How to Use Slippery Elm to Treat Diarrhea in Goats
Slippery elm is an herb that has been used for centuries to treat a wide variety of ailments in both humans and animals. Available at most natural-foods stores, this supplement is the dried, ground inner bark of the slippery elm tree. Slippery elm has become popular with goat owners for its ability to coat and stabilize the animal's fragile digestive tract and is often given to treat diarrhea.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Place a dose of slippery elm powder in a bowl and mix in a few ounces of water. Most adult goats require a dose of approximately 2 tsp., while smaller kids can be treated with 1 tsp. of powder.
-
2
Draw the mixture into a syringe and dispense it to your goat. Hold his head firmly and place the syringe on the back of his tongue, slowly depressing the syringe until he has swallowed the entire dose.
-
-
3
Sprinkle a dose of the slippery elm powder over his normal feed if he fights being dosed with a syringe.
-
4
Repeat the treatment daily for up to a week, or until you notice the diarrhea is gone. A healthy goat will pass small pellets of stool, each approximately the size and shape of a pea.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Consult your veterinarian about your goat's digestive troubles. Diarrhea can be a serious problem, especially in young goats, as it causes dehydration that can be fatal.
Allow your goat access to fresh water at all times to avoid dehydration. Wash his water tub and refill it daily to give him the freshest water possible.
Never treat a sick goat without your vet's advice. While diarrhea may seem like a fairly straightforward problem, it is often a symptom of a larger, underlying condition.
