goat shivering??

famer_manda · #1 03/26/06, 06:19 PM

My pregnantish goat is shivering but the other one seems fine.. Is she cold?? she has been staying in the shed most of today and laying down. Could she be sick? Yesterday they stood around outside all day but today shes just acting tired. I am relatively sure shes pregnant because of the swollen udder area. Is this something they normally do if pregnant?? ooh I have so much to learn.

rhjacobi · #2 03/26/06, 07:01 PM

Hi farmer manda,

I don't know if you have a breed that developed for cold climates such as yours or not. Since winters almost over for you, I would say that your cold isn't too cold for them or you would have noticed other things that would indicate the cold was bothering them by now.

I wouldn't consider this normal for a goat that hasn't had a problem with the winter up to now. Start with taking her temperature. Hand feed a little food to make sure that she is still eating with her usual gusto. Look for any other symptoms, especially anything that would suggest respiratory.

Bob
Lynchburg, TN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by famer_manda

My pregnantish goat is shivering but the other one seems fine.. Is she cold?? she has been staying in the shed most of today and laying down. Could she be sick? Yesterday they stood around outside all day but today shes just acting tired. I am relatively sure shes pregnant because of the swollen udder area. Is this something they normally do if pregnant?? ooh I have so much to learn.

famer_manda · #3 03/26/06, 08:31 PM

It is a pygmy goat. I dont know what is normal since I only got her yesterday. Her sister is fine. She likes to lay down in the shed more today whereas yesterday was runningaround. I put a lamp over her and it didn't change. Guess time will tell

goatladie · #4 03/26/06, 10:54 PM

Don't wait - get a temp!!! It could tell a lot about what may be bugging her!!! Too low could be dangerous.... Being that she is preg. I would worry about some of the sicknesses/complications that this could be pointing to like not enough calcium- a goat shivering is not a good thing... now it could be her nervous and just settling in, but try to rule out sickness by taking a temp....

famer_manda · #5 03/27/06, 07:41 AM

How do I take a goats temp? Where would I get a thermometer in order to do it? I haven't checked on her yet today aside from looking out the window. She is back to running around today instead of sleeping in the shed. She has no other signs of any problems. I hope it was just settling in. Well... I had wished it had something to do with labor but I learned those signs of impending labor but she didn't have any mucus or anything so i guess that wasn't it :P

mpillow · #6 03/27/06, 07:46 AM

Any chance she ate something yucky?

Temp is taken the old fashion way

.....I like the quick digital thermometer...you'll want her on the milk stand to do it safely or quite restrained 2-3 people....

If she is eating and drinking and playing well ....sounds like it passed...

The shiver thing though wasnt like a seizure I hope.....???

famer_manda · #7 03/27/06, 07:50 AM

No it was subtle, just like she was a little cold. It wasn't dramatic at all. Probably as much as I shudder a bit when the wind hits me just right. We got her from a farm that didn't have any extra heat and they ran around in a wide open area. My husband is bringing home hay for them today. Maybe she was just a little shaken from being moved to a new home. I dont suppose I would like it either.

Teacupliz · #8 03/27/06, 08:16 AM

give her some b-complex and get a temp.

Liz

goatladie · #9 03/27/06, 08:39 AM

You take a goat's temp with a rectal thermometer. Go to the baby section at Walmart or your pharmacy, grocery store.... Try to get a quick response one that will take the temp within a minute - trust me, I was cheap the first time and didn't buy a fast one and that goat let me know what she thought about standing for 3 minutes with a stick in her bum! Get your hubby to hold her collar and talk to her or distract her with a little bit of food while you insert the thermometer, oh, and lubricate it with a little KY jelly or lube first, very helpful..... Hope it's nothing wrong with her - we got our first goats last Spring, it's amazing how much personality they have, huh?
The B-complex is a wonderful idea as well - always helps perk them up, you can find it at Tractor Supply or your feed store. It's given as a shot and doesn't seem to bother the goats much at all, don't worry!~ Don't forget to get the syringes and needles... I think most use 1/2"-3/4" and 20 gauge.
.... Oh, and a side note, as far as birth coming on, some goats have a little discharge a couple weeks to a couple days before birth, others have none.... my togg went within an hour of seeing just a little disharge!! Some good signs to watch for our the raised tailhead (fiasco farms has pics) seems to be a good sign and softening of the ligaments (http://tyny.com/ligaments.html) good but are hard to find sometimes when you are new... look up fiasco farms : http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/bouncing.html
, theyhave a lot of good info there

famer_manda · #10 03/27/06, 09:06 AM

Thank you very very much

APPway · #11 03/27/06, 09:16 AM

In one of the above post you say your husband is bring home hay for them today??? That could be part of the problem if they don't have any hay to eat at this time. Having a belly full of hay is what helps keep them warm so that might be why she is shivering.

Just my Opnion

Appway

witchysharon · #12 03/27/06, 09:22 AM

Since you got her very recently, the shivering *may* be a sign she is frightened from all the stress and change in environment. She may just be more senstitive then her sister who isn't shivering. Get her temp and see if she has a fever. If she does there is something going on. Stress can lower their immune system and they can catch colds or develop pneumonia. If she has a fever, and develops signs of a cold, you may need to get her on antibiotics. If it is low, warm her to get her temp up. Goats can die from hypothermia. (normal goat temp ranges from 101.5-104)

If in addition to 'laying down' if she is also off feed, you might want to keep an eye out for the signs of hypocalcemia. Here is some info on hypocalcemia. It can occur in pregnant goats and is good info to have since she is "pregnantish".

http://kinne.net/hypocal2.htm

famer_manda · #13 03/27/06, 01:00 PM

She seems to be doing fine now. I spent quite awhile just watching and observing her. She is eating her food and drinking. She ate some dead leaves too that was in the corner of the pen

She is no longer shivering. I notice though that her belly twitches a lot. Maybe I mistook that for shivering the other night. Would being pregnant make the belly twitch?