foaming goat

chris30523 · #1 12/05/07, 11:34 AM

I have a doeling that foams at the mouth when she chews her cud? Some days worse than others. Is this a problem or just normal for her? She was a runt 2lb triplet we named her "fanny" cause she came out tail first. She is 8 mos old.

Middle River · #2 12/05/07, 11:37 AM

My buck foams when he chews ( food or cud ) or when i'm walking around and he thinks i have something good to eat. But he is old, and just had a tooth issue ( and just got it pulled ), but has done this since i've owned him - just more foam now. I guess i'd like to know if it is normal or not too.

Ernie · #3 12/05/07, 11:40 AM

Is her gut looking lopsided and distended? If so, she may have a minor case of bloat. A major case would be a dead or dying goat. What is she eating? Lots of rich alfalfa hay? Maybe too much?

Other than that, all I can think of is to smell the cud. Does it smell really awful like there may be something wrong with her? Could be she's just a sloppy cud-chewer. I don't normally worry about any goat that is still ambulatory.

chris30523 · #4 12/05/07, 12:10 PM

She eats what the other 15 doelings her age eat.She is always kind of blown up looking .(kind of like a ball on toothpicks)She is equally distended though and has been this way.

oberhaslikid · #5 12/05/07, 06:13 PM

Offer her some Baking soda,Like Arm&Hammer soda.if she has an upset Rumen then this will help her .Like we use Tums.Should leave some soda out at all times they will eat what they need.Lessens Vet visits too.

deetu · #6 12/05/07, 07:43 PM

AH HA, I KNOW THE ANSWER!!

I have one doe that would always foam at the mouth. It looked like she got into some shaving cream, that was how thick the foam was.

Two vets looked at her, another couple heard about it without seeing her, and no one here could think of an answer (not rabies, not a bad tooth, not bloat) My county agent (who is no longer here. County thinks we no longer need a county agent) said to get some Montmorillonite Clay. The clay binds to mold that was on the hay in her system. It depends on the hay I get. Sometimes she will be great for months. Other times I give it to her when I see foam; but it works.

I was able to buy it by the pound from a cow farmer up the street that uses Brown's feeds.

chris30523 · #7 12/05/07, 08:34 PM

deetu
I googled it. Very interesting stuff.Does she eat it on her own ? Sounds like the same thing.I have just opened a new bale of hay. I can't see mold or smell it and the other goats seem to be fine? It does come and go and sometimes worse than others.It is worth a try. What do you suppose the chances are of finding it locally?

deetu · #8 12/06/07, 05:57 PM

Some of the other does would foam alittle where this doe would have shaving cream coming out the sides of her mouth. I couldn't smell or see any mold either but once I did the treatment and changed hay, it stopped. It does come and go. This hay I have now is dusty and they all have a bit of crusty noses with her foaming again.

The only place that the county agent thought we could get it was from a Brown's feed dealer. A local cow farmer was able to get me a pound of it. Ask around if anyone feeds Brown's. http://www.fmbrown.com/home.htm

I give about a teaspoon mixed in a pound of grain (these are Boers, they don't get alot of grain) that all of them eat. They don't even notice it's there, gobbling down their grain.

chris30523 · #9 12/07/07, 05:33 AM

looks like Browns feed is only in PA. Long drive from GA.This little doe does the shaving cream foam.I do have others that foam a bit sometimes. It looks like I can order it on line. What color is it(the clay). There are a couple of different kinds.One is green and it is like 60.00 for 4lbs.(wish I had green clay). I have use the mylicon drops and they help for a bit then back to foam.
Thanks

moonspinner · #10 12/07/07, 08:15 AM

I had a 3 yr old buck who started doing this. Thought maybe a sticker or maybe some fescue he'd been eating but nothing checked out. So I started giving him Probios and that cut the episodes down significantly.

jordan · #11 12/07/07, 09:22 AM

There was a thread about this earlier this year...
My 3 yr old buck does it too and has since he was about 4 months old (looks like he has rabies LOL!), my vet looked at him and thought it was a case of him producing too much of something (can't remember what at this point) in his rumen.
I don't know how or why, but since I added Diamond V yeast culture to his loose minerals and have been using herbal supports, he seldom does it anymore.

lostspring · #12 12/07/07, 10:13 AM

We have had several goats who did this. It was just a case of excess saliva and nothing to worry about. It ran in one does genetic line. The vet said she would never have an upset stomich. She had so much it would cover her mouth. Really funny in the show ring.

moonspinner · #13 12/08/07, 10:13 AM

Never thought of yeast. You learn something constantly on this forum. Thanks for that suggestion.