From: Julian Hale jbh...@comcast.net
Yes, Pro-biotics would be a good idea, also try kaolin-pectin to stop
up her system a bit, and make sure she gets electrolytes. It seems
like she's too young to have worms, but I always worry about coccidia
in lambs/kids. Sulfadimethoxine(just about every feed store carries
it) treats coccidiosis well, but IMO you should stay away from
Corrid(amprolium), because of side effects.
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/medications.htm#sulfadimenthoxine
Interesting, Julian. I've always read that sulfa-based drugs have side
effects and Corid has no known/proven side effects. I got hit hard
with scours several times with our three bottle-ewes and a pygmy goat
last year. I started with Albon and read up on how it works and was
desperate for something even more effective, or to work with it.
The thing that was the most frustrating for me was: they'd get over
it-- and in a week, they would have it again. which made me want to
search for a preventative.
In any case, I now use both Albon and Corid (and electrolytes and
probiotics) for an outbreak. Corid in the morning, Albon in the
evening--both as an oral drench shot into the mouth. You can't mix
them, they break down right before your eyes--into a white, globby
mess. I have not used Corid in low-doses for prevention, although, I
might try it this year, mainly because it is relatively safe according
to everything I could read. But the claim Corid is palatable has not
been proven true for me, so I have to drench the lambs when I give
it... and I've tasted it. I feel sorry for them.
This is their site, and they claim it has no side effects up to many
times the prescribed dose, but if there were known side-effects, it
would be in their best interest to list them, as with any drug you
read about or see on TV:
http://www.corid.com/corid_products.html
How CORID works
Structurally, CORID mimics thiamin (Vitamin B1) which is required by
coccidia for normal growth and reproduction. When coccidia ingest
CORID, they experience thiamin deficiency and starve from
malnutrition. CORID has been experimentally administered at many times
the recommended dosage and duration with no signs of toxicity.
When CORID works
CORID stops coccidia at a critical stage in the host animal's small
intestine to prevent more damaging coccidiosis in the large intestine.
By acting on the young asexual stages of the coccidia life cycle,
CORID allows exposure to first-generation schizonts, so the host
animal can develop natural immunity to coccidia. This makes CORID
effective as a preventive therapy.
Whereas Sulfa drugs have a few known and documented side-effects, but
are good at killing Coccidia in the later stages:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/sulfadimethoxine.html
Here's a study that likes Corid for prevention for entire herds and
recommends Sulfa drugs (Albon) for individuals who are currently sick.
They say Corid may cause a problem with prolonged use, but they
don't back it up with any studies or facts:
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu/favpdseries/Course%20I/Homework%20Reading/Food%20Animal%20Diseases/Cattle%20Diseases/Coccidiosis.doc
a quote: Long-term use of amprolium is contraindicated because it may
lead to unwanted side effects associated with impaired thiamin
metabolism.
But this is for people putting Corid in the water of an entire herd
for long periods, and is based upon the knowledge that Corid acts by
mimicking thiamine and starving the coccidia of it. Their supposition
is that it might prevent the host animal from getting enough thiamine,
but again, no proof or studies in the footnotes.
-Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies
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