My preliminary necropsy came back

[Lizza]

They did the gross necropsy today but nothing stuck out. He said her rumen had grain and it was borderline normal/low ph. It was the only thing he could find. He said he was going to keep looking and would test the brain tissue next week.

I don't know what to think. I had a goat with acidosis before and it acted nothing like this goat, plus this goat must have been sick for some time if that was the cause of her standing outside. She defecated three times, all pellets, and urinated while she was down. Would all functions stop if it was her rumen? She was getting grain because I thought she was pregnant. I started to get suspicious she did not take a few weeks ago and I did keep feeding her grain because I knew I was going to be breeding her if she wasn't already bred. I bred her last week. She also had free choice alfalfa. They do not get over grain because we measure everybody's food and everyone has their own bowl and we pick them up when they are done. She was eating about 2-3 cups of grain a day, in the evenings, she ate fine the night before she went down. She obviously never digested that nights feeding and I found her around 11am at the bottom of the field with the low temp. They do not have the browse they usually have because we have moved for the winter and they are on a field of grass, no browse. We moved them about 4 months ago.

I honestly didn't put two and two together until it was much too late but she must have been sick for the last two weeks, at least that is what I am thinking? I don't know anymore. This is the same feeding routine I've done for two years, minus the browse though, so maybe it is too rich???? I hope I didn't kill this goat. I really really hope not.

The only last thing is that she was never the sharpest tack in the box. It was probably the reason I loved her so much, she was "special". I don't think it had anything to do with it but who knows.

I will talk to my own vet on Monday about it and the necropsy vet said he'd call me again next week. I just don't know. My vet said he had a goat stand out in the rain (one of his own) and he started him on some treatment and he found him dead two days later, he didn't necropsy him. He said he had a goat last week in his practice with a low temp like my goat and they sent off blood work (that they had taken before the goat died) and it showed renal failure. Seems something like that they could have seen with the gross necropsy. I don't know.

I have been really beating myself up over this and have had a really hard time. My husband reminded me that we have never lost a goat in the almost 7 years we've had goats (besides a stillborn last year due to, we think, one of the babies being deformed). I guess one was going to die at some point. I sure wish it wasn't this goat. I hope I can get a solid answer why she died. I sure don't want to loose anyone else.

[farmmom]

Please, don't be so hard on yourself. You did what you could for her, and that is what's important. Some people wouldn't have even tried. Why is it the ones that aren't quite all there steal our hearts. I have one like that. I'm sorry for your loss, and hope the vet can give you some answers

[Lizza]

Thank you farmmom. I wouldn't have wanted to loose anyone but I did love this goat.

[DQ]

are you saying you were feeding her grain and no hay? did you notice her grazing much? if there is no hay and only pasture she should have been spending a large portion of her day grazing especially because winter graze is pretty pathetic nutrition wise. was this the case?

you say there was undigested grain in her rumen, what about grass/hay? it should have been a mix of mostly grass with some grain I would think.

[beccachow]

Please, sweetie, do not blame yourself. Sometimes they just die, and we may never know why After a two month battle with Sandy, I never did find out what was wrong with her before letting her go. Then we get a baby, and she dies 6 days later. Throw in Bandit, a sheep, who was diagnosed with a fractured spine from who knows what. What I am saying is we don't always know the why's, and sometimes there is nothing you can do, no matter how you try. Sounds like your girl did a pretty sharp nosedive on you, and there wasn't enough time to pull her back. Please post the results of the ongoing necropsy, I think we can all learn from this.

Don't be so hard on yourself, please!

[Ernie]

Agreed. Don't beat yourself up over it. Mourn and move on.

Goats are generally very hardy animals. I've got a stack of veterinary books that covers goat diseases. 95% of them end up with a dead goat and of that 95% I'd say 92% are only detectable in an autopsy. Anything that takes a goat down almost always takes them down fast. I've never seen one that lingered around sick for more than 48 hours. They either get better fast or they die fast.

You need to let this one go.

[GoldenWood Farm]

Morningstar I am so sorry. I just lost my jr herdsire 2 days after christmas for unknown reasons myself. Pretty much the same thing with your doe except my guy had a high fever. Looking back he was sick for a couple of days also but I figured it was the severe cold we had going on.

Might I ask which doe it was? ((((((hugs to you and the family)))))))).

Justine

[picklespickles]

remember that the other goats were in the same situation and dind't pass away. it was probably just her time. she may have been more susceptible to something than the others.

you are a good goat mom. sometiems things jsut happen.

[Lizza]

Thank you all very much. Your words mean a lot to me. The goat was Xenia.

Sorry for the confusion, yes she had hay, I just meant that they've always been on a couple acre field with trees, weeds, and blackberries they browsed on all day. Right now they are on only maybe a half acre (there are only 6 of them, well 5 now) and it is only grass. They always have free choice alfalfa hay. I only feed grain once a day in the evenings. I put down buckets and pick them all up once they are done, in around 10 minutes or so.

I am sure I should have done something else weeks ago but it is too late and I do need to get over it. She might have gone anyways, I guess I might not ever know, but I suspect now that it was my fault. I will certainly update if I learn anything with the necropsy.

I am very sorry for everyone else's losses. It is surprising how close you can become to your farm animals, especially the dairy goats. They are really pets first and farm animals second.

[BethW]

Originally Posted by morningstar

They are really pets first and farm animals second.

They sure are. You are obviously a good and caring goat person. I'm so sorry this happened

[Minelson]

Morningstar...I don't think it was your fault. I think you gave Xenia wonderful care and a great life with a loving family.