Goat vets/cost?

[ShrekDawg]

So first, does anybody have experience with The Odd Pet Vet? I don't think they do goats, exotic vet, but The exam prices seem reasonable and over 3 is actually really cheap so i was thinking of taking the chickens in for a check up, figure it couldn't hurt.

Also anyone know of any good livestock vets? Really really want to get goats and I want to start looking in advance. Also are they expensive to keep? I'm hoping they aren't and/or that I can find a cheap but good vet. I know it probably varies a lot by area but I'd like to know, for example, how much are vaccinations, check ups, etc.? And do most vets do farm calls or should I go there? Is it more for a farm call or included? And I've watched a lot of videos on hoof trimming and it seems pretty easy, definitely a lot easier than horses and wouldn't need farrier training, but I don't know, do vets do that? Is it reasonable? And for the record I've never actually trimmed a horses foot, just picked them, but that's my point, horse feet are complicated and a harder material right?

Made a thread a while ago and got some great answers on diet, gender, and that stuff but never really asked or got answers on the vet stuff.

I would probably be gettng a couple wethers as pets and brush clearing. At most 2-4 probably. How much is hay and where's a good spot to get it? How much would they go through?

Thanks in advance

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will need to call around to your local vets and ask them some questions. Veterinarian care for goats to range from no knowledge to good experience with them. You should expect to do some routine stuff yourself and have some basic knowledge about their health needs and especially a correct diet. Goats have fragile digestive tracts especially if fed improperly. They can die within hours.

You will have to ask what your local vets charge for farm calls, and some will allow you to bring them in which is cheaper. Around here vets mostly focus on cows and horses and goats are a mystery to vets, Wisconsin is quickly becoming the dairy goat capitol so hopefully it will change eventually.

You should learn how to trim hooves and give vaccines and wormer. And try to learn about the concerns your particular state and region can have on goats as each is different. Always best to get some basic education before acquiring an animal, which I know you are good at.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wait what happened to the other answer? I didn't think they said anything wrong? Unless it was because I said my town? Was just about to come in and edit that out haha or maybe the vet thing wasn't allowed? Either way, sorry if we did anything wrong :/

 

[ShrekDawg]

You will need to call around to your local vets and ask them some questions. Veterinarian care for goats to range from no knowledge to good experience with them. You should expect to do some routine stuff yourself and have some basic knowledge about their health needs and especially a correct diet. Goats have fragile digestive tracts especially if fed improperly. They can die within hours.

You will have to ask what your local vets charge for farm calls, and some will allow you to bring them in which is cheaper. Around here vets mostly focus on cows and horses and goats are a mystery to vets, Wisconsin is quickly becoming the dairy goat capitol so hopefully it will change eventually.

You should learn how to trim hooves and give vaccines and wormer. And try to learn about the concerns your particular state and region can have on goats as each is different. Always best to get some basic education before acquiring an animal, which I know you are good at.

Thank you so much for the great answer, @oldhenlikesdogs !!!

I will definitely have to look around for different veterinarians and see what they know. A quick Google search turned up a couple pretty close, surprisingly, and more a bit further away. Haven't looked at all the websites yet but the few I did did say they treated goats but I guess just because they treat them doesn't mean they know anything so I will have to ask around or do more research. I will definitely try to learn more about their health needs and routine care too and try to make sure they're fed properly. Is it basically like no junky food and snacks/treats or is there something more specific?

If the vet is close enough then I may just drive especially if it would be more expensive to have them come out especially if they're far. I hope you get some good vets out there!

From the YouTube videos I watched, the hoof trimming bit actually seemed pretty easy. Of course, videos can be deceiving but it looked fairly easy. The vaccinations though are a bit different. They seem like they would be harder to do and I wouldn't want to harm them. Wormer you can just stick paste in their mouth or give a special feed for a bit, right? Or is there some sort of shot or topical thing? The fairly basic stuff like worming and hoof trimming I could probably do myself but the vaccinations make me nervous.

