Sluggish goat...Not sure what to do

[ahahahni1]

We have a year 1/2 old Lamancha and she has been laying around a lot and just not peppy like she usually is. I thought she was having a down day but when Bluebonnet our other Lamancha found a way out of the fence and Snickers didn't follow but still just laid on the ground I knew something was wrong. I tap her and she'll stand up and walk slowly but then go lay down again somewhere else. She still is eating just not as much as usual. Any ideas? I am going to get my hubby to worm them and give her a penicillin shot. Its time to worm them again anyway since the last rains.

M

[DocM]

Worm her, but don't bother with penicillin unless you know she has a bacterial infection, and you're willing to stay the course of a five day treatment, otherwise, any minor bug she may be carrying will simply become penicillin resistant. Sometimes they just don't feel good, but it's nothing serious. Have you taken her temp? When my girls have an off couple of days, I booster them with fortified B complex for a day or two, 3-5 cc's once a day. It stimulates their appetite. Check to make sure she's getting her minerals too.

[susanne]

i see you are in texas. it is probably too late for your goat. she might not have enough energy because of blood loss. there was a terrible parasite problem this year and your post somehow tells me that she wasn't on a regular parasite control program.
if you want to try to safe her, you need more action. take a fecal sample to the vet TODAY. get the wormer you need for her and that is still effective in your area, like ivomec and/or cydectin. talk to your vet what your choices are.
take her temperature, rectal, like you would do with your children. fever indicates infection. tell your vet if she does has fever. that would be the only reason why she would need antibiotics.
look under her lower eyelid. is it still pink or more white in color? if it is more white she needs supportive care in form from iron, vitamin b complex to help her build the red blood cells up again.

[fishhead]

What color are her eyelids?

[goatkid]

When I have a goat that is off, the first thing I do is take it's temperature and also check for signs of diarreah. I would also check the eyelid and gums to see if they are pale or pink and have a fecal done. I don't give antibiotics unless the doe has a fever. I do give probios, thiamin and B complex. If a doe is really off, I take her to the vet if I can't figure out what is going on.

[oceanmist]

More info please!

What's her temp? Have you changed her diet recently? Are you on a regular worming schedule? When did you worm her last? What color are her eyelids? Is she pregnant? Does she have kids on her?

I'd say hold off on the pen until you KNOW she's got a fever. Then if you have to use it you MUST use it every day for 5 days!

Oh is she breating funny? Are there any raspy sounds in her lungs?

If her eyelids are pale/ white you need to get her wormed ASAP and get some red cell and Vit B complex into her...

you might consider electrolytes in her drinking water, of course assuming that she is able and willing to drink, if not syringe or tube them into her, she has got to be hydrated otherwise she will die quickly. Poly Serum would give her immune system a boost without causing resistance...

let us know how she is doing... Misty

[moonspinner]

Not much to go on without a temp, without knowing if her stool is normal, etc. My first sign goats are off is when they're not chewing their cud. Does she appear bloated? When was her last worming?
I would give her B complex shot and Probios until you figure out what's going on. It's remarkable what those two ingredients will do to kickstart a sick goat. That is, of course, in the absence of a serious illness.

[ahahahni1]

Yes, she appears bloated. Her lip is white so is other goat that is perfectly normal. We worm her every months since worms are so bad here. No she is not breathing funny. We were gone all day to hospital in ft worth (things okay just two of my kids see specialists there) and so we didn't get back home in time to get Bcomplex or drench gun. So here are my questions...

#1 What kind of electrolytes do you mean? Will gatoraide work or is there something special?


#2 I won't be able to get to town till morning so is it possible for her to have human b complex vitamins. I know stupid question but just wondering.

#3 If you don't have a drench gun how do you get fluids into her. BTW I did see her pee but I don't know if that means much.

#4 How do you take goats temperature? Same way you take a dogs?

[Alice In TX/MO]

I'm jumping in here, although I'm pretty new at this. From what I understand, the color of the inside of the eyelid can show you whether your goat has worms, but it's a particular type of worm. If your goat has pale mucous membranes, eyelid and inside of lips, it very likely has a worm that is resistant to your de-worming treatments. Especially if you have been using the same de-wormer repeatedly or on a short rotation or simply using the wrong ones.

