Dosing farm animals

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Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Western Australia, Series 3

Volume 8

Number 5 September-October, 1959 Article 5

10-1959

Dosing farm animals Dosing farm animals

J. A. Mallett

Follow this and additional works at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation

Mallett, J. A. (1959) "Dosing farm animals," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 8: No. 5, Article 5.

Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol8/iss5/5

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By J. A. MALLETT

E

VERY year, m a n y valuable animals are lost through illnesses which could have been prevented, or checked in t h e early stages, by t h e timely administration of suitable medicines. I t is u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t far too many stockowners, either t h r o u g h lack of knowledge or other causes, tend to postpone t h e dosing until it is too late for t h e drugs to be fully effective.

Most animals, particularly those which frequent handling h a s rendered reason-

ably docile, can be dosed easily by methods which have been in vogue for m a n y years.

Even unbroken stock can usually be dosed by these methods plus some simple form of restraint such as a suitable crush or bail, hobbles, sidelines, etc.

For the qualified veterinary surgeon, stock dosing is a fairly simple m a t t e r , for h e h a s access to drugs and equipment not usually available to the layman, but as m a n y of our flocks and herds are depas- tured in areas where professional assist- a n c e is not readily obtainable it is hoped t h a t these notes will assist t h e stockowner

•compelled to adopt "do-it-yourself"

methods.

SHEEP

Most sheepowners are familiar with the hypodermic syringe, used principally for administering vaccines and anti-toxins. A fairly wide range of drugs m a y now be given by hypodermic injection but these are largely restricted to veterinarians.

Many sheep medicines can be given in the form of drenches, and several types of syringes and drenching-guns are now available to facilitate the operation. The most popular models are those which automatically eject a measured dose and

refill ready for the next sheep.

When using these drenching guns, care m u s t be t a k e n not to injure t h e sensitive membranes of t h e sheep's m o u t h and throat. This occurs most frequently if t h e nozzle of t h e gun becomes damaged and is left with a rough surface.

In some popular automatic drenching guns the dose is discharged t h r o u g h a plastic tube which extends into the oesophagus or gullet of the sheep. This is a useful feature in minimising staining of t h e wool when phenothiazine worm drenches are used.

Similar automatic guns are available for administering capsules and pellets, such as the "cobalt bullets" recently introduced by C.S.I.R.O. workers.

Individual sheep may be drenched from a bottle, or a powdered medicine m a y be given as an electuary—mixed with treacle or molasses and smeared on t h e back p a r t of t h e tongue by means of a smooth flat piece of wood. Electuaries m a y be used for dosing most types of livestock.

HORSES

For drenching horses, a specially-made drenching-bit is a good investment. This is a length of hollow tube closed a t one end which fits into the m o u t h like an ordinary bit and is held in position by a leather headstall passing over t h e horse's head. A small funnel fits into t h e open end of the tube, and liquid poured into the funnel finds its way into the horse's m o u t h through one or more holes in t h e bit

A metal nose-piece, shaped like a n in- verted U, carries a loop or eye so t h a t a cord can be passed through it and over a rafter to hold the head up.

To drench a horse, the animal should preferably be backed into a stall, t h e head raised and the drench given a little a t a time.

525

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Don't h a u l the horse's h e a d up until the nose is pointing skyward. T h e head should never pass t h e horizontal position.

Don't p i n c h or p u n c h t h e throat in an endeavour to m a k e the horse swallow.

Don't tie t h e h e a d up; pass the cord loosely over a hook or rafter so t h a t if the horse a t t e m p t s to cough, its head c a n be lowered immediately.

Don't rush. Give the d r e n c h in small quantities a n d give t h e horse time to swallow. Medicines which "go the wrong w a y " a n d finish in the lungs can lead to p n e u m o n i a .

Fig. 1.—A drenching bit

Don't try to d r e n c h t h r o u g h the nostril.

A n y t h i n g e n t e r i n g t h e nostril is likely to go direct into t h e lungs.

Where a d r e n c h i n g bit is not available, it is a simple m a t t e r to drench with a bottle. Special m e t a l drenching-bottles were commonly used, but a glass bottle is

quite satisfactory if reasonable care is taken.

Introduce t h e neck of the bottle into the corner of t h e horse's m o u t h between the cheek and t h e teeth. Pour in a little of the liquid a n d give t h e horse time to swallow it before giving any more. A h a n d under the lower jaw will keep t h e head up if the horse is a quiet type. Failing this, use a strong h a l t e r and pass a rope t h r o u g h the nose-band and over a beam.

Balling- a Horse.

Many horse medicines are given in t h e form of "physic balls." These are gelatine capsules, oval or cylindrical in shape, con- taining drugs in powdered form. The ball is swallowed whole a n d on reaching t h e stomach, t h e gelatine dissolves, releasing the dose.

