Doe with Poisoning

[EatChevre]

Our family were out all day on Sunday, and when we got home in the early evening, our two goats were sitting on our back porch. They knocked down a temporary "gate" in their fence, and who knows how long they were in our yard eating all of our ornamental plants. Our yard has Yews, Boxwoods, Azaleas, tons of bulb plants - all of which are poisonous to goats. They've been allowed in our yard plenty, but only with us so we could make sure that they didn't eat those plants. They'd show mild interest, and would try to nibble a bit, but never seemed like they really wanted it anyway.

When I went out to the barn on Monday morning, my 11-week old didn't want her milk, and was bleating a strange short bleat. Looking more closely, I noticed she had dark stuff on her face around her mouth. It started being clear that she was feeling bad, the way she moved and sounded and looked. I then notice a pile of regurgitation in the straw. Her just not taking the milk was disturbing enough. The poor thing was miserable and things went downhill fast from that point. Luckily I have a vet who knows goats and has two of his own; I took her in - she was wailing in pain and still regurgitating lots. The doc pumped her stomach, and gave her charcoal to try to absorb any more toxins in her - he showed me parts of azalea and boxwood that were in her stomach. He thought that she had a 50/50 chance of making it at that point. He wanted to keep her for a while to keep an eye on her, and I picked her up at the end of the day and brought her back home. Today she looks terrible still. She hasn't eaten anything, but is drinking water. She's still throwing up, and is very weak and in lots of pain, but she'll still follow me around wherever I go. I just noticed that she's shivering. I'm so scared and feel so helpless. I don't know if she's going to make it. She is not looking good at all. The other doe (who is 5 weeks old - doesn't do as much browsing as the other) is just fine.

Has this happened to any of you? What do you think her chances are of pulling through at this point?

[Sarah J]

Has she been given probios and baking soda? Is she offered the bottle and just not taking it? Emptying her belly and putting all that charcoal in her poor little already traumatized tummy can cause all kinds of problems (though I'm sure it was necessary!). But if she won't eat, you may have to force her to do it. Start with probios or yogurt (some say yogurt is actually better though there are differing schools of thought on that one) and baking soda - mix it with water and make her take it. Give it just a bit of time to work. If she's shivering she could be in the starving stages if she really hasn't eaten in two days. Gotta get some nutrition in her fast before the rumen completely shuts down her systems!

Good luck!!

-Sarah
(I've never had poisoning but I've had starving animals rejected by Mom before that have pulled through with some intensive care)

[EatChevre]

She's eating baking soda and drinking water. When I bottle-fed the other, she stayed far away. The vet said to only offer hay today. I was almost done weaning her from milk completely. She is sniffing at her hay - it looks like she is considering eating it. She has stopped shivering for now. I'm going to keep a close eye on her - I'm guessing that she's shivering because she's eaten nothing and is having a hard time maintaining her body heat.

[witchysharon]

actually the charcoal was the best thing for her. activated charcoal is estimated to reduce up to 60% of poisonous substances by adsorbing the toxins/chemicals, reduces their toxicity and works throughout the entire length of the goats digestive system.

Activated charcoal itself is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic and will not be the cause of upsetting her stomach. charcoal is considered to be the most effective single agent available for absorbing almost any ingested toxin/poison/chemical.

If she is shivering, have you taken her temp? If it is low, get her warmed up with a sweater, heating pad, towels warmed in the dryer or a heat lamp. Even if she 'looks' horrible (and who wouldn't after an ordeal like getting their stomach pumped?), she is drinking and that is a good sign. If she if 'following you around' then she is at least active to some degree...also a good sign.

But I would give her some probiotics, kefir (which is superior to yogurt) or yogurt containing 'live or active' cultures to help restore healthy rumen activity.. You say the vet found 'azalea and boxwood' in her gut, it really is a good thing she didn't eat any yew, because she probably wouldn't have lived.

Everyone should have activated charcoal on hand in case of accidental poisoning. You may be able to get some from your vet, feed store or tractor supply. I bought two tubes from Jeffers to have ready in case of emergencies.

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/...457&sort=&c=31

Having her stomach pumped/charcoal may be what will save her. Give her Probiotics and electrolytes, and let her tummy recover. Keep offering the bottle, she'll eat when she is ready. Is she eating hay yet at 11 weeks, and does she have it available in the barn if she gets hungry?

Installing a sturdy goat-proof fence and gate should be a priority. Goats are known to be able to get out/over/under/through fences etc. if they want to badly enough. If they get out again you may not be as lucky. We don't have ornamentals (I simply won't have them with goats) but across the road there are yews in the neighbors yard and I worry if my goats ever did break out they'd eat the yews. Yews are probably one of the most toxic plants and are poisonous to all animals.

Ps. glad to hear she seems to be improving.

[Sweet Goats]

So, how is the little one doing? I hope better. I had one sick once and I kept her on the yogurt, that is all I fed for three days. Now she is a wonderful goat. Full of energy and drives me crazy sometimes.
Keep us posted. I will send prayers your way.

[EatChevre]

Thank you all for your responses and your well wishes. As of 4:00 pm today, Ginger seems to be very hungry, and is eating her hay, her baking soda and drinking water. She is a lot more active, even bleating pretty normally. She was licking me and everything around her so I gave her back her minerals too. I have some probios that I can put in her milk; I think I'll give her some of that soon here. She seems great compared to just this morning, and I feel sure that she's going to be just fine. Thanks again for all your concern! What a scare we had, but now I am so relieved and thankful. Now I will take seriously the issue of having a goat-proof fenced yard. I really didn't believe that she'd eat that stuff, and if so - I didn't believe that it'd be enough to kill her! But she was very, very close to death. One very important lesson for me.

[Sweet Goats]

I would give her the probias before she eats. It will get her little tummy working, it sounds like you are on the road to recovery. Give yourself a pat on the back and good job on the quick thinking.

[goatmarm]

Thank goodness your little one is recovering. What a scare! You did good, and it sounds like baby will make it. Keep giving the probios for her tummy, and let us know how she does.

[EatChevre]

Ginger is back to herself!! Today she was relaxing and sunning herself in her yard. She's sticking to hay these days...