# Tips on keeping geriatric goats comfortable



## Sans Gene Goats (May 15, 2011)

I have a retired Nigerian doe who is starting to show her age. She won't be bred again, and will live out her days here. I've noticed she is often stiff and limps a bit in colder weather. She gets to wear a blanket in colder weather and I keep her shelter well-bedded. 

Any tips on helping her stay more comfortable outside of good management (feet trimmed, good nutrition)?


----------



## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

how about an asprin for the arthritis. not sure what the dose would be. alot of times the cold weather affects the pain levels of the arthritis.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Aspirin is super hard on the rumen, and at 13 plain aspirins per 100 pounds, every 4 hours, YIKES!

Try some joint health, sold in Jeffersequine.com unitedvetequine.com etc. Glucosomine, chondroiton and MSM....you can get ones that also contain buteless for aches and pains or things like Vitamin C, yucca, willow etc....for natural anti-inflammatory properties. If you call, 1800-jeffers they will send you the catalog, so you can read labels and figure out your best buy.


----------



## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

Ester c helps with joint issues.not to mention boost their immune system. Its the next big thing as suppliment companies are adding it to more and more products.


----------



## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

What I always did was keep older goats in smaller compatible groups, so they don't have to compete with younger goats. You know how goats are: they compete for everything. I've also taken to locking my older goats in the barn at night... that way I don't have to worry that someone overthrew the government over night and would not let the older girls in. 

I've had really old horses that lost teeth, and for them I got a pelleted feed that did not really have to be chewed much. I would sometimes soak it if necessary. I've never had a goat that got that old yet, but make sure she's got all her teeth. I've had llamas and sheep lose teeth, I suppose goats can too.


----------



## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

i am not sure where that dosage came from Vickie, but i would only give 1 baby asprin every 12 hrs for a nigerian. i wouldnt use it daily but only as needed.


----------



## Sans Gene Goats (May 15, 2011)

I'd thought about aspirin for her "owie days", but wondered about the effect on the rumen. I'm open to trying some supplements on her, especially plant-derived. I've had good results with MSM in the past with horses, too. They ate the spindly little willow tree that was here when we moved in, but it grows all over here so I could easily get some for a natural form of aspirin. 

Jacquee, I so agree about them being competitive, and about missing teeth. She used to be herd queen, was dethroned, and while not on the bottom, gets challenged a lot more often (and she challenges right back). I have her in with a mild doe who often gets picked on, and it has worked out well for both of them. This doe started having trouble keeping weight on last summer; we did a once over on her, and sure enough she was missing a few teeth. As far as we could tell she didn't have any sharp points or hooks, so we didn't float her, but it's almost certainly harder for her to chew efficiently. She gets some high fat senior horse feed and Chaffhaye now, plus free access to grass hay, and that made a huge difference. 

She is such a character, and though it's a little extra work to keep her healthy, it's worth it to have her here with us. She is our best ambassador when visitors come, especially kids, and her antics (almost!) always make us smile.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Darlene, dosages like that are for the owner, it does nothing for the goat. Vicki


----------



## todog (Dec 10, 2011)

oh sorry, i didnt know you were making a funny. lol that would be alot of asprin for a human. goats sure dont need that much.


----------



## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

There is a product called Adequan that works for degenerative arthritis. I once had a old buck who I kept up on his feet and continued using as a herd sire by using this product. The stuff works!


----------



## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Tim Pruitt said:


> There is a product called Adequan that works for degenerative arthritis. I once had a old buck who I kept up on his feet and continued using as a herd sire by using this product. The stuff works!


Is it Adequan that is very expensive? I was using a horse chiropractor for a while and he gave me a bottle of something else, very similar, but much less expensive. I have it in the barn. When I go out, I'll check to see what it is. Still need to get it from a vet, though.


----------



## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

There is a generic brand but honestly it didn't seem to work as good as Adequan did. Perhaps it was my imagination. Also it was on a different goat but the generic brand did not help in that situation. If I had tried it on the same goat perhaps I would know if this is really true. Back when I used it - a decade ago - it cost me $25 per CC and I gat one per month but it kept that old buck up and on its feet. When I quit giving it then the buck went down in his hips completely and I finally put him down.


----------



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

The Adequan works wonders for horses. It is often used for horses in over-work conditions like jumping, or such. I have seen the difference myself in client horses. I did not know it could be used in goats also. It is normally used fairly long term, unlike some other pain relievers which cannot be used for long periods.


----------

