Update on Buck with bald spots

Backfourty,MI. · #1 04/08/12, 10:02 AM

He passed away sometime early yesterday morning. We went down to do chores in the morning & he was already gone, just laying there.

I should have got on here yesterday to let you all know but just haven't been in the mood for anything since finding him.
Now I know exactly how folks feel when they say they want to just throw in the towel or just give up on goats cause that's been one of my thoughts too.

He didn't even act sick, eating good, poop was normal berries, peeing good so no UC, no runny nose or eyes, everything seemed normal other than the couple bald spots that I thought I was treating.

What a terrible feeling to think your doing everything you can think of & what's suggested to loose one anyways that didn't even seem Off. He was up to date on his CD & T vaccine, wormed, copper bolused, had access to Cargill Mineral, baking soda, Hay & fresh water 24/7.

I'm still thinking he had some type of deficiency in a mineral but like Minelson's thread some suggested Zinc, Cobalt or maybe iodine. Maybe I was trying to treat for too many deficiency's & it's my fault. I sure hope not because I sure feel bad enough already.

Sherry in Iowa · #2 04/08/12, 10:06 AM

I'm sure sorry for your loss. Try not to beat yourself up .. it's happened to all of us. You did everything you could.

Minelson · #3 04/08/12, 10:07 AM

Oh no!!! Katie that is just terrible! I'm so sorry

I wonder what happened. I can't see how the treatment for the bald spots could have killed him. That just doesn't make sense. Any chance of doing a necropsy? It is not your fault!!! You can't throw in the towel we need you here.

(((hugs)))) I'm so very sorry.

Steph in MT · #4 04/08/12, 10:11 AM

I'm so sorry....

CarolT · #5 04/08/12, 10:26 AM

{{{{{{{{{{{Katie}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

There are other things, like adrenal problems, that can cause hair loss. And there is always an aneurysm or heart attack. It really sounds more like one of the last 2, I think the others would have given more warning and other symptoms. Personally, I honestly feel that his death had nothing to do with his hair loss. And I don't think anything you did for treatment had any bearing on it either. I know, I'm not an expert, but next chance you get to talk to a vet, tell him everything you did and he had and I bet the vet'll agree with me.

Pony · #6 04/08/12, 10:37 AM

Oh, Katie... I am so very, very sorry....

We are learning that there are times when you do every single thing "right," and it can still turn out all wrong. And it does seem that it's the ones you just don't expect to go south head there faster than greased lightning.

I can't tell you how badly I feel for you. Such a harsh loss, especially when you worked so hard.

I'm hugging you with my heart.

Suzyq2u · #7 04/08/12, 11:23 AM

Oh I'm sorry

thaiblue12 · #8 04/08/12, 11:30 AM

I am sorry you lost him

But in this case there is no hind sight or something you missed or failed to do. He aside from the bald spots which you were treating showed no signs of any illness or problems. It is one of those crappy things that happens with livestock and it is the worst part of owning animals.

Go watch his kids bounce around, it will make you feel a bit better and remind you that while he is gone he still is there in a way.

where I want to · #9 04/08/12, 12:41 PM

I feel so bad over your loss. Goats tend to do everything fast and sometimes a person is just surprised by it. I hope you take comfort in the good life you gave him.

luvzmybabz · #10 04/08/12, 01:02 PM

I had one buck out breeding one day the next morning dead as a door nail!!! No signs of anything wrong at all and I had been allover him the day before to chck hom over before breeding. I thought dang no babies if he was sick enough to die like that things probably did not go welll on their date. I was wrong so the day before he died he breed a goat and there was babies out in 5 months. No explanation and no signs of illness at all.

Alice In TX/MO · #11 04/08/12, 03:03 PM

I am so sorry. Sometimes they just die. Sounds like he had some sort of metabolism problem that was beyond our collective wisdom to diagnose.

My heart goes out to you.

Huggs,
Alice

CaliannG · #12 04/08/12, 03:27 PM

Oh hon! {{Katie}} I am so sorry! That is terrible!

No, it is nothing that you did. I am wracking my brain, but I seem to remember that congestive heart failure (the slow kind) can cause hair loss. If that was the case, there would have been nothing you could do to treat it.

I know we all tend to diagnose for things that are treatable, that we can do something about, and forget the things that are just, well, signs of them having a limited time that we can do *nothing* about, because frankly, we don't like to think that we can just lose a beloved goat and be helpless to stop it. That is probably why the congestive heart failure slipped my mind....we can DO something about mineral deficiency, so we go with that.

Again, hon, I am so sorry about your boy. I know you loved him. {{HUGS!}}

Backfourty,MI. · #13 04/08/12, 03:42 PM

Thanks everyone for all your kinds words, I was on a little earlier & I read what the first few of you had to say but I started crying too hard that I couldn't see the keyboard to respond. I know most of you have been in this situation at some time or other since having animals & me too & it still SUCKS!

I also want to thank everyone for all the advice & ideas on his hair loss & trying to help me figure it out, it may not have had time to work for my boy but it may help someone else.

It will get easier I know that & when his kids are born I'll have fun with them & love on them.