EXTRA-LABEL DRUG USE:
T here are times when the dosage given for goats differs from that found on the bottle, both in volume and in length of time to be used. Many products are developed and available for use, but the Food and Drug Administration has not cleared their use in goats.
U sing any product which is not approved and labeled for use in goats constitutes Extra Label Drug Usage [ELDU - Veterinary ELDU Q&A ]. Much of the problem is due to the relatively small numbers of goats in the United States. Getting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is a long, costly process, drug companies cannot economically justify going through the testing required to approve a drug for use in goats [considered a minor species]. Drugs are "licensed" for a specific purpose at a specific dose to be administered in a specific way to a specific species. If a drug is determined by the veterinary profession by experience and independent research to be more effective at treating a particular disease safely at double the dose, then that treatment methodology is generally adopted without breaking federal law. So it is simple experience, coupled with information derived from veterinarians that specialize in dairy goats, which determines what doses are effective in the Caprine.
A n unapproved product does not indicate that it is unsafe or ineffective, but rather it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in goats. When a drug goes through the approval process, experimentation is typically limited to a relatively narrow usage. In other words, a drug will be evaluated at one specific dosage for a specific use in a specific species. This does not mean that the drug would not be useful for treating a disease in other animals, but the necessary research to determine the best route of administration, dosage, frequency of administration, effectiveness, and side effects has not been done by the company making the drug. With veterinary drugs, a pharmaceutical company usually won't spend the research and development (R&D) money to get a drug through the approval process unless it is for common usage and there is a good chance the company will make a return on its investment.
DRUGS PROHIBITED FROMEXTRA LABEL USE IN FOOD ANIMALS
. DOSES AND OTHER NOTES ABOUT MEDICATIONS:
PAY ATTENTION!
When doses say for mature does, bucks, kids, it refers to the large goat breeds not Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy, or Angora goats.
For some drugs and most vaccines "one size fits all", for others it is essential to dose by weight ( weigh chart ), please read the suggested dose material to determine the correct dose for the smaller breeds. A weight chart for Pygmy goats can be found at http://hometown.aol.com/goatlist/weights.htm
ALWAYS READ THE LABELS to make sure of the medication you are using and for strengths to avoid over or under dosing (many drugs come in more than one strength), as well as additional dosing information, precautions, indications, withdrawal times, etc. If your going to be using the product extra label write those instructions on the bottle.
Also see extra label (ELDU) information above, and Q&As on the strict ELDU your veterinarian must follow.
Withdrawal and milk discard times are for FDA approved dose rates and routes of administration, and unless otherwise noted are for cattle. ELDU doses may result in longer withdrawal and milk discard times. Withdrawal information is intended for U.S. residents only.
Visit FARAD ( Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database) for FDA approved drug information. Also, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine
DO NOT MIX MEDICATIONS TOGETHER IN THE SAME SYRINGE OR OTHER PREPARATION without checking the compatibility of the medications. Drug incompatibilities can change the chemical or physical nature of a medication/drug. Medication/drug incompatibilities can occur between two drugs or between a drug and a carrier, the environment, or even the receptacle (IV tubing, etc).
Unstable medications usually have a short shelf life when in solution. Reconstituted solutions should always be labeled with the new expiration date. If indicated on the label, refrigeration or freezing can prolong the shelf life. However, DO NOT assume this is true of all medications, READ THE LABEL. Freezing can increase the degradation of some meds (i.e. ampicillin). Refreezing of a previously frozen and defrosted solution increases the risk of efficacy loss.
When giving antibiotics, always give a full course, making sure to use an adequate dose at the recommended frequency to minimize the development of resistance. Continue at least five days [or more] even though the symptoms may disappear long before then! The hardier bacteria are still present and must be killed or stopped from reproducing. Stopping antibiotics early often causes a recurrence, or allows the stronger bacteria to develop a resistance to the antibiotic. Continue to treat 24-36 after they are asymptomatic (without symptoms).
BioSecurity
Liquid medicines and solid medicines, such as pills, capsules, powders, etc., should be flushed down the toilet and the empty containers disposed as household garbage.
Miscellaneous veterinary medical waste (i.e. bloody/soiled bandages and dressings, medical gloves, infusion syringes) should be contained in a securely fastened plastic bag prior to disposal. If possible, such wastes should be sprayed, but not saturated, with a solution made up of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Do not label the containers as "Medical Waste" or Infectious Waste as these terms only apply to licensed veterinary and health care facilities.
Properly dispose of used needles, syringes and other used "medical" objects. Sharps and piercing objects can puncture regular waste bags, posing both a physical and contamination hazard.
What is medical waste - Hypodermic needles and any items that have come in contact with human or animal specimens, culture media, DNA,live and attenuated vaccines.
Including:
Needles, razors, and scalpel blades
Broken glass and plastic
Pipettes, pipette tips, capillary tubes
Sharp-cornered objects.
Acceptable Containers - These containers must be sturdy, leakproof, puncture-resistant. Do not put sharps into any container that will be recycled or returned to a store and do not use glass or clear-plastic containers. Use sturdy, lined cardboard boxes or plastic jars. Most hospitals will accept and dispose of your filled containers for you. Or your veterinarian, M.D., dentist, etc. I use regular Sharps Containers, but milk/bleach bottles etc. work well too.
