Why don't most veteranarians treat goats,they treat cows and horses?

United States
August 28, 2008 6:39am CST
I get mad because I can't find a vet for goats.My local vet will hang up on me or say,"You're talking to the wrong person!"as soon as I mention the word goat. I have had to do my own research and more or less become my own vet.I have had to invest $1200.00 into medications and supplies to be my own goat vet.8 years of college is the requirement to become a vet where I live.I'm not going through 8 years of college when I can learn it all on my own.I've dealt with pretty much all the goat world has to throw at me,but why don't vets see goats.They see cows,horses,even hogs.What's the problem?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
28 Aug 08
I guess it all depends on where you live. I lived in a rural area of Texas, I raised boer show goats, and the vets around there would treat goats. However, for the most part I took care of them, worming, shots, tagging, and taking care of babies that the nanny wouldn't take care of. I have given them buttermilk to get them over scours. It was also easier for me to take care of them then to have to load them up to take them to a vet, since most don't make house calls.
• United States
28 Aug 08
I have had to lance abcesses,treat ketosis,milkfever,footrot,soremouth,retained placentas,rectal prolapses,etc. I have pretty much done it all.It would be nice to have a vet for real emergencies though.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Aug 08
I guess I was lucky, the worst thing any of my goats ever had was scours. With the exception of one or two, all of them were great when it came to having and taking care of kids.
• United States
28 Aug 08
You are very lucky indeed.Goats have only been around my area for a few years.Most people buy them and put them on an area with brush and when the brush is gone,they go to the stock sales.No vet to treat them so people see them as a waste.The only goat wormer you can buy here is safeguard,which I only use in the spring for tapeworms.Safeguard doesn't cover other worms,especially the killer worms.I have to go online for most things and shipping from several goat supply stores can eat you up.People that have boers here are USDA farms.I had boers,never again,they are the most footrot ridden animals.It starts as footscald and if not treated,you can imagine!Boers get sick faster than anything else.I think it is the climate.I spent 75% of my time treating boers this past winter and early spring.All the medicine I injected them with or shoved down their throats.When I sold them,they went for $12 -$50 each.
• United States
28 Aug 08
i know what you mean. you would think that a vet could treat any animal. i had a hamster at one time that got really sick. she was like 3 years years old and she had started bleeding from her but area. i called every vet in the phone book and none knew 1 thing about them. i called pet stores too and still nothing. kids were crying i was crying and no one could help. i live in a rural area so i even tried calling places in dallas and vets there still nothing till finally i got ahold of a pet store in dallas that told me what was going on and what i could do. most of the vets i called told me i dont know but since it is sufferring bring it in and for 40.00 we can put it to sleep. i was in tears. i know hamsters and goats are 2 different animals and alot of people think of hamsters as throw away pets etc but to me it is a life. she was part of our family for 3 years and she would scratch on the glass to get us to get her out. she would run around the floor and never run off. she even gave kisses. she slept with my youngest alot of times too. i am like you though if you are a vet and can treat all these animals you should be able to help with all of them not just some. at least answer questions or tell you where to go to get the info something.
• United States
29 Aug 08
there was nothing i could do but love her. it was just old age some of them do that. i finally found a place in dallas that knew what was going on and they gave me a website i could go to that gave me all the info i could ever want on a hamster. that pet store was great and if i ever go to get another pet i will be driving all the way to dallas to get it from them lol.
• United States
28 Aug 08
Did you find out the problem with the hamster? My first thought would be someone slipped it some rat poisoning.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
28 Aug 08
Where do you live? You probably need to ind and exotic or equine vet to treat your goats. I know a lot of the vets around here won't even touch a bird, let a lone a goat, but we live in a city.
• United States
28 Aug 08
Check the yellow pages and look specifically for 'large animal' vets. If someone treats cows, horses, etc., I'd assume that they'd also treat goats. Most vets seem to be 'small animal' vets. If you can't find anyone who treats goats, maybe check out some online goat forums and see if anyone can recommend a vet in your area. I do feel your pain. Trying to find someone that knows how to treat guinea pigs is difficult, and I've had to drive 50+ miles to get to someone who knows what they're doing!
• United States
28 Aug 08
I need to start looking again for one that can do what I can't.I have done the researching for 2 years and have pretty much found all that I need to do it all myself,except for cesarean delivery and all that cutting and sewing stuff.I just wish I could retain all the information that I learn.I have recently had people asking me for help in treating their sick goats and it makes me feel good to help and it gives my ego a boost as well because I am a bashful person.