Skinny Pygmy

[Garden Ear]

I have 3 pygmy goats. They are a few years old, probably 3 or 4. One is very skinny all of a sudden and we can feel all his bones under his fur. The other 2 goats are filled out as usual.
What could be wrong? Anybody have any thoughts?

[Wendy]

When was the last time they were wormed? What are they getting to eat? Do they have minerals available at all times? Not a block, loose ones. Goats have a very hard time getting what they need from a mineral block. Another thought is Johnes which causes them to basically just waste away. It's not real common in goats, but can happen. I would sooner think worms first. Give us some more details & maybe we can help.

[mygoat]

Sounds like worms to me, too. I had a pygmy buck that I never really petted on his body, and one day I was trimming his hoves and I noticed how incredibly skinny he was! You couldn't tell by looking at him, he was in a winter coat and had the long hair of the pygmies. I felt so bad that I hadn't caught it! I wormed him and now he's getting back weight.

[Garden Ear]

Worms was our first suspicion and we bought some goat dewormer made by IVS (Iowa Vet Supply).
I am worried that it is only the one goat though since all three goats live together and I cannot understand how one might have worms and not the others. But we hope worms are all it is and nothing more serious. We will take stool samples from each goat to the vet Monday.
Thank you for your posts and for trying to help us. Thank you so much.

[Ramblin Acres]

Another thought it could be scrapies.Do you have a vet that knows enough about goats? If you do I would strongly recommend that you have your goats looked at.

[Garden Ear]

Vet said the stool sample had no worms.

All we fed all winter was hay. We had discontinued the oat feed and did not have a mineral block. We have since started supplementing the hay and new spring grass growth with oat feed and have set out a mineral block.