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09/02/11, 01:06 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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general questions for all you experienced goat keepers
Hello, Can someone help me out? First question, I have had my two does since March and April. They both have an occaisional cough. It doesn't sound particularly like a dry cough and also not wet either. Usually its a few coughs a day, usually after eating some grain or hay, or being tied and pulling on thier collars. They are both bright eyed, eating and playing and looking other wise terrific. Should I be giving them some penn or other antibiotic? They have had this cough for several weeks, but it was so mild and infrequent that I didn't worry.
Also, this sounds silly but here goes....Why is it that my Togg doe has some very long hair, mostly on her top line and around her thigh area? My Alpine X doe has extremely short hair all over. neither has been clipped recently. Do Toggs tend to have long hair, or is it her breeding? They are both regularly wormed and very shiny and fat. Thanks for your help!
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09/02/11, 01:09 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Troy, Vermont
Posts: 1,695
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I have goats that do that sometimes but not all the time. I believe it is just that they get a piece of this or that stuck in their throat or inhale some small something. I have also heard that they can get Lungworm and that will cause a chronic cough.
I have only ND's so can't help you with the coat question.
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09/02/11, 01:17 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Oologah Oklahoma
Posts: 3,579
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If you put pressure on their throat area they will cough. Also are you sure they aren't trying to cough up a cud?
I have two La Manchas, a Boer, and a Boer/Nubian mix and all of their coat lengths are different.
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09/02/11, 01:26 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: True Northern California
Posts: 13,303
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When goats want to alert the herd to something that makes them nervous, they make a short cough sound. Maybe it's this? It goes- looking intently at something- bark cough- looking intently again- bark cough...........
Goats also can choke easily when their collars are pulled but my girls give a gurgley baa when that happens.
I would not give antibiotics unless I had a good idea of what was wrong or the situation seems desperate. Antibiotics can kill off good gut bacteria and lead to serious problems.
Is it dusty there? Maybe hay is dusty?
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09/02/11, 03:52 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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Wow, I had given thought top all of these things. Except I've never heard of "coughing up a cud" before. Could be a combination of all of the above. They just seem perfect in everyway otherwise. I guess I'll carry on and see what happens. Think I would be better off with a proper milking stand, instead of tying them up to the wall in the barn aisle. Then they get fidgety and pull here and there, then cough.
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09/02/11, 03:58 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,984
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Toggs have cool hair like that.
I wouldn't worry about the coughing.
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09/02/11, 04:23 PM
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trail ahead-goats behind
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: oregon
Posts: 306
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Yep, Toggenburgs come from the highest alpine peaks in Switzerland. They are very well suited to cold.
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09/02/11, 04:50 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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The coughing is probably nothing...but the next time you need to deworm I would use something that gets lungworms since they don't show up in a fecal 
__________________
Teach only Love...for that is what You are 
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09/02/11, 05:34 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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Thankyou all..
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09/02/11, 06:29 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Oologah Oklahoma
Posts: 3,579
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TRAILRIDER
Wow, I had given thought top all of these things. Except I've never heard of "coughing up a cud" before. Could be a combination of all of the above. They just seem perfect in everyway otherwise. I guess I'll carry on and see what happens. Think I would be better off with a proper milking stand, instead of tying them up to the wall in the barn aisle. Then they get fidgety and pull here and there, then cough.
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If they cough sometimes a couple times the chew then most likely its a cud. But if they only do it when you have a collar on and tied up then its that. I wouldn't worry either.
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09/02/11, 06:31 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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My Alpine doe has enough ridge hair to make a toupee for Kojak.
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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09/02/11, 06:57 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: KY
Posts: 1,455
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I don't know if this helps, but my herd seems to cough mainly during crabgrass season (late summer) for whatever reason... of course I sneeze all over them so we're about even. They seldom ever cough during cold/cooler/milder weather, but give 'em a little crabgrass in full bloom and it is a regular snot fest!
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Wingdo
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09/02/11, 07:23 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,012
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Goats shouldn't be coughing that frequently. It's either lung worm, them eating too quickly, congestion, or the type of feed.
Ours will cough if they pull on the lead, and an occasional cough at the feeder, but it's hardly noticeable.
HF
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