How to Cure Pinkeye in Goats
Pinkeye in goats can originate from many different sources. Non-infectious pinkeye can be caused by dust or other airborne irritants, vitamin A deficiency or toxins. Infectious pinkeye is caused by infectious keratoconjunctivitis and is contagious, sometimes transmitted from goat to goat by flies. Pinkeye is especially dangerous to pregnant goats, because it is often the first sign of the abortion disease chlamydia. Pinkeye is difficult to cure in goats and pinkeye vaccines used for other farm animals don't work for goats. You must treat pinkeye diligently, however, to prevent eye damage and blindness, even if the pinkeye has to run its course before it is cured completely.
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Things You'll Need
- Mouthwash
- Paper towels
- Disposable gloves
- Oxytetracycline 200 mg/ml
- 18-gauge needle
- Gentocin spray
- Triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment (optional)
- Terramycin ophthalmic ointment (optional)
Instructions
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Isolate the goat from the rest of the herd. Place the goat in a small but well-ventilated pen that is cool, dry and shaded from direct sunlight.
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Clean below and around the goat's eyes with mouthwash. Wear disposable gloves when doing this. Wet a paper towel with the mouthwash and wipe away any tears around the goat's eyes to help prevent the spread of pinkeye.
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Inject the goat with oxytetracycline 200 mg/ml subcutaneously just over its ribs using an 18-gauge needle. Use a dosage of 5 CCs per 100 pounds of body weight. Administer the injection once each day for five consecutive days.
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Spray the affected eye with a gentocin spray twice per day for at least three consecutive days. You'll need to get a prescription for the gentocin spray from your veterinarian. Do not use this spray if the eye has ulcerated, meaning the cornea covering the iris has risen from the eyeball.
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Apply triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment to the affected eye twice per day if ulceration has occurred. Triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment contains neomycin and polymyxin B sulfates and bacitracin zinc ophthalmic ointment, and you'll need to get a prescription for it. Apply the ointment until the ulceration goes away.
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Tips & Warnings
Try terramycin ophthalmic ointment as a non-prescription alternative to the triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment.
Don't use any medication containing dexamethazone on an ulcerated eye. Steroid ointments like gentocin can cause permanent blindness when used on an ulcerated eye.
