Owner/farmer diagnosing

[Carla D]

a lot of people seem to be able do their own fecals, diagnose, and treat their animals on site vs calling a vet. I also understand it’s really hard to find a vet knowledgeable to provide care for goats. That being said, where are these owners learning the sign/symptoms/treatment to do it themselves? I’d like to be able to do at least the simpler or more common things. Vets are expensive, especially if it’s some that could be managed on the farm without vet services.

 

[Sheepshape]

Carla..... I don't do faecals, though I do go around with my spoon and 10 little plastic bags to take to the vet who charges just £10 to analyse.

However, I diagnose quite a lot. Learn about the common problems in whatever species you keep.....there are many very helpful internet sites. The web also has thousands of pictures of conditions, common and rare....and visuals help a lot.

Sites like this are excellent for asking questions and there's a wealth of experience here.

Your local farmer is often a mine of information and will be only too happy to 'teach the newcomer a thing or two'.

Never be too shy/proud/reluctant to ask, ask, ask.

With regards to vets.....choose wisely, try to 'shop around'. Ours is a farm animal vet, so cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses....right up their street. Don't choose the small animal vet who hasn't pulled out a calf, dealt with a stroppy tup or spirited horse..he/she won't want to come out to your draughty, damp perishingly cold barn at 1:00a.m to do a Caesarian on your favourite ewe with impacted labour.

At the end of the day your vet should be the expert, and most of us who treat our animals only do so if we are pretty sure of what we are dealing with and have the competence to treat the condition. To do otherwise could lead to unnecessary suffering to the animal. So....abscess on leg....great...I love to treat these. BUT, I will still need to speak to my vet who is happy enough for me to open the abscess and clean it out, but will want me to bring in some pus for bacteriological analysis and to prescribe antibiotics and pain killers if needed.

We are always learning....good luck with yours!

 

[Carla D]

Carla..... I don't do faecals, though I do go around with my spoon and 10 little plastic bags to take to the vet who charges just £10 to analyse.

However, I diagnose quite a lot. Learn about the common problems in whatever species you keep.....there are many very helpful internet sites. The web also has thousands of pictures of conditions, common and rare....and visuals help a lot.

Sites like this are excellent for asking questions and there's a wealth of experience here.

Your local farmer is often a mine of information and will be only too happy to 'teach the newcomer a thing or two'.

Never be too shy/proud/reluctant to ask, ask, ask.

With regards to vets.....choose wisely, try to 'shop around'. Ours is a farm animal vet, so cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses....right up their street. Don't choose the small animal vet who hasn't pulled out a calf, dealt with a stroppy tup or spirited horse..he/she won't want to come out to your draughty, damp perishingly cold barn at 1:00a.m to do a Caesarian on your favourite ewe with impacted labour.

At the end of the day your vet should be the expert, and most of us who treat our animals only do so if we are pretty sure of what we are dealing with and have the competence to treat the condition. To do otherwise could lead to unnecessary suffering to the animal. So....abscess on leg....great...I love to treat these. BUT, I will still need to speak to my vet who is happy enough for me to open the abscess and clean it out, but will want me to bring in some pus for bacteriological analysis and to prescribe antibiotics and pain killers if needed.

We are always learning....good luck with yours!

I guess the fact that Dr. Frank is a large animal vet is a great thing. I will start doing some research on goat conditions and treatment as well. I’ve been collecting information on them for over a month now to refer to. Thank you for you input.

 

[Carla D]

Carla..... I don't do faecals, though I do go around with my spoon and 10 little plastic bags to take to the vet who charges just £10 to analyse.

However, I diagnose quite a lot. Learn about the common problems in whatever species you keep.....there are many very helpful internet sites. The web also has thousands of pictures of conditions, common and rare....and visuals help a lot.

Sites like this are excellent for asking questions and there's a wealth of experience here.

Your local farmer is often a mine of information and will be only too happy to 'teach the newcomer a thing or two'.

Never be too shy/proud/reluctant to ask, ask, ask.

With regards to vets.....choose wisely, try to 'shop around'. Ours is a farm animal vet, so cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses....right up their street. Don't choose the small animal vet who hasn't pulled out a calf, dealt with a stroppy tup or spirited horse..he/she won't want to come out to your draughty, damp perishingly cold barn at 1:00a.m to do a Caesarian on your favourite ewe with impacted labour.

At the end of the day your vet should be the expert, and most of us who treat our animals only do so if we are pretty sure of what we are dealing with and have the competence to treat the condition. To do otherwise could lead to unnecessary suffering to the animal. So....abscess on leg....great...I love to treat these. BUT, I will still need to speak to my vet who is happy enough for me to open the abscess and clean it out, but will want me to bring in some pus for bacteriological analysis and to prescribe antibiotics and pain killers if needed.

We are always learning....good luck with yours!

That is what I was kind of hoping someone would say. So if the farmer/owner has been through and experienced some of the more typical, run of the mill stuff they treat that they are comfortable with managing it. Things like worms, skin issues, constiption, etc. but leave the questionable stuff to their large animal vet. But for the basic things tackle them if they are comfortable manage them ON THEIR OWN, all of the rest, they CALL THE VET. Thank you.

 

[Sheepshape]

But for the basic things tackle them if they are comfortable manage them ON THEIR OWN, all of the rest, they CALL THE VET

Yes, Carla, that's how many of us proceed.
Read up on common conditions, looks at pics. , and, if it's goats and you're planning on kidding, YouTube has a wealth of births for you to see before the event. If you have a neighbour with goats ask them to let you know if they have a birth and go watch. Knowledgeable (and friendly) neighbours are a source of much help.
Once you build up knowledge, confidence, and a rapport with your vet, you'll usually find that you can have the conversation "I have a goat and he/she.......etc", discussing the symptoms in those animals who have symptoms the cause of which is not clear to you. I do this fairly often and this leads to treatment directly prescribed if the vet is confident with my description, taking the animal in/a farm visit if they are very sick or not 'diagnosable' over the phone, or sometimes taking pics. on my phone and showing the pics. to the vet in the case of skin lesions etc.
Experience always takes time to acquire, but you'll get there.

 

[Carla D]

Yes, Carla, that's how many of us proceed.
Read up on common conditions, looks at pics. , and, if it's goats and you're planning on kidding, YouTube has a wealth of births for you to see before the event. If you have a neighbour with goats ask them to let you know if they have a birth and go watch. Knowledgeable (and friendly) neighbours are a source of much help.
Once you build up knowledge, confidence, and a rapport with your vet, you'll usually find that you can have the conversation "I have a goat and he/she.......etc", discussing the symptoms in those animals who have symptoms the cause of which is not clear to you. I do this fairly often and this leads to treatment directly prescribed if the vet is confident with my description, taking the animal in/a farm visit if they are very sick or not 'diagnosable' over the phone, or sometimes taking pics. on my phone and showing the pics. to the vet in the case of skin lesions etc.
Experience always takes time to acquire, but you'll get there.

Yes, I need patience. I’m feeling pressure because I feel like my goats have many issues. I’m really worried.

 

[mystang89]

I learned what little i know from 2 things: the helpful people in this website and experience.