20 needle as the adult goat.

Tonia


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I prefer to use needles that are for i.v. access/blood drawing, meaning, thicker diameter. Especially with the thicker solutions it's less painfull. Remember that water through a thinner hose has more pressure, too.

Also keep in mind not to use the same needle with which you pull up the solution out of the bottle for injection. Poking through the lid will blunt the needle slighty and it therefore won't enter into the skin with the same effortlessness than a new needle.


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## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

What is your process then for getting the medicine from the one syringe to the next?

Tonia


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

You use the same syringe but not the same needle.

Use one needle for pulling up the solution into the syringe and use a new needle for every goat.


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## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

I thought about the switching needles and then went to give a shot and it made sense. 

Tonia


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

It also helps to pat the goat with your hand at the injection site a couple of times before you jab it with the needle. I pat the goat firmly in a rythm to get the goat used to being touched then it is pat- pat- pat- jab. Insert the needle quickly but firmly. Many times the goat doesn't even flinch after the first couple of pats.


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## AACmama (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks for the tips on needle sizes and pat-pat-pat-jabbing. These are very helpful. 

This is such a great forum...I appreciate the wonderful information and people's willingness to share. 

Thank you!


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

I have found that not all syringes are created equal. some are designed so it is very easy to give a shot.
I like the HSW ECO-MATIC 
I use a large diameter short needle. like a 12 x16 gauge needle.


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