Snotty noses and chronic cough

[fishhead]

My goats have had a chronic cough all summer and on and off snotty noses. If I make them run it sounds terrible with all the coughing.

They were wormed with Valbazen in July. I've checked the worst one and the temp was fine so it doesn't seem to be any type of infection.

We've been in an extreme drought and everything was dusty but lately it has rained enough to wash the dust off the plants so I don't think it's dust. The goats got only browse until just recently.

Any suggestions?

[susanne]

what kind of housing do you have for your animals?

[fishhead]

The goats have a three sided shelter made from old dock sections but much of the time they sleep outside. The shelter has lots of air flow and is dry inside. They don't have any bedding in the shelter. I often see them sleep on a dike slope in the exposed sand.

[susanne]

maybe the housing is too drafty?
i have to put bedding in the shelter for my goats because they like to pee inside. i can clean the bedding but don't know how it would be without it.
maybe you can go into the shelter, lower yourself to the ground and see if it smells like amoniac? the other possibility would be lungworms. to find out you would have to bring a fecal sample to the vet to have it culured. ask your vet to look for lungworms because this would require a different methode.
i'm sure you wrote in previous posts what else you feed but can't remember.
feed and hay can be dusty. i feed alfa pellets that are very dusty and i have to put it through a screener or my animals will cough too.
final thought, are your animals from cae negative herd?

[fishhead]

I'll have to ask the previous owners about cae status. I'm assuming so because they also show goats.

Our weather has been hot so I don't think draft is the problem. They haven't been getting anything other than browse and some grain for feed. Earlier the vegetation was covered in dust but that isn't the case anymore and they are still coughing.

I did have the fecal of the worst one checked and it came back negative. I thought that included lungworm but I guess not. I'll try to get another sample over to the vet.

Thanks for trying to help.

[computerchick]

Lungworm won't show up on a regular fecal. There is a specific test that must be done.

There are other possibilities too. Usually lungworm is a dry hack kinda cough followed by some chewing up of something - you know like a good old loogie...<ew>

If you have a wet cough and any other snotties, you need to talk with your vet because a cold can become pneumonia very quickly!!!

In the meantime, some vetRx won't hurt!

Andrea

[fishhead]

I just talked with the vet and she recommended a five day course of penicillin (1cc/20 lb.) since they had snotty noses. She said if they show improvement continue up to 10 days max.

She also said there are lots of bugs that can cause the cough and most can be allowed to run their course with no problem.

[susanne]

if i remember right you had all little wethers , about four to five month old?
they can cough also trying to get their cud up.
snotty noses are a different story.
good luck with your little fellers, hope they are getting better soon.

[fishhead]

Tonight everyone had a clean nose and some were still coughing. They cough mostly when they run and sometimes when they are just eating. The vet said that lungworm wasn't that common in this area so that's good news. She said there are a bunch of reasons for coughing and most aren't serious so as long as they are eating and looking well I'll just try to ignore it.

Yes 12 are this years wethers with most born in March or later.

They are fun little boys. When they climb on something they don't just jump down they jump up! And then in mid-air they twist. I'm going to have to get a video snippet.

[susanne]

i would agree with your vet. if they are eating and looking healthy than everything should be fine. enjoy your little critters while they are on your place.