One of the first things I tell everyone if their goat is sick is to take the temp and do a fecal. Well, I went out on a call today. Buck grinding his teeth for several days. Not eating. "They gave a shot of penecillian and vit b last night" (for what reason I do not know). He pees fine. "Looks ok, but not bad"
I get out there, and after taking his temp (100.8) I asked the owner "how bad did she want to save him... If you want him to have a chance, we need to get him to a vet right now, because I am looking at a dead goat." (Rumen not working, goat was stumbling, was not aware of his surroundings, etc) She opted for me to do what I could.
We found a place out of the weather to put him (the horse trailer). I checked his eye membranes and they were fine in color, so I "ruled out" a bad case of worms in my head and just went to work on supportive care... Vit B complex, probiotics, banamine, almost a gallon of hot water, red cell, etc. An hour later, his temp was 99.9
I had to go home to feed my children and my animals, and told the owner I would be back. While I was at my house, my friend called and ordered me to do a fecal, but I told her the color was good... then she told me about her doe. Color was good, horrible worm load. doe was dead within 2 hours.
So I loaded up my microscope equipment, back to the buck home. ran a fecal... and he was just loaded with eggs... E*V*E*R*Y frame of the slide had between 3 and 32 HC eggs I felt really humbled
So please, when I am bugging you to get a fecal done, there's a reason. Now I just have to learn to listen to my own recommendations.
(btw: buck picked up quite a bit with the supportive care that we did earlier. If he makes it through the next couple of days he may have a chance)