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T here are times when the dosage given for goats differs from that found on the bottle, both in volume and in length of time to be used. Many products are developed and available for use, but the Food and Drug Administration has not cleared their use in goats.
U sing any product which is not approved and labeled for use in goats constitutes Extra Label Drug Usage [ELDU - Veterinary ELDU Q&A ]. Much of the problem is due to the relatively small numbers of goats in the United States. Getting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is a long, costly process, drug companies cannot economically justify going through the testing required to approve a drug for use in goats [considered a minor species]. Drugs are "licensed" for a specific purpose at a specific dose to be administered in a specific way to a specific species. If a drug is determined by the veterinary profession by experience and independent research to be more effective at treating a particular disease safely at double the dose, then that treatment methodology is generally adopted without breaking federal law. So it is simple experience, coupled with information derived from veterinarians that specialize in dairy goats, which determines what doses are effective in the Caprine.
A n unapproved product does not indicate that it is unsafe or ineffective, but rather it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in goats. When a drug goes through the approval process, experimentation is typically limited to a relatively narrow usage. In other words, a drug will be evaluated at one specific dosage for a specific use in a specific species. This does not mean that the drug would not be useful for treating a disease in other animals, but the necessary research to determine the best route of administration, dosage, frequency of administration, effectiveness, and side effects has not been done by the company making the drug. With veterinary drugs, a pharmaceutical company usually won't spend the research and development (R&D) money to get a drug through the approval process unless it is for common usage and there is a good chance the company will make a return on its investment.
DRUGS PROHIBITED FROMEXTRA LABEL USE IN FOOD ANIMALS
. DOSES AND OTHER NOTES ABOUT MEDICATIONS:
PAY ATTENTION!
When doses say for mature does, bucks, kids, it refers to the large goat breeds not Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy, or Angora goats.
For some drugs and most vaccines "one size fits all", for others it is essential to dose by weight ( weigh chart ), please read the suggested dose material to determine the correct dose for the smaller breeds. A weight chart for Pygmy goats can be found at http://hometown.aol.com/goatlist/weights.htm
ALWAYS READ THE LABELS to make sure of the medication you are using and for strengths to avoid over or under dosing (many drugs come in more than one strength), as well as additional dosing information, precautions, indications, withdrawal times, etc. If your going to be using the product extra label write those instructions on the bottle.
Also see extra label (ELDU) information above, and Q&As on the strict ELDU your veterinarian must follow.
Withdrawal and milk discard times are for FDA approved dose rates and routes of administration, and unless otherwise noted are for cattle. ELDU doses may result in longer withdrawal and milk discard times. Withdrawal information is intended for U.S. residents only.
Visit FARAD ( Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database) for FDA approved drug information. Also, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine
DO NOT MIX MEDICATIONS TOGETHER IN THE SAME SYRINGE OR OTHER PREPARATION without checking the compatibility of the medications. Drug incompatibilities can change the chemical or physical nature of a medication/drug. Medication/drug incompatibilities can occur between two drugs or between a drug and a carrier, the environment, or even the receptacle (IV tubing, etc).
Unstable medications usually have a short shelf life when in solution. Reconstituted solutions should always be labeled with the new expiration date. If indicated on the label, refrigeration or freezing can prolong the shelf life. However, DO NOT assume this is true of all medications, READ THE LABEL. Freezing can increase the degradation of some meds (i.e. ampicillin). Refreezing of a previously frozen and defrosted solution increases the risk of efficacy loss.
When giving antibiotics, always give a full course, making sure to use an adequate dose at the recommended frequency to minimize the development of resistance. Continue at least five days [or more] even though the symptoms may disappear long before then! The hardier bacteria are still present and must be killed or stopped from reproducing. Stopping antibiotics early often causes a recurrence, or allows the stronger bacteria to develop a resistance to the antibiotic. Continue to treat 24-36 after they are asymptomatic (without symptoms).
BioSecurity
Liquid medicines and solid medicines, such as pills, capsules, powders, etc., should be flushed down the toilet and the empty containers disposed as household garbage.
Miscellaneous veterinary medical waste (i.e. bloody/soiled bandages and dressings, medical gloves, infusion syringes) should be contained in a securely fastened plastic bag prior to disposal. If possible, such wastes should be sprayed, but not saturated, with a solution made up of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Do not label the containers as "Medical Waste" or Infectious Waste as these terms only apply to licensed veterinary and health care facilities.
Properly dispose of used needles, syringes and other used "medical" objects. Sharps and piercing objects can puncture regular waste bags, posing both a physical and contamination hazard.
What is medical waste - Hypodermic needles and any items that have come in contact with human or animal specimens, culture media, DNA,live and attenuated vaccines.
Including:
Needles, razors, and scalpel blades
Broken glass and plastic
Pipettes, pipette tips, capillary tubes
Sharp-cornered objects.
Acceptable Containers - These containers must be sturdy, leakproof, puncture-resistant. Do not put sharps into any container that will be recycled or returned to a store and do not use glass or clear-plastic containers. Use sturdy, lined cardboard boxes or plastic jars. Most hospitals will accept and dispose of your filled containers for you. Or your veterinarian, M.D., dentist, etc. I use regular Sharps Containers, but milk/bleach bottles etc. work well too.
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