This is from a website about using the eyelid color and explains why the lids get pale and what worm it is.
http://www.scsrpc.org/FAMACHA/InfoGuide.shtml

CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIA: PRINCIPLE ON WHICH FAMACHA© IS BASED

Blood consists of a clear, fluid part (called plasma) and a cellular part (mainly red blood cells). The proportion of red cells to plasma determines whether the animal is healthy or unhealthy. This proportion can be measured in a laboratory (called PCV or hematocrit), but with training and practice can also be estimated fairly accurately by assessing the color of the mucous membranes of (especially) the eyes. As Haemonchus are blood suckers, the effects of a heavy parasite burden in non-resilient animal will therefore be evident as a low ratio of red cells to plasma. This is seen in the mucous membranes of the eyes as a visible paleness generally known as anemia. By monitoring anemia, resilient and susceptible animals can be identified.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yes, you take the temp rectally. Normal temp ranges from 102 to 103.

I think Gatorade is better than nothing. Here is a recipe from fiascofarm.com, a very good resource.

Make your own electrolyte mixture:

Mixture #1
1 package of Jam & Jelly pectin (Surgel).
1 Tbs baking soda
1 Tbs potassium chloride, Lite Salt (can find in the grocery aisle with the diet foods)
Mix with 2 quarts of water.

* * * * * *

I am concerned that if her eyelids are white, and she won't get up, you may be too late to save her.

[ahahahni1]

She is getting up just kinda moseys around. Then lays down again. She even got out of the fence today.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Take a fecal sample to the vet first thing in the morning.

[fishhead]

I think you get the B shot from the vet.

[ahahahni1]

Fishhead,

you can get b complex shot at store. I will call vet as soon as they open and ask if they can do a fecal test and how much its costs.

[moonspinner]

What kind of wormer is she on? Did you check her eyelids? I would get Probios and B complex into her and a fecal for sure. But if her condition has been on going for awhile, you need to get to the bottom of it.

[Idyllwile]

We've had a lot of problems here of late with meningeal worm.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Menengial worm is a paralysis of the rear, they start dragging a foot, making marks in the sand....this is likely barber pole (HC) worms that are resistant to the wormer you are using. With white mucous membrane and being sluggish she is anemic as is her herd mate who very simply has at least enough blood supply left to not be down most of the time. Get on top of your worming. Up the copper in your mineral or bolus your goats. IF using Cydectin move to Prohibit, or use Levamisole. IF using Ivermectin than move to Cydectin and stop worming every 3 months, it doesn't work, it buids resistance. Read the info on Famancha that Rose posted. You don't have tohave diarrhea in a goat for it to be dieing of blood sucking stomach worms. It will take a great deal of time to get your herd back to good health, please don't breed them until your membranes are a healthy pink again. Being chased and bred by a buck could be enough to make her go down permanantly in our heat.

Subq hydration with lactated ringers is easy and works much faster and better than trying to tube a goat. Vicki

[ahahahni1]

Update on goats...

I figured it out! I think LOL Problem started after we took all feed away and only let them graze. I was told by local that they do not feed their goats in the summer as long as there is plenty of graze. Since we have lots of rain there has been plenty. As soon as we started supplementing with grain again within 24 hours she was running through the yard. You should of see my head snap when I saw her running past the window. I was like "What the heck was that Snickerdoodle?" And this evening she was even headbutting her yard mate and playing just like she used to. I checked their lips (gosh they hate that) and they are light pink again. SO I think it was a combo of things. #1 took her suddenly off feed to only browse (no other minerals supplemented), #2 we just wormed her #3 she still is producing a little milk MAYBE a cup a day so I think all of it was too much for her. I will look into rotating our wormer. Our ag agent said to worm every month because our county is horrible for worms since so much rain. Makes sense though to not use same one each time. So now I know. She is pooping normal again too. SO I will get another wormer to rotate with and also keep B Vitamin on hand too.