What too do from here??

nbone · #1 06/22/08, 09:07 PM

I recently purchased 4 goats, 2 50% (nubian/boer) 1 full blood boer , 1 75%(boer/alpine) all does.The happiness was short lived of the new arrivals. noticed abcess under ear/along jaw line of the full blood boer,seems a classic "CL" spot. I blame Myself for getting in this situation, I should have examined the goats Alot closer, asked more questions etc. Barn looked clean, seen allthe animals, all looking clean/healthy, no red flags. These are our first goats.The abcess never broke, seems too have receeded , the spot being smaller, not pertruding, seen scars in same area, past abcesses?, I beat Myself up about this, should have seen the slight scaring!! Now what too do?, I did not quaranteen the doe I suspect, as all of the goats have been together in same pen from where thay came from.and I have no other goats.I have a seperate pen that none have been in, but dont want too split them up, and risk contaminating both pens. Bloodtest right? Called the local large animal Vet, she said yes there is a bood test but she wouldn't even know where a lab would be she could send sample!!Her advice, just cull the goat. No exam, no test nothing.so do I kill the one, just kill them all too be safe, Not the start I wanted, all from My stupidity too not be sure I was buying healthy goats. 3 of the 4 are bred due in Sept. Can kids be salvaged? Can one goat have it and not the others if they have lived together for a long time together?Is there an alternative too culling? how can I be sure its CL? Can I send blood too a lab Myself? This is all getting pretty discouraging..Please excuse the rant/venting.Just really not sure where too go from here..

Goat Servant · #2 06/22/08, 09:44 PM

First of all dont panic. I have no experience with this but can you call the folks you bought them and ask if they've done testing? If so insist on proof.
WA State U lab tests and there are a couple of others. But you are going to have to probably send to more than one lab.
Second of all do not beat yourself up. Dont cull the doe till you find out for sure. Even then there are herds that have it.
Could it be bottle jaw? Can you post a pic?
Someone will come on to give you more knowledgable advice.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #3 06/22/08, 10:18 PM

Have her send blood in on all the goats to UC Davis in California. Abscess can also burst in, and yes if they have scars you can pretty much sum up they have CL. It's pretty typical for goats to have an abcess flare up once they have been stressed with a move to a new home. What happened to you is pretty typical, if you didn't ask about CL point blank they certainly are not going to offer the information. Why when purchasing goats from used car salesmen...oh I mean breeders, you should go prepared.

Sorry this happened to you, watch the goats don't let another abcess burst, and just cull (which means butcher) the goats you purchased and it's a hard lesson learned. I would call the breeders, most likely they will say yes they have abscess, not knowing what CL is called, or give you some sort of vaccination nonsense. You will know better next time not only including tests for CL but CAE in the next goats you purchase.

And yes you can pull blood and send in the tests right then and there. The CL abscess would carry cornybacterium in it, so that is what the tests is testing for. Your vet likely doesn't know that, because she certainly has labs she uses for cornybacterium in horses and dogs. Vicki

southerngurl · #4 06/22/08, 10:34 PM

Sorry you ended up in this mess! Just don't let it get in your soil and cut your losses, after giving the breeder a chance to make good.

It could have easily happened to me too, I didn't really know at the time what CAE and CL were, but knew it was bad. Happened to ask and she said some of the goats have CAE and some of them have CL! I left goatless! It's like having to ask the salesman if the car has bombs in it or something! It's not something you should have to ask!

nbone · #5 06/22/08, 10:57 PM

thank you for the replys, I guess it will come down too just cutting my losses. Was hoping for the miracle post of information, that all can be fixed, but was pretty sure the reality of it was just that, too cull, very Hard lesson learned, and start over,,not sure why, but this unplanned unexpected "culling" seems so much harder too deal with than a planned "harvest" butchering..will check with vet again about testing, would be nice if at least one might be clean. Thanks again, Live and learn,, this will be One mistake I wont make again..