Hypothermic buck
 

Found my buck this morning down. Brought him in and his temp isn't even reading. He is moving but not tons. I have a heating pad on him plus a few hot water bottles and a blanket. Vet said not to heat rapidly.
I gave him CD antitoxin just in case, Fortified B complex, Biomycin, steroids, and some Dextrose and fluids for low blood sugar. His eyes are dilated and he has a slight nystagmus. What am I missing?! What else should I do. I have him prone now so he can breath easier. Help!

Oh and no parasites. Fecal came back clean and eye lid color is dark pink.

My cell is 360-927-6193 feel free to call or text me if you have any ideas. Vet was no help.

We'd be guessing. :( He may have had a heart attack, eaten something toxic, been snake bit, had a stroke.

How old is he?

Is he making normal rumen noises? I can't think of much else other than some cayenne. Echinacea can be very helpful for poisons/venom.

He's 7. He is on dry lot. No venomous snakes here. The does are all fine. He was fine last night at 9pm when I went out to check and feed. They get grass hay, alfalfa pellets, and a bit of BOSS.

I've been at this 2hrs and his temp still isn't reading but he's alive and moving.

The only thing I can think of is that his rumen shut down for some reason.

Can he swallow? Steal a cud from a doe and drench him with it.

So I thought he was dead a few minutes ago so I stared at him to see if I could see his chest rising. I must have scared him because he jumped and whipped his neck around. He is peeing. He is up to 90.6 and is breathing normally now. By all accounts he should be dead by now but he seems to be improving. Not sure if he can swallow yet. He did belch a few times when I rolled him over. He isn't bloated.

Polio/Listeria? The ones I've had with those do drop temp near the end... It doesn't sound classic neuro signs but IMO treating for those likely can't hurt... :/

Hope he pulls through.

Well his temp is still super low 91 degrees. But he wants to eat and he did that sweet little knicker sound like horses make when they are happy. I offered him a half handful of alfalfa pellets to see how alert he was. He was super excited about it. So I guess we just continue the way we are. I'm not sure what else to do or what to expect. If he didn't stink so bad I would bring him in the house. He's in the garage on the goat stand. He did flip himself over to his other side.

Steal a cud. Seriously. It's important.

Steal a cud and try that thermometer on another goat. I have found if you wait for the goat to bring up its cud, then act like you're going to worm/drench it, they will spit their cud out for you.

One time that I was really desperate, I got a bucket and a drench gun filled with water. Followed the healthy goat around (discretely) until she brought up cud. Grabbed her just below the jaw so she couldn't swallow. Put bucket under her head, rinsed cud out of her mouth with water from drench gun.

Drew yucky cud water up in drench gun. Drenched sick goat.

I have used a drench of water and cayenne to bring up temps before with success. An old time goat breeder once in a pinch to take fresh berries from a healthy goat, swish berries in water to rinse off the coating only, drench sick goat. Works like a cud transfer. Is he house with other males? Next to does in heat?

YES, that's right. I forgot about that method. Goat berry slime. Yup yup.

I've always sucked at stealing cud. I'll try again. He is looking around and eating a tiny bit like an 1/8 cup at a time.

I tried 3 different thermometers. He is at 92.8. He looks for me when I'm walking around. I have no clue why he's still alive.
I'm continuing the Penicillin every 6 hrs.

Supplement w/B12. Could be cobalt deficient.

He's gone. I'm super angry because he was doing great. Now I am without a buck right during breeding season :facepalm:. He was looking so good so I don't understand it. Plus he struggled through this for 12 hours! I'm just sick.

I'm so sorry.

Hugggs.

I am so sorry.

JUST saw this thread. Rule is: do NOT feed until temperature is normal.