Kid not feeling well...

waygr00vy · #1 10/08/06, 05:11 PM

I posted several days ago about my friends goat who was acting lethargic...he ended up having a kidney stone and infection, she took him to the University and he died on the table. Now I am very paranoid about stones, although I don't think that is my guys problem...

I have 2 bucklings, one 8 weeks and one about 4 months. They were having a bit of diarrhea so I wormed them and treated them with sulmet. This was several weeks ago, and they seemd to do better after that. Last week, I noticed clumpy poop in the younger one...and treated him once again. He has seemed fine since then, poop normal, acting very perky. I noticed the older one not quite acting himself again recently. Stool is soft and light brown...not very runny though. Today, I noticed him all fluffed up, tail droopy, and slightly hunched over...clearly not feeling well. Still had an appetite though, and didn't have a fever. Does this still sound like coccidiosis? And should I try another course of sulmet, or something else? I have been very lucky and haven't had any problems the last several years that needed a vet...but this is frusterating!

goatmarm · #2 10/08/06, 08:08 PM

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waygr00vy · #3 10/08/06, 08:31 PM

I got the dosage off of fiasco farm website. I went ahead and gave him a dose tonight, a little more in case I underestimated his weight a little bit. Hopefully he will start to feel better or else I will probably have to take him to the vet. I will try giving him so yogurt as well. I have ordered some di-methox, but it will not be in for a few days, and no one near me carries it. Hopefully this second round of sulmet works...

AllWolf · #4 10/08/06, 10:17 PM

waygr00vy I'm sorry to hear you having troubles also. I have never used Sulmet I've always used Di-Methox Injection 40% for treat a goat with Cocci. I have posted some information on another topic where Milk N Honey is having a hard time maybe it will be of some help also alone with this....

The first symptom is usually but not always diarrhea. Along with diarrhea always comes dehydration and sometimes fever. If treatment isn't begun immediately, permanent damage will be done to the intestinal lining and the goat won't be able to absorb nutrients from its food. In advanced cases of Coccidiosis, diarrhea can be watery, and may contain mucous and blood. Bloody diarrhea is blackish in color and remember if a goat has Cocci the diarrhea will smell awful.. To make sure your goat has Cocci you need to take a fecal sample to the vet or take the goat to the vet for testing. Lots of people say to use CoRid but I have done more and more research and lots of breeders now say not to use it because of this... CoRid is no longer recommended by many professionals because (a) some strains of coccidia have become resistant to it, and (b) CoRid is a thiamine (Vitamin B 1) inhibitor. The importance of thiamine in keeping goats healthy is difficult to overstate.

Also make sure he doesn't get dehydrated keep electrolytes in him because if he gets dehydrated you will have a big problem on hand. You can use PowerAde, Gatorade or pedylite.

If you had changed their feeding habits it can also cause the runs. If a goat is not eatting good or not try offering the goat some green leaves on freshly-cut branches are the goat's natural food and are more easily digested than anything else. Do not provide processed grains such as sacked feed or cracked/shelled corn a sick goat will not be able to digest them properly and recovery will be delayed longer.

Also remember to give V-B Shots to a them alone with Goat Power Punch and after you have finished up treatment besure to give the goat probios to help build the living bacteria back up..

Good Luck on your goat also..

waygr00vy · #5 10/09/06, 01:00 PM

Took him to the vet this morning, but he didn't make it. He went down hill so fast...It was coccidia, but apparently it was not responding to the sulmet. They gave me something stronger to give my other little guy, although he isn't nearly as bad. Atleast I know now for sure what it was...

moonspinner · #6 10/09/06, 03:08 PM

Cocci can overwhelm a kid in a flash. Whenever I have a case of this I get on it immediately and treat for seven days. I give more than the directed dose for the first couple days. Occasionally I've had to do a followup course. Sulmet's done the job for me. Cocci has a very unique odor to the stool so it's easy to diagnose. I always do a preventative on all kids. I've been lucky in that the runs has been the only symptom.

Sweet Goats · #7 10/09/06, 03:34 PM

I am so sorry about your loss. Cocci is a bad thing. As you learn you will see different people use different things for Cocci. I use Chord but you will see people will shoot that down fast as I can tell you about it. it works for me so that is all I care about. You will have to learn what works and what doesn't. What did the Vet give you to give the other goat? Again, I am very sorry for your loss, and for that friend.

TexCountryWoman · #8 10/09/06, 05:00 PM

So sorry about your little one....keep us posted about the other goat and please do tell what the vet recommended.

waygr00vy · #9 10/09/06, 07:53 PM

The stuff the vet gave me is called Marquis. It is a paste, came in a big tube like a horse wormer. Unfortunately, they dosed it out into syringes and I don't have the original label, so not sure what the active ingredient is. Its a 3 day course, then 1 day the next week, 1 day the following week then done. The other little guy seems to be doing fine now, so hopefully this will help him really kick it.

waygr00vy · #10 10/09/06, 08:04 PM

I just did a search on the internet. Active ingredient is ponazuril (15%). Here is a link...http://www.bullwrinkle.com/index.htm....htm~indexmain

It is quite expensive though, although you don't use very much for small kids.

AllWolf · #11 10/09/06, 09:26 PM

waygr00vy

I'm very sorry to hear you lost your little goat. I was hoping to goodness it would be ok but that darn Cocci is some dangerous junk to have. I have lost a few babies to it when I first started out but of course around here I didn't have hardly anyone to help me and know what was happing. I have learned a lot of stuff on my own and now I have a VET that knows goats to help me alone with a great friend and a goat person.

I wish you luck with your other little goat. I have learned a heck alot with my goats and still learning.