# Sheep Penicillin Dosage



## moday (Mar 28, 2008)

My kid has a market lamb with an intermittent cough. I was going to use Penicillin but the fair is two weeks away. Is it ok to use 1 ml per 100 lbs for 4 days and stick with the 9 day withdrawl? Our vet had said in the past to use a higher dosage for a different issue but that was without fair right around the corner. Anyone have a feel for dosage and withdrawl for penicillin? I'm not using Dura-Pen.

thanks, Mike


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## odieclark (May 11, 2016)

I have looked up the dose for our use of the "Pen G,". We purchased it at a fleet farm store.

We took the directions from this site: https://www.drugs.com/vet/penicillin-injectable.html

It seems you have it the same as the website mentions.

As for withdrawal, I guess I look at it somewhat as it is penicillin -a very common med that people use too. Yes, it is a med, but animals as well as people need meds sometimes!

Did you take the lambs temperature? Other than the once in awhile cough, is anything else wrong?

Sometimes lambs have to cough if hay gets stuck in their throat.

Good luck!


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

4-H takes quality assurance VERY seriously, so joking about not following recommended withdrawal times (if that's what you were doing, odieclark) is not cool. Buyers of market animals rely on the kids' and parents' ethics and trust that the animals they are buying are safe for human consumption. Neglecting to follow withdrawal times is very bad business for ANYONE raising market animals that are being sold or consumed by other people. If you want to raise your own animals and not follow withdrawal times, that's your own choice, but if you're selling the animal you better make darn sure you follow them.

moday, I would call your vet and ask what they recommend. You've probably had to get health papers to take animals to the fair, right? If you show up with a coughing lamb, it might not turn out well. If you speak with the vet now, they can recommend the best drug that will give your lamb the best results AND comply with required withdrawal times.


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## odieclark (May 11, 2016)

MDKatie said:


> 4-H takes quality assurance VERY seriously, so joking about not following recommended withdrawal times (if that's what you were doing, odieclark) is not cool. Buyers of market animals rely on the kids' and parents' ethics and trust that the animals they are buying are safe for human consumption. Neglecting to follow withdrawal times is very bad business for ANYONE raising market animals that are being sold or consumed by other people. If you want to raise your own animals and not follow withdrawal times, that's your own choice, but if you're selling the animal you better make darn sure you follow them.
> 
> moday, I would call your vet and ask what they recommend. You've probably had to get health papers to take animals to the fair, right? If you show up with a coughing lamb, it might not turn out well. If you speak with the vet now, they can recommend the best drug that will give your lamb the best results AND comply with required withdrawal times.


Absolutely! Anything sold should for sure follow the withdrawal rules and disclose what has been given, and/or follow the rules of allowed administration of meds, feed, and all the stated rules and safety precautions! The withdrawal times, are set up for the consumers safety, and manufacturers will typically state them on the product or online for each animal, as does Pen G, that I referred too. 

If 4-H or FFA, or local labeling or laws prohibit any meds or other items given, then a decision has to be made. Either the animal cannot be sold-because of not allowing meds, or not in the withdrawal time needed-so-either don't treeat and see what happens-if the animal gets more ill, or worse, or treat and don't allow the animal to be sold or in the contest if it's not ok.

We have NOT had the experience of asking our vet at the farm questions regarding FFA rules, and we have not been involved with FFA or 4-H, so cannot say on that. I would hope that there is a different vet in our region for This purpose, as this vet knows dairy cows. The mobile animal vet for farms has been challenged with the small animals, and has misdiagnosed some of them or else has not recognized typical issues with the lambs and goats at this farm. Some of these issues that the vet was involved with have unfortunately caused some of these animals to be treated unecesarily, and on some others it haslikely created weakened conditions and even death of at least one goat, for not diagnosing and treating accordingly. 

Safety, honesty, and ethics are expected when selling any plant or animal for human consumption, that is a standard.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

odieclark said:


> We have NOT had the experience of asking our vet at the farm questions regarding FFA rules, and we have not been involved with FFA or 4-H, so cannot say on that


The vet doesn't need to know anything about 4H or FFA rules, just rules about withdrawal times and the best treatment for a coughing lamb with runny eyes (there's a separate thread for that). Since animals require health papers for fairs, I suggested asking the vet since a sick lamb cannot be taken to a fair.


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## odieclark (May 11, 2016)

I see, good point. withdrawal times should be known. We have no experience with FFA or 4-H, but as you say, it is about the withdrawal time...and certainly no one needs a sick one!


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