The Goat Polio that wouldn't go away

[Jcran]

So here I am about 16 days out; I cut down to every other day on the thiamine on Sunday, and now he looks wobbly again. Today, right as I was leaving for school, he did this wierd "humped up" thing like a buck that does that to pee on himself or pee on his beard. I am not sure if that was a convulsion or maybe trying to pass a poo? I am going to "re-up" the thiamine AGAIN...anyone out there had to give thiamine for this long? Once again, the vet doesn't think it's listeriosis as he never developed a fever.

[fishhead]

I saw a wether do that humped up thing a couple of times while browsing last summer. Not sure why but he went back to browsing in just seconds.

At this point I think I would be contacting some vet schools for ideas on your buck. If I understand it right the bacteria in the gut produce thiamine naturally and if the shots or tablets are helping that might indicate that something is preventing the bacteria from establishing a suitable population.

Good luck!

[DocM]

This time of year, my bucks do a lot of what I call "air humping". However, getting back to the polio thing - I have written earlier that some goats just take a long time getting over it. I'm also still convalescing the polio doe and we're on week three. I'm down to B complex every other day (4 CC's) instead of straight thiamine, and considering that she was coma-like, she's doing a lot better. This is her third or fourth round of it and she's 6. It's a little understood complex, since it's not really a disease - as some humans have complex problems of the digestive tract (crohns, ibs), so do some goats. For some reason, my goat stops digesting thiamine at times - she's on an "all the time" preventative dosage. As a result, I watch her carefully - she's a bit brain damaged I believe. I baby her because she's a great mother despite her "slow nature", she has great bloodlines, and she's really not much trouble. She's just able to get herself up to a standing position in the last few days - I've had to help her up for three weeks. I have a dog harness on her (over her goat coat because she's having trouble regulating her body temp), to help me pull her up, and a heat lamp set up for her to stand over. I don't know what else to tell you - she has my goat-savvy vet perplexed.

[Sweet Goats]

DocM, I was wondering. Can this be passed on to her offspring? Do you breed her? I was just wondering. I have never had to deal with it (that you God) but I ry to get as much info on different things as possible. Thanks for all your input.

I have to ask. Are you or were you a vet?

[DocM]

None of her offspring have had any problems with it. She's currently bred now ~2 1/2 months, so far so good. She's actually pretty spry today. She is out with the other goats grazing. This particular goat has a story, she was thrown in as an extra (for $100 as a yearling) with three other goats I'd bought from a breeder. She is a survivor of maternal copper deficiency, and sometimes I wonder if this doesn't predispose her to other mineral and vitamin deficiencies. She has a classic swayed spine of copper deficiency, but other than that, she's a nice goat, beautiful udder, and a really gentle personality. Plus, her kids are all awesome. She just requires a lot of TLC. I have heard all the common reasons for thiamine deficiency, change of feed, too rich of feed, moldy feed, lack of minerals, poor diet.. but that isn't the case here, I track my feed carefully - so who knows. 24 other goats eat the same feed and she's the only one who keeps having problems.

[Jcran]

I, too, am concerned that it was some sort of overdose of the 40% dimethoxy versus a feeding problem. I gave 1 cc per 10 pounds and then 1/2 that for 5 days. It was shortly after that he got sick. I did NOT give him probios with the dimethoxy and think that's how I threw him into the polio. The ONLY other thing he's gotten besides hay is the complete pelleted feed. He didn't even get very much, I was just starting out-just a couple bites about 1/4 cup. I worry that I've ruined his gut forever.