Selfsufficientish.com

Does anyone have any good news stories on goats/sheep surviving rhododendron poisoning. One of my nannies escaped in to next doors garden and feasted on them. She is now in hospital after having her stomach opened to empty it of all nasties. (she was only having a drench originally, but bit the tube off, and swallowed about 2ft of it, so they had to open her to get the tube out!) Every where I look I can only find sad tales. We lost her two kids last week to nasty infections and really cant face loosing her aswell. Please can someone tell me some good survival stories! The vets are being very cautious about her prognosis.

We've kept goats for many years,and lost a few.By and large the older ones seem to have an amazing will to live.We only have three now,as we're moving away,but Mrs.OJ's favourite(Sage) one lost one of her new born twins and was very sick last year,and our exellent vet gave her little to no chance.Tonight when I was doing her feet she stood on my foot,and I think she may have broken one of my toes!(thatsthe b----y goat,not Mrs.OJ). Best Wishes,let us know how she goes.

Hope you goat will be OK.

rhodadendron is my favorite plant i will take a chainsaw to and burn it killed half my dads flock some with in an hour but mainly within 24 hrs from being fine to dead . vet did say 11 leaves will kill a cow so hope all bgoes well

Thanks for all your good wishes. Florence has been home since saturday after having her operation on Friday. The vets emptied her stomach and pulled out a bucket of acorns and rhodo leaves.As well as the tube we were using to drench her!! She had only escaped for 30 mins! She seems to be getting better, eating her hay and drinking. We got her a great dane size dog coat to keep her warm during the cold nights. I just hope there is no damage and we are through the worst.

I'd say ,fingers crossed,that your goat is over the worst.They are incredibly fickle: I' ve seen a herd of Golden Guernseys feeding on laurel,with no ill effects! I agree however with dm82 shred everything within their range that could do them any harm. Over the years we have developed a system were they are kept on stone/concrete flooring in open sheds with an outside yard,and all their feed,and hay and foliage is brought to them.They are taken outside on good days to graze on grass or whatever (usually by the trainee goatherds..my children) for an hour or two.This way you minimize probs with foot rot,you dont need to trim their feet so often and ,hopefully,they dont poison themselves when you aren't looking.Best wishes.