Goat down!!! NEED HELP!

I'm with Yarrow and the polio diagnosis.

.... and, no, he wouldn't starve to death overnight.

I remember the past discussions about this kid. He's fragile anyway. I hope he makes it through this challenge.

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

Check his eyes. Do his pupils also go to the left? (I'm wondering about nystagmus.)

Re: Copper
Do you have any copper sulfate? (We use it here for bordeaux mixture for the fruit trees.) You can use that if you think it's a copper deficiency issue.

I'm pulling for you and your goatie boy.

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Je ne suis pas Alice

http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/

Give him a 1/2 tsp baking soda, too. Keep the grain from causing too much havoc. Maybe.

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

He hasn't closed his eyes, when I look at them the pupils go down but generally stay in the middle.

What are the chances of polio? He is 8 months old and I swear, their grass hay is great quality; no chance of mold. If it isn't polio, could thiamine cause damage? Would a regular vet have thiamine?

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I looked up a website on goat polio to see causes, he hasn't had any of these things happen to him.

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We found a large animal vet that is willing to see him. I'll update you what he says when we get back.

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oh good! good luck, I'm pulling for him!

I've just found lice crawling on him, he's been here all day and I just noticed. Could they be causing all this??

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So glad you found someone... I hope you return with good news!

That would explain the rough coat & a heavy infestation of blood sucking parasites could cause anemia. I give ivomec orally to mine and it is suppose to take care of sucking/biting lice. Molasses has iron for a little boost. I just give a table spoon per gallon of warm water.

Edited to add - I really think it would have to be a HEAVY infestation to cause him to not get up. The lice could just be an additional problem to whatever is the root of the weakness.

I may be thinking of someone else but doesn't this goat stay on a school farm or a community farm could someone else give him something that you do not know about?

The vet just saved his life.

He had incredibly low glucose levels because his rumen hasn't been working properly. This made him more susceptible to the lice infestation, which was a double wammy on the low glucose. He was in diabetic shock and had an incredibly low temp. So they injected glucose and warmed him with water bottles and blankets (we were helping of course) Ten minutes after the glucose injection he came back to life. So were not completely out of the woods, but were certainly close!

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So Glad to hear he sounds a little better. I hope the little guy pull's through for you.


Also want to add this since a couple others mentioned salt licks or mineral blocks also. Goats will not get the amounts of copper or selenium that they need from the hard blocks. You need to have a good loose mineral out for them to get when ever they want it. Most folks use a loose cattle mineral & if you can get one that is gray in color it is better than one that is red in color.

So glad you found out what the problem was!! I agree with Katie - I top dress with loose minerals specifically for goats by ManaPro. You can get it here: http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/goat-mineral.html

This mineral and the Nutrena Naturewise goat feed both contain copper & selenium and ammonium chloride to help prevent urinary calculi.

I know I sound like a broken folk record - but I think a little blackstrap molasses in the water would help a bit when you've got one failing like that - it's got the sucrose for quick energy and the iron for anemia

What causes low glucose levels?

not eating

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Susanne Stuetzler
Ain-ash-shams
Nubian Dairy Goats

please visit us at
http://www.ain-ash-shams.net

is that the same as hypoglycemic?

He has been eating, it just hasn't been metabolizing correctly for some reason, hence probias and cud transfers.

It's a struggle right now, I am mostly force feeding, but as long as he keeps swallowing he has a good chance. It's on and off how well he does. Right now he is just exhausted, but as log as he keeps fighting, and I keep fighting, I think he can make it.

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You're working so hard to help him. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you