Having the supplies you need on hand is the first step of being prepared to treat your goats when necessary; especially for treating ailments with herbs, because it is difficult to readily find many herbal mixes and supplements in stores. Not all of the supplies I use are natural or herbal, because I am always prepared to treat conventionally if my natural efforts are unsuccessful. I have included products that I would choose to put in my entire goat first aid kit, and later I will write a more detailed explanation of just my herbal kit. This list is not complete, there are many more things included but this is a start with good basic items.
Lastly, some items that can be obtained in an emergency by a vet or livestock supply store may not be listed here. If you have access to either of those, I do not deem it necessary to have them on hand. However, if you do not have that access, please message me and I will include a comprehensive list of medications and supplies that you should have if a vet or supply store is not readily available. NOTE: Post may contain Amazon Affiliate Links, from which I will earn a commission.
First Aid Kit & Supplies:
Herbal Mixes for various aliments. It is good to have FirMeadow’s GI Soother, DWA, and also their herbal formulas Breathe Deeplee and my personal favorite, HerBiotic. (Replacement for DWA and GI Soother would be Land of Havilah’s Parasite Formula, both are herbal dewormers!) Another herb blend that I recommend is Land of Havilah’s GI Back On Tract – a useful supplement for digestive woes and even poisonings. PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to purchase these herbal blends – an extensive collection of single herb teas for humans can come in handy during times of need.
Drenching Syringes (these are big syringes for dosing anything to your goats in large amounts)
Oral Syringes (1 ml/cc, 3 ml/cc, 5 ml/cc, 10 ml/cc) (also for dosing your goats, but usually for smaller amounts.)
Surgical Gloves (I prefer Nitrile)
Hoof trimmers (Goats’ hooves need to be trimmed usually every couple months, although some grow faster than others.)
Styptic powder (in case of a hoof trimming gone wrong or to stop bleeding)
Neosporin/antibiotic ointment
Hydrogen Peroxide (food grade preferably)
Eye drops (specifically for pets)
FAMACHA eyelid scoring reference chart
Molasses and Raw Organic Honey (and/or Manuka Honey)
Activated Charcoal Powder (in case of poisoning from eating plants or chemicals, and can also be used for cleansing from sickness.)
Slippery Elm Bark Powder (This is great for digestive issues, but mostly it helps make things tastier if your goats refuse to eat something [herbal medication etc.])
Stethoscope
Stomach Tube
Alcohol Pads
Wound Dressing – Choose one or all: Veterycin Plus, BluKote, and WonderDust
Probios paste/gel for ruminants (this is good for bloat, feed changes, and to help the rumen in times of stress.)
Ammonium Chloride (in case of Urinary Calculi!)
Fortified Vitamin B Complex Injectable (needles + syringes for this as well. 18 gauge & 20 gauge needles)
Essential oils: I recommend DoTerra brand oils. OnGuard blend, Digestzen blend, lavender, tea tree, oregano, lemon, wild orange, clove, lemongrass, and thyme are all good oils to have on hand – though I would recommend a complete kit.
CD&T Antitoxin (CD Antitoxin + Tetanus Antitoxin sold separately)
Replamin Plus Gel and/or Selenium Vitamin/E Gel
These last couple items will be found in your kitchen, most likely. These are some very important and even life-saving supplements:
Garlic
Cayenne Pepper (a cayenne tincture/extract is preferred for fast-acting support, like THIS ONE)
Dark Beer (while this may be something that you keep in your fridge and not your first aid kit, it is extremely helpful for rumen support in emergency situations)
DO YOU NEED ANTIBIOTICS, CHEMICAL DEWORMERS, ETC.?
To answer this simply, I do not keep a large stock of antibiotics or chemical wormers on hand. I am fortunate to have local farm stores to supply me with medications if needed. However, there are a few ‘harder-to-find’ medications that I do recommend having on hand in certain circumstances. Or, if you just prefer to keep everything you may need on hand, that’s fine as well.
Tylan 200 – purchase this if you do not have a vet nearby to prescribe high quality antibiotics in an emergency. (Common medications like Penicillin or Oxytetracyline are easy to find at most farm stores, but Tylan 200, a more preferable antibiotic for pneumonia and other illnesses, may be harder to find). *If you feel more comfortable keeping all the necessary antibiotics on hand – you may also want to purchase Penicillin, and LA-200/Biomycin/Oxytetracycline*
Cydectin, Valbazen, Ivermectin, and Safeguard/Panacur – these are all dewormers. Every single one is easily found at a livestock supply store in most areas. However, if it makes you feel more comfortable, these are the top dewormers I would keep on hand.
Vet Prescription Needed: Banamine (while I do not recommend the use of this medication often, Banamine is a drug that can bring down a fever in an emergency. Aspirin can be used – but it is not nearly as safe for animal consumption and should not be used for an extended period of time. Banamine requires a vet prescription. If you have a vet near you that is on-call, this may not be something that is imperative for you to have in your kit. If you do not have an on-call vet that can provide you with this in an emergency, I would recommend getting a vet to write you a prescription for Banamine so that you can have it on hand).
If you have any questions on how I use particular items, feel free to leave a comment or send an email from our contact page! And if you have anything in particular that you use in your first aid kit that isn’t on this list, please leave a comment below!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a vet, nor am I a licensed professional. I am in no way a “goat expert” and my opinions are only that of personal experiences, and my insights shared are not medical treatment suggestions, care suggestions, or any directions for raising goats at all. I am simply sharing my own personal opinions. Any and all changes to your goats’ health regimen, care, etc. should be approved by a veterinary professional or licensed professional. I also believe that every goat owner has their own way of doing things, so just as my opinions are my own, and cannot apply to anyone else, your opinions are also regarding your individual goats, and I welcome you to share them in a kind, constructive manner.
Originally posted by: The Giving Goat Natural Goat Care & Blog
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