I will definitely try to ask and learn about my particular region too. Perhaps asking around at a fair or something would be good? We have a local fair the end of August and they always have 4-H there and tons of cows and a few of other animals and so maybe I could ask them about our region? Or is there a number of an agricultural thing to call or something? Or physical office? The fair also has goat kids for sale every year too. Maybe I could save up and buy those ones.

But awww thank you so much!!! I appreciate that! I don't like to go in nothing and/or risk harming the animal so I definitely like to research as much as possible and I'm glad you noticed, thanks plus also sometimes I just get inpatient or impulsive and really want things so researching helps until I can get them lol and then I'm prepared too

Also every time I bring up goats my mom seems like she would be okay with it but then she always goes "we're not getting goats. Goats have some weird disease" and if I say they don't have any diseases she just goes "alright we're not talking about this" so it may take some work :/ I posted last year about it, when she said it because a little kid died, and got responses basically confirming they don't have weird diseases, but can't remember the post but no matter how many times I say it she says they have them. Or at least shuts down and won't let me explain why they don't have diseases... so do they have diseases???? If I remember right, some of the responses had said that the chickens or even my cat or dog carries more of a risk of transmitting or having zoonotic diseases than the goats... but why would the kid have died? And she likely will not be convinced unless there is some real evidence or detailed explanation I can share on why they are a safe and clean animal.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Did a kid die? Or a goat kid die? Geez, I've been pretty personal with many animal species. My mother used to be the same way, she said all animals were diseased. Mothers are like that.

The biggest thing with goats is to make all dietary changes slowly. I will probably start trouble again but goats are ruminants and browsers, they are designed to eat scrub and brambles and branches. They graze and eat hay but would rather eat your shrubs. So I either don't feed grain or limit it and rich hays like alfalfa I never feed. I just have pets, so no need for a production diet. Mine are all fixed boys. Both grain and alfalfa in my opinion contribute to stones in male goats. I don't have that problem.

I would advise you to avoid sales barns and swap meets unless you know what you are buying. There is chronic wasting diseases in goats, it's not pleasant to deal with and there's no treatment, so look for a clean herd if possible.

What are your plans? Milking or just pets. I like my dairy boys, bottle raised and very friendly.

The local 4H can be a good resource for information for your region. Information about vets and what type of hay is available and maybe a good source for some goats.

I actually don't need to trim hooves, we have a rock pile and a section of rock barn wall that keeps my goats hooves worn down. Wormer I give orally. Giving shots is a personal thing, but eventually you may need to give it a go, especially if a goat requires a round of antibiotics.

My goats enjoy having their cheeks scratched while breathing their goat breath on me, if they carried bad diseases I would be dead by now, not to mention taking a few sneezes in the face and probably eating some of it and of course goats burping in my face, they are good for that. Here's some of them diseased vermin.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm pretty sure was a human kid, a young boy, but I don't know any details. Just that she said something happened. I don't know that she even knows what baby goats are called. But yeah, I guess it's just a mother thing. I too am extremely personal with the animals.

That makes a lot of sense and nah, I don't think it's causing trouble at all I think I will try to let them browse and graze as much as possible but also provide hay? Something not rich, like maybe grass hays?? I was thinking maybe never feed grain or at least not regularly? Maybe I could just feed it when their hooves get trimmed or for shots or something? Or if I do feed it, feed a really small amount maybe?

Thank you, I hadn't even thought of the possibility of disease. I'll probably avoid that then. Although they all looked healthy to me but I don't really know enough about goats. And actually, I don't think it's entirely a sale barn but maybe it technically is? They have an animal barn, a couple actually, and tons of animals and none are for sale, the only ones are the goat babies, and I think last year they had the goats in a row of pens outside and some of the adults may have been for sale too but I can't remember. The only other animals for sale are a couple of the rabbits in the rabbit barn and chicks in the poultry barn. I think all the animals there are 4H or farms that loan to 4H so I think they would maybe be okay? I mention it because I know later on in the post you said maybe I could get them from 4H. I believe these were 4H goat babies and they said the breed and farm they came from. Although being at a fair all week and having loads of people touching them probably can't be good for their health. But so I'm assuming Craigslist is not a good place to get them then??? Because I thought about that too.

