# 1st goat lesson learned yesterday, almost lost one



## medic (Dec 8, 2010)

So yesterday I learned the importance of having epi & Benadryl on hand. We were giving CD&T & injectable iron. I wrote on my notebook what Hoeggers said dosing was for iron 4cc/100lb. The bottle is 1ml/100mg so i drew up 6.4 ml, I gave her a CDT then the iron, let her off the stand. I was preparing the dose for the others when I read on the bottle it said dose is 1ml, about that time I looked over at her & she went down. 
She was completely flacid, tongue hanging out, breathing tachy. I immediately thought i had OD her on iron. I carried her to the truck, and then on way out of pasture the truck got stuck in the mud. 
By the time we was halfway to town she was trying to stand, in hindsight the vet believes she had an allergic reaction the tetanus as his dosage for the iron was same as I had gave her. He didnât believe it was an anaphylactic shock as she came out on her own. He gave her Benadryl & we monitored her all night.
Sad thing is Im a paramedic & on the way to vet it crossed my mind she may be having a reaction. Funny thing is with my patients most can tell me exactly what their symptoms are. Most certainly a valuable lesson I will have epi & Benadryl on hand next time its time to vaccinate.


----------



## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

We have epi on hand in case of a reaction to a shot.


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Where do you get the epi?


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I get it from the vet where I work...but I got it from there before I started working there. I have been lucky to have a good relationship with my vet. I also get rx supplies through a friend who is a horse breeder. She has access to everything and has been helpful with getting my meds to have on hand. 
Epi on hand is must if you give your own shots of anything. And bring it with you when you give the shots...the distance to run from my barn to the house and back could mean death from a reaction.


----------



## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Epinephrine is something my vet won't sell me. She seems to think that if I had anaphalactic shock in one of my goats, that over the counter benadryl is adequate. From what I know about it, epinephrine is the best bet.


----------



## BethW (May 3, 2007)

My vet won't give me epi either and I'm not comfortable giving shots without it.

It's crossed my mind that I do have an Epi-pen for humans. I'd think it would be too much for a 95 lb. ND, but you know, if it's a life or death situation, I think I'd try it.


----------



## medic (Dec 8, 2010)

I had epi 1:1000 ampules but it didnt occur to me an allergic reaction. I thought I had OD her on iron. I still need to get injectible benadryl. I suppose I need to see if vet will script it for me.


----------



## lucyp (Jan 30, 2011)

Apparently, epinephrine is used in making meth, so some vets might be unwilling to sell it to you. You might could try a different vet, or see whether a human epi-pen would work. Not sure about dosage on those though.

I take an extra syringe with me and the bottle of epinephrine whenever I give any shot, just in case. I don't bother loading it, since the dosage is minute per 10 lbs of body weight, and my goats weights vary enough that it would matter. But I do keep it handy. I cannot imagine forcing enough Benadryl down a goat in anaphylaxis. It's hard enough to get them to take liquids or pills when they are in better control of their swallowing capabilities, and tubing one for Benadryl, when a shot would work so much better is just wildly silly, IMO.


----------



## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Iodine is also used in making meth, and they didn't have issues selling that to me... My vet didn't KNOW it was used for making meth, LOL - they were curious as to why it was restricted now and now costs me 10.00 per PINT to buy it. 

Is injectible benadryl also Rx only?


----------



## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

We get our epi from our vet. Just a couple of syringes of it. We haven't had to use it and it will out of date next month, so we will take them back and give them to the vet to dispose of and get new ones.


----------



## medic (Dec 8, 2010)

lucyp said:


> Apparently, epinephrine is used in making meth, so some vets might be unwilling to sell it to you. You might could try a different vet, or see whether a human epi-pen would work. Not sure about dosage on those though.
> 
> I take an extra syringe with me and the bottle of epinephrine whenever I give any shot, just in case. I don't bother loading it, since the dosage is minute per 10 lbs of body weight, and my goats weights vary enough that it would matter. But I do keep it handy. I cannot imagine forcing enough Benadryl down a goat in anaphylaxis. It's hard enough to get them to take liquids or pills when they are in better control of their swallowing capabilities, and tubing one for Benadryl, when a shot would work so much better is just wildly silly, IMO.


Not sure about PO epi, never heard of that, the epi I have is glass ampules 1mg/1ml 1:000 you give it SQ, the vet told me 1ml (whole ampule) that seems like a lot to me, as the human dose is 0.3-0.5 may repeat once. I would give 0.5ml. 
Its the same thing we carry on ambulances,


----------



## lucyp (Jan 30, 2011)

My vet gave me a 30 ml bottle, and it says 1:1000 on the bottle. The scrip that he put on the bottle and had the vet tech be very, very sure to tell me was .13 ml per 10lbs.


----------



## Laverne (May 25, 2008)

I am curious why she needed iron.


----------

