How to Use Albon to Prevent Coccidiosis in Goats

One-celled protozoa coccidia live benignly in the intestinal walls of goats where they produce large number of eggs --- called oocysts --- that pass in the feces. During the life process, coccidia damage and destroy intestinal cells, causing the diarrhea that characterizes the disease. Outbreaks occur when the goat becomes stressed and the body is unable to handle the proliferation of the protozoa, usually during weaning and when the animal comes down with another disease. Many veterinarians recommend treating outbreaks of coccidiosis with sulfadimethoxine, trade name Albon. Learning how to treat your individual goat, or entire herd, with Albon can save money on vet bills and preserve the health of your animals.

Things You'll Need

  • Drenching gun
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Instructions

    • 1

      Weigh a representative sample from both the adult goats and the kids in your herd. Because sulfadimethoxine drugs have few side effects, Albon doesn't require strict adherence to dosing guidelines, so any minor weight differentials will not cause harm to the herd.

    • 2

      Multiply the number of pounds by 25. This gives you the number of milligrams for the initial loading dose of your goats, states Dr. Mark Papich in "Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs."

    • 3

      Load your drenching gun --- a large, syringe-like instrument with a curved, metal tip --- with enough liquid Albon to fill the syringe cylinder. You need to unscrew the cap from the cylinder, pour in the liquid medication, and replace the cap before pushing the plunger to administer the drug.

    • 4

      Place your goat or kid between your legs, locking down firmly with your knees around the neck, and hold the goat's lower jaw in one hand, making sure not to hurt the animal. Use your fingers to pry open the mouth. Keep the head straight to avoid the animal aspirating the liquid medicine when you administer it.

    • 5

      Place the tip of the drenching gun in the front of the goat's mouth and pass it over the tongue in the open space where the goat has no front teeth. Squirt the required amount of Albon into the back of the throat.

    • 6

      Repeat dosing with Albon once a day for the next five days using half the initial dosage to ensure symptoms do not reoccur.