# PINKEYE - Recommended treatment??



## Milk n' Honey (Aug 14, 2005)

I have at least 2 goats with pink eye. I quarantined them and wonder what treatment best works for all of you? The eyes are cloudy and they act like their vision is impaired. This came on rather sudden...a couple of days ago. I want to get it cleared up as quickly as possible. Also, is this the same as what humans get....is it contagious to us? Thanks for your help!!


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## ChickenMom (Sep 27, 2005)

I have had some with it. I either put LA200 directly into their eyes or you can use Neosporin ointment put directly in their eyes. I actually have more luck with the Neosporin twice a day because it stays in the eye and on the surrounding area better.
Also LA200 (oxytetracycline) 3ml per 100 pounds every 36-48 hours, giving a total of 3 shots. Here is a link:
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/pinkeye.htm


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

I brought home an older goat in the spring (Beauty) along with a couple of yearlings. Beauty and one of the yearlings had it - stress of moving, I guess. The ointment cleared it up in the yearling, but Beauty's kept coming back until I tried the oxytetracyline in her eye - cleared it up completely!

I don't think it's the same strain that causes pinkeye in cattle, which is contagious to humans, but I'd still be cautious and wash your hands really well. If nothing else, it will help prevent the spread to your other goats.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

pookshollow said:


> I brought home an older goat in the spring (Beauty) along with a couple of yearlings. Beauty and one of the yearlings had it - stress of moving, I guess. The ointment cleared it up in the yearling, but Beauty's kept coming back until I tried the oxytetracyline in her eye - cleared it up completely!
> 
> I don't think it's the same strain that causes pinkeye in cattle, which is contagious to humans, but I'd still be cautious and wash your hands really well. If nothing else, it will help prevent the spread to your other goats.


Can I assume you are talking about an Oxy rinse and not an injection into the eye?


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## Milk n' Honey (Aug 14, 2005)

How long should I expect it to take to clear up?


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## ChickenMom (Sep 27, 2005)

You don't inject it in the eye, just squirt the liquid in like eye drops. The link explains it more clearly. 

I noticed a difference in just 2 days but keep treating for a least a week. If it is not a bad case just treating the eyes will help but with a bad case you need to do the shots too.


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## Milk n' Honey (Aug 14, 2005)

What is considered a bad case?? It came on quickly and now the eyes are opaque. Their vision is impaired somewhat. However, they can see because the walk to the feed and water spots, etc. so they aren't blind.


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## ChickenMom (Sep 27, 2005)

I would go ahead and give the shots and doctor the eyes. If you catch it when they are just blinking a lot or the eyes are matted you probably wouldn't need the shots. If the eyes are cloudy I would give the 3 shots 36-48 hours apart and doctor the eyes every couple of days.


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## AllWolf (Dec 27, 2005)

Infectious Pinkeye can be caused by viruses or bacteria and is medically termed infectious keratoconjunctivitis.

Pinkeye can be brought on by stress . stress from moving/transporting the goat, stress resulting from improper nutrition/under-feeding, stress caused by severe weather or dramatic weather changes, or stress arising from an underlying illness (abortion, pneumonia) . Stress reduces the immune system's ability to suppress the outbreak of Pinkeye. Do not underestimate stress induced through improper feeding. A poorly-fed goat is a goat on the verge of illness.

Flies do a great job of transmitting Pinkeye from goat to goat; keeping the fly population down is important. Shows and sales are ideal places for goats to pick up infectious Pinkeye. The viral mechanism that causes the abortion disease Chlamydia often begins with Pinkeye. Sometimes the first recognizable sign of an impending abortion is Pinkeye. Certain types of Pinkeye, particularly Chlamydia-induced infections, tend to be chronic (recurring) because the goat becomes a carrier. . able to infect others and have repeated bouts of the disease itself.

Pinkeye can be a serious illness in a goat. Early signs of Pinkeye include runny, red, and swollen eyes. The dark part of the eye (cornea) becomes hazy and then turns opaque (clouds over). The goat begins to lose its eyesight. If left untreated, blindness can occur. If corneal ulcers appear and perforate, the eye can rupture, sink into the eye socket, and infection can travel throughout its body. If prompt treatment doesn't take place, the goat can die.

Remove the goat from its herd and put it in a clean, cool, dry, shady location out of direct sunlight. Sunlight aggravates Pinkeye and delays healing. Make sure the pen is small but well ventilated; if the goat has lost or is losing its eyesight, it needs to be able to learn its boundaries quickly so it can locate feed, water, and shelter.

If the eye has not ulcerated, apply tetracycline (Terramycin) opthalmic ointment three or four times a day (minimum: twice a day) , using disposable gloves to prevent spread of the infection to other goats or people. Tetracycline eye ointments are the recommended treatment because tetracycline has the broadest spectrum of coverage for the types of organisms that cause Pinkeye in goats. Powders and aerosols, while effective, are irritating to the eye, particularly if ulceration has occurred. Therefore, powders and aerosols are not recommended.

Non-infectious Pinkeye generally falls into three categories: (1) Abrasions caused by outside irritants such as blowing dust or by the Listeriosis organism; (2) Vitamin A deficiency; or (3) Toxins, such as locoweed poisoning ("Dry Eye") or fire ant stings. Topical opthalmic ointments cited above are used to treat these conditions; in the cases of Listeriosis and Vitamin A deficiency, the underlying problem must also be cured.


Good Luck.


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## Delinda (Dec 5, 2005)

This is my remedy for pinkeye-works great and clears it up very fast-get a bottle of cod liver oil-fill a syringe(minus needle) with 12 MLs, squirt 2 ml directly in the infected eye, the other 10 ml squirt down their mouth. This is a natural remedy and it has been very effective. I got a new doe that had pinkeye, I treated her with this and the next morning there was a 100% inprovement. No more runny eye, no more blinking.


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## Aaron12345789 (Jan 3, 2018)

I just got a week old goat yesterday and he hasn’t pooped yet which has me worried and he also has a goopy eye I had to open it because he couldn’t open his eye on his own does anybody know what may be causing this or what I can do


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Hi Aaron,

Try beginning a new thread to answer your questions. Commenting on super old threads is usually not helpful. 

About the feces question, very young goats have very sticky feces and are often defecating but it's difficult to find because bedding sticks to it. Is he acting sick, is he eating, does he have a temperature? If he is acting affected, a warm water enema may help. This is not *usually* suggested so if they are acting normal I usually do not perform them or suggest them. What are you feeding and how much? 

As for the eyeball, there are several reasons this could be happening. I've seen goat kids get iodine in their eye from their littermates' dipped navels causing a chemical burn. Bedding or damage during birth can happen. Also, upper respiratory and eye infections are also an option, at this age likely secondary to viral infection, foreign body or trauma. Treatment with an appropriate antibiotic is necessary. Sooner rather than later is important to prevent permanent corneal damage or progression of the disease which can cause not only permanent eye damage but for them to stop eating, become septic, and/or stress them to such a degree that they are susceptible to other common neonate infections such as diarrhea or pneumonia pathogens.


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