Take your goat's temperature

Sometimes your goat may not behave normally, in such cases the first thing you need to do is to take its temperature as that is the first thing your vet may ask you when you call for a treatment. Even if your goat is not running of a high or low temperature, this would give a clue to your vet as to what the actual problem could be. The normal temperature of a Boer Goat is 101°F to 103°F in the winter, spring, and even during fall. It is usual that your goat may have been basking in the hot sun all day and having 104°F temperature, anyhow it needs to drop rapidly once the goat gets out of the sunlight.

Taking a goat's temperature is same as taking a temperature of human baby body. You can use both digital and traditional glass thermometers, which may range from $3 to $6. The glass thermometers have a comfort loop in the external end for attaching a string. You need to be careful while using it because it has more chances of breaking it. For baby Boer goats, the most comfortable position is to just lay them across your lap. Do not force the thermometer into a goat, it need to slide easily when lubricated. Lubricating the probe end with oil or petroleum jelly would help ease insertion into the rectum. The position of thermometer needs to be inserted to half its length and hold it in the place for a minimum of two minutes. Digital thermometers would give you an alarm when it is through.

For larger kids, it's good to have somebody else holding the Boer goat in a standing or reclined position as you can take its temperature. For adult Boer goats, particularly ones those are not very tame, it might be easier to secure them with a lead or collar and rope to a gatepost, you might even need somebody's help to steady them until you insert the thermometer and obtain its reading. If in case your Boer goat's temperature is very high, your vet might prescribe the injectable product Banamine to lessen the fever and pain. For baby Boer goats it is best to crush baby aspirin into a powder and mix with a little amount of water. This helps to lessen the choking factor of a dry pill. Its one best thing to fight with a high temperature, but it's essential that you find out the reason for fever. A familiar cause of very high temperatures is respiratory infections (sometimes pneumonia). If you desire to save your goat, you need to treat both the temperature and the infection. Some antibiotics are very much accessible across-the-counter's goat supply stores - the most frequently used products are oxytetracyline and penicillin. Some causes of infection need to be treated with more costly prescription antibiotics such as Nuflor or Naxel. It's best to ask your vet for the right product and amount of dosage rather than just to experiment with over-the-counter products. We cannot complete this article without mentioning two more things about goat's temperature. First is that the high fevers lead to dehydration. It's significant to manage electrolytes to keep the goat hydrated. Second, a Boer goat kid with high fever need to be taken off milk until the fever is cure, till then keeps your goat hydrated with electrolytes. Electrolytes are significant for organ and muscle function, blood flow, and the removal of fluid waste.

Caution

A thermometer needs to be cleaned properly with an alcohol wipe after each use and secured it in its case. Do not use a dirty thermometer - even if several goats look to be suffering from the same sort of problem. Don't make the error of inserting an unclean rectal thermometer into a doe's vagina. Thermometers need to be stored at room temperature. Glass thermometers should to be "shaken down" before and after each use. Digital thermometers need to be rearranged according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Source: http://www.postarticles.com/Article/Take-your-goat-s-temperature/58209