Spring Cleaning

My wonderful vet, Dr. Michael Ridlen, and his crew of three arrived bright and early Thursday morning for our annual livestock spring cleaning.  They were driving out the driveway after being here only about an hour.  Fast work by a crack team.

All the goats got their CDT and rabies shots.  CDT stands for Clostridium perfringens types C and D and tetanus. The shot doesn't necessarily give complete protection against the enterotoxemia caused by these types of bacteria but it will tend to minimize symptoms of infection and lessen the likelihood of death.  It's given annually in the spring.  

I have said before that I live in rabies central for Colorado County so all the livestock get rabies shots.  Legally, rabies shots have to be administered by a licensed veterinarian so Dr. Ridlen comes out to visit me.  I'm really pleased that he will pass his eyes and hands over each of my animals.  I try to be watchful but sometimes things get past me.  Or questions only occur to me as we are all standing in the barn looking at the animals.  This time three of the goats got a shot of antibiotic - Orion had a couple of sores that hadn't healed properly, Twill had a small cut above his tail and Parker had a scruffy scaly patch on his neck.

The llamas and the alpaca will get their 7-way shots when they are sheared later in the spring.  The 7-way shots are similar to the CD/T shots for the goats but protect against a larger number of clostridial bacteria.  This time around they all got their rabies shots.

The pony, Steele, got his annual shots also - West Nile, Rabies, Flu/Rhino, Strangles, EWT.  We also pulled blood for his annual Coggins test.  This checks for equine infectious anemia.  A negative test result is required for all horses going to organised shows or being moved around the state.  While Steele doesn't go anywhere off the property these days I want to be sure he is ready to go if needed.  Steele is getting old and showing his age.  We didn't need to float his teeth this time but probably will next time. 

It was a great visit, quick and efficient, and all the animals are looking good.  Yea!