I want them for pets and brush clearing. Possibly walks around the block or short hikes lol yes I'm weird if not walks then at least just friendly pets. I think I would probably forget to milk a goat plus they eventually have to be pregnant or kid to milk right?

I think I may call the 4H office at some point or perhaps go ask at the fair and ask about their goats and the stuff you mentioned. And hopefully the goats for sale at the fair are 4H goats like I think they are.

Wow thats great!! Maybe I will just need to get a lot of rocks!! Haha worming sounds easy enough. And you are right that vaccinating would be a good skill to learn and know so I will look into learning how to do that.

Hehe they sound (and look) adorable! Good to know they aren't diseased! Lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It sounds like maybe you would be happy with a pair of dairy goat boys who are fixed, like mine. I think they are more in your face than the females, plus many are killed or butchered in the spring when goats are kidding, they can often be found cheap and bottle feeding makes them super friendly. They can be taught to carry packs and trained to harness, that's what I read anyways, I can't imagine any of mine actually doing what I ask.

A good grass mixed hay, second or third cutting is the best in my opinion. Grain or a goat ration can be used as treats, mine will knock you over for things like bread, crackers, chips and tortillas.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! I think I will look into dairy goat males. I had thought of either Nigerian Dwarf or dairy goats but not really sure if one is better than the other or? I do know ND are usually more expensive at least around here. I was thinking of 2-4 but maybe 4 would be too many to start with? I wasn't sure if they would be happy with just 2 but assuming they probably would be? I'll look into bottle feeding them or finding babies. Where do you recommend I try to find them or does it not really matter? Maybe if I started training them when they were really young it might be easier?

Thanks, I'll try to find hay like that. And oh wow, they sound like they love it! Lol perhaps it could be used to help train them if done sparingly?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I find my dairy goat boys on Craigslist. I have raised 4 at once they were a handful as far as bottle feeding but they are my favorites. My Nigerian weren't bottle fed and aren't as trusting. So you would have to find some pretty tame ones.

To me the miniatures are like greased pigs as far as catching and holding them. Nigerian eat less but you also have to bend over a lot to interact with them. But I'm just saying what I like. Either type I would go for wethers, which are fixed boys. Always get at least pairs because they bond tightly and need a friend.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks! I think I'll look on Craigslist

And maybe I will stick to dairy goats. And maybe not get 4. I hadn't thought of what it would be like to raise 4 at once. Maybe I'll avoid that lol

I never really thought about how I would interact with them. That's a good point. I would definitely get wethers just because I don't really have a need for dairy goats or the milk or anything. Plus I'd probably forget to milk them lol and bucks I have heard smell a lot and can be mean??? Definitely don't want that. So I think wethers are the way to go. Plus they are way cheaper. Would definitely get pairs. Even if they didn't need a friend, 2 are cuter and fun to watch interact I have heard of some people getting just one as pets or of putting them with a donkey or horse or something or even a chicken sometime but I think that's kind of mean since they really should interact and bond with their own species. Even if you spend time with them. People often get just one guinea pig too or one rat or rabbit or bird and that saddens me too. Birds might be okay because I heard if you have 2 they bond less with you and more with each other but rats and guinea pigs are really social animals so its sad. Rabbits are hard to introduce but are happier with a friend I think. The sad thing is when it wouldn't be any more care or money and people just don't want two. I think 2 are more fun. Only exception is hamsters which are solitary. I think gerbils need a pair too? Most of the rodents do but people dont do it. Small habitats too sad. Anyhow, I would definitely get at least 2 goats. One day I may have 4 or something but maybe I shouldn't start with that. Thanks again