The "balling pistol" shown in t h e illus- tration is a h a n d y aid to administering a ball, and was a common article of stable equipment in t h e days of horse-teams.

The ball fits into t h e cup a n d is ejected by pressure on the end of the plunger which slides freely inside t h e barrel. I n giving the ball, it was usual to slip t h e left h a n d into the horse's mouth, grasp the tongue from above and t h e n t u r n t h e h a n d so t h a t t h e t h u m b was pointing u p - ward and pressing against t h e roof of t h e mouth to keep it open. The barrel of t h e balling pistol was t h e n pushed well in towards t h e root of t h e tongue, the ball ejected and t h e horse's tongue released.

A good substitute for a balling pistol is a length of suitably-sized hose with a piece of cane or dowel-stick to serve as t h e plunger.

Where a m o u t h - g a g is available, it is a simple m a t t e r to give the ball by h a n d as with t h e gag in position, t h e ball may be pushed well to t h e back of t h e tongue where the horse can swallow it easily.

Giving a ball without any special equip- m e n t is a task which looks simple when

4>

Pig. 2.—A balling pistol

526

Journal of agriculture Vol. 8 1959

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Fig. 3.—A crude but effective method of drenching

a large pig

performed by a n expert but calls for con- siderable skill and perfect timing.

The tongue is grasped as described earlier and t h e horse's m o u t h held open.

With t h e ball held in t h e tips of the first, second and third fingers, t h e right h a n d is t h r u s t quickly towards t h e root of the tongue, the ball pushed well back towards the gullet and the tongue released.

Unless t h e ball is placed correctly, the horse usually spits it out again. Subse- quent a t t e m p t s with the horse becoming increasingly h a r d to control and t h e ball becoming more a n d more slippery are seldom successful.

CATTLE

Dosing cattle usually requires some form of restraint such as bails a n d / o r crushes.

Occasionally, t h e medicines m a y be given in the form of electuaries—mixed with treacle and smeared on t h e tongue—but in most cases a drench is necessary.

Quiet dairy cattle may usually be drenched easily if two people are available One person grasps t h e horns a n d raises the head slightly. T h e other handles t h e bottle, allowing a portion of t h e drench to r u n into the mouth. A t h u m b and forefinger in t h e nostrils or the use of nose- grips are sometimes helpful. Polled cattle should be haltered for easy drenching.

Cattle seldom spit out a drench once it is in t h e m o u t h and it is a simple m a t t e r

to give the drench in small doses of a quarter of a pint at a time. Once the dose has gone into t h e mouth, t h e cow's head may be released to facilitate swallowing.

PIGS

Drenching pigs generally entails a strenuous course of c a t c h - a s - c a t c h - c a n wrestling accompanied by a chorus of ear- torturing squeals so it is fortunate t h a t most pig medicines can be given in t h e feeding-troughs, mixed with some sloppy food.

If the animals are starved for about 24 hours they will usually gulp down even unpleasantly-flavoured drugs in milk or sloppy pollard mixtures.

The time-honoured method of d r e n c h - ing a large pig by using a n old boot with a hole in the toes is quite satisfactory. Pass a slip-knot round t h e top jaw behind the tusks and pass the end of t h e rope over a rail so the head is slightly raised. Push the toe of the boot into t h e pig's m o u t h and pour the medicine slowly into t h e boot as he chews a t it. An assistant straddling the pig and holding the ears will help to keep him in t h e required position.

An improvement on t h e boot is a piece of wood about 18 in. long a n d two to three inches in diameter with t h e ends shaped into handles. A hole, big enough to take the neck of a bottle, is drilled t h r o u g h the centre.

Fig. 4.—A simple aid to pig drenching

527

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The assistant straddles the pig holding the piece of wood in the animal's mouth like a bit. The bottle neck is placed in the hole and the drench given slowly.

DOGS AND CATS

The dosing of dogs and cats often pre- sents some problems. Pills may be given in pieces of meat and powders can be mixed into butter or dripping—-always pro- vided that the animal is not so sick that its appetite is impaired.

Don't open a dog's mouth to give him a liquid medicine. Have the medicine in a small bottle such as is used for aspirin tablets. Pass one finger into the corner of his mouth and press the cheek outward to form a pocket into which the liquid can be poured. This can be done even when the dog is wearing a muzzle—which is

always advisable when dosing a vicious animal. Keep the head slightly raised to encourage swallowing.

Cats should be rolled in a cloth or bag to prevent their claws from coming into action and can then be compelled to swallow small tablets or liquid medicines by the following method.

Place the hand at the back of the cat's head so that the head fits into the U formed by the thumb and forefinger—or the thumb and middle finger. Press the cat's cheeks inward so that the animal opens its mouth and cannot close its jaws without biting its cheeks. A tablet placed on the cat's tongue can now be poked to the back of the throat with the little finger of the other hand, or a small quantity of liquid can be introduced by means of a teaspoon, eye-dropper or small bottle.

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