Goat Polio

ahahahni1 · #1 04/17/11, 02:51 PM

I have learned a new one the hard way. We lost one if our new bottlebaby Nubians to goat polio. It is not contagiuos and is caused quite simply by a thiamine difiency. Please if you not have injectable thiamine in your medicine chest please get some from your vet. It is very cheap and if given right away will save their life and full recovery. Symptoms of goat polio are blindness and star gazing. Then deafness and trouble standing. Last phase is high fever and convulsions. She was perfectly fine to dead in five hours time.

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/17/11, 02:57 PM

I'm so sorry!

LoneStrChic23 · #3 04/17/11, 03:04 PM

I'm very sorry for your loss.....it's amazing how lil things can make such a big difference!

mpete · #4 04/17/11, 03:34 PM

Also, if you do not have thiamine, get Vit. B complex... it takes A LOT more, but it will do in an emergency.
Sorry for your loss

Backfourty,MI. · #5 04/17/11, 04:15 PM

I am so sorry for your loss! Those lessons are always the hardest for us!

Creamers · #6 04/17/11, 05:56 PM

Quote:

thiamine, get Vit. B complex

Yep. true.

I highly encourage folks to keep VET RX Thiamine on hand -
I've had a buck with polio - it took a few weeks, but he regained his sight and recovered -
with babies, you don't have near the timeframe and recovery is harder.
I'm sorry you lost one!

beccachow · #7 04/17/11, 06:40 PM

I lost one to this as well. I am sorry for your loss.

Laverne · #8 04/17/11, 07:03 PM

Sorry for your loss.
I want to say that copper deficiency in kids can bring on polioencephalitis. Copper dosing in kids may be necessary. My first kids had seizures and the fortified b's, for the thiamine in it, and it kept the brain swelling at bay temporarily till I figured copper may work. When the B's wore off and seizureing started again, I gave copper instead and that stopped the seizures. I kept the copper up and they did not return. So bottom line it can be copper deficiency rather than thiamine. So I feel that both need to be addressed, just in case.
It's in this article about giving kids copper starting at 2 weeks old and seizures in kids. But you have to read thoroughly or one can miss it. http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html

LoneStrChic23 · #9 04/17/11, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laverne

Sorry for your loss.
I want to say that copper deficiency in kids can bring on polioencephylitis. Copper dosing in kids may be necessary. My first kids had seizures and the fortified b's kept the brain swelling at bay temporarily till I figured copper may work. When the B's wore off and seizureing started again, I gave copper instead and that stopped the seizures. I kept the copper up and they did not return.
It's in this article about giving kids copper starting at 2 weeks old and seizures in kids. But you have to read thoroughly or one can miss it. http://www.saanendoah.com/copper1.html

Very true!! I know two goat people that live in the same area as the OP with extreme copper deficientcy. To make matters worse, these folks use mineral blocks instead of high quality loose minerals like Right Now Onyx and niether one of these people copper bolus either..

One has Nubians and I know he lost 4 kids to polio this year....but he still won't get rid if that awful mineral block, won't stop feeding high molasses feeds and does not bolus and every year his losses are worse...

Oat Bucket Farm · #10 04/18/11, 09:52 AM

We learned about polio the same hard way. We now have a bottle of Thiamine on hand at all times. Have never had a case of it again, but if we do, this time we will know what we are dealing with and we won't have to drive up and meet the vet at his office on a Sunday afternoon to pick up a bottle of Thiamine.