DRUG RESISTANT PNEUMONIA/ONE ANTIBIOTIC MAY WORK/HAS RESTRICTIONS

[DonnaBelle]

Hi All,

As some of you may remember, my goat Annie has pneumonia. The doctor did a culture and sent it off for analysis. She has a type of bacterial pneumonia that is drug resistant. However one type of antibiotic may work: Gentamicin. But I must sign an affidavit that I will not consume either her or her milk.

Since I have two goats, I am going to refrain from breeding Annie, and just breed Felicia in 2010. Since I only want milk for my own consumption and to make cheese with, I will keep Annie for a pet.

Wow!! The most expensive pet goat in all of goatdom.

Anyone have any experience/knowledge of this antibiotic??

DonnaBelle

 

[ksalvagno]

Donna, I have antibiotic resistant pneumonia on my farm too. Just found out a couple days ago. My vet has the goats on Baytril. Has the vet tried Baytril yet? So far it seems to be working. I'm going to pick up more shots for more goats today. I am seeing improvement in my goats.

Gentamicin is a last resort antibiotic in alpacas. I even happen to have some on hand because of a cria that needed it. Although we don't have to sign anything that you will never use them for milk or meat. What is the reasoning behind not being able to use them for milk or meat?

Nothing like being indoctrinated into the goat world with a problem like this! I was hoping I would be in goats for at least a couple years before something like this happened.

 

[helmstead]

There is NO REASON this goat cannot be used for milking in the future!

Gentamycin is not labeled for goats, so there is no FDA withdrawl recommendation for their meat or milk. Provided you wait a several weeks (please refer to the FDA guidelines, find the LONGEST withdrawl and follow that one) after use of the drug to consume the milk and/or meat, there should be no ill effect.

To my knowledge, there is no drug that will forever render an animal's products tainted.

 

[DonnaBelle]

Hi all, I googled Gentamicin and saw where the FDA had cited a man in Wisconsin for selling cattle that had been treated with this drug. I did read where you aren't supposed to eat/drink milk from animals treated with this particular antibiotic.

Having said that, I will probably just keep Annie for a pet for a while and just plan on breeding Felicia. I am also thinking about getting another Nubian doe in the spring from another breeder.

The vet said that the reason for the problems this year, (he's having it in calves too) is our overly wet summer, fall and winter this year. Our ranch looks like the Big Cypress Swamp. This is normally a somewhat dry region of the US, but not the past two years here in East Central Oklahoma. There is such a thing as summer pneumonia.

Unfortunately I am in love with this goat, she looks just like a little deer fawn, spots and all. And sooo sweet, they were both bottle fed babies, so are soooo tame. Anyway, I'll give updates on this situation, maybe it will help someone else.

Donna

 

[ksalvagno]

I would think since you are wanting goat milk for personal use that it wouldn't matter if you breed her and use the milk. Especially if it is a long period of time after giving the drug. If you feel uncomfortable with using the Gentamicin, then I would try Baytril or Draxxin first before using the Gentamicin. I don't know if I would be willing to sign anything since it is your personal choice if you want to drink the milk or not. I can't believe that the antibiotic would stay in a system forever. I think it is more a scare for commercial human consumption than personal use and can understand if your goat was being used commercially.

My little doeling is on Draxxin and she is responding to it. The vet is also putting her mom on Draxxin because she is nursing a kid. My other goats that aren't pregnant or nursing are on Baytril.

 

[JerseyXGirl]

The reason Gentamicin has been banned in cattle is because there is no tolerance level established. It is approved for the use in piglets. The FDA is afraid that cattle livestock owners are misusing the drug and allowing for a resistant strain of E. Coli to be developed. This drug is used in humans as well so I'm sure with proper withdraw time the milk and meat would be fine for consumption.

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=97037&print=1

Edit to add: @ksalvagno, I had a pet on Baytril that was prescribed from our vet. Yesterday I received a rebate check in the mail from Bayer. It had a nice letter included thanking me for choosing Baytril as a treatment option and how drug makers know how hard economic times are right now and all that. I did not send off for this nor did I know I was receiving it so I must assume my vet did it for me.

 

[JerseyXGirl]

Here is another good site about drugs: http://www.barnonemeatgoats.com/drugs.html

It does say that Baytril is not recommended for the use in goats but it doesn't say why so I would assume due to side effects it may have.

 

[ksalvagno]

Thanks for the links. They will be very helpful.