PLEASE help me diagnose sickly goats

garlandgal · #1 07/04/12, 02:55 PM

I have three new, relatively young (under 6 months old) goats that I got from a reputable breeder in town. Since their arrival, they have had this hack/cough that is making be think they are sick. The cough is not dry (like a smokers cough) but rather similar to when someone is getting over a nasty cold. They cough throughout the day (whether laying down or playing). I realize that goats sometimes cough when they are inhaling their food or the occasional cough just because it's summer and rather dusty out here, but this has been going on for a full month now. I dewormed them with Ivomec Plus when they first arrived (which makes me think it isn't lung worm.....). They have had plenty of feed (natural brush/good alfalfa) and other than moving out here, haven't been terribly stressed at all (they are use to people and very friendly). Other than them coughing (and one has a snotty nose in the morning.....I see little snot marks on her coat in the morning where she was grooming herself...but after morning time her nose is clear).
I'm terrified that this might be Pneumonia. I took their temperature again today....they are all normal (between 102.1-103.2). They seem happy/active, but I'm afraid to move them in with my main herd (I rather deal with three sick goats than a whole herd.....plus I have newborns in my main herd).
The breeder keeps telling me not to worry, but this ongoing cough is making me think that it's something that needs medication/attention.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Natural Beauty Farm · #2 07/04/12, 03:22 PM

Did you worm 3X's 10 days apart?
Could it be allergies?
Get a stethoscope for the drug store or wally world, they are only a couple of bucks and then you can listen to the lungs, if they sound like something is in them start a round of Nuflur ...... summer is the time for Pneumonia here in the south.

LoneStrChic23 · #3 07/04/12, 03:58 PM

I had a nasty outbreak of pneumonia last summer in 3 doelings.... One didn't even have a fever.

Couldn't get my hands on RX antibiotics, so I used Biomycin, 3.5cc per 100lbs, twice the first 2 days, then once a day for 5 days. Gave banamine for fever & to reduce inflamation/prevent lung scaring, Bo-Se & Vit C to help boost the immune system, and childrens benadryl to help dry up some of the mucus.

Everyone pulled through great

Happy Hogger · #4 07/04/12, 04:02 PM

I probably wouldn't give antibiotics without them having a temp. You can try some Vitamin C. It has worked for me for snotty noses. I put about a tsp on top of their food. You can get it in powder form from a Vitamin or healthfood store. Keep watching their temp, too.

And I agree with the above, worming once may not cut it. How long ago did you worm them?

Pony · #5 07/04/12, 04:06 PM

Yeah, I'd probably go ahead and treat for pneumonia if it was my herd. If you can get your hands on it, Nuflor is spendy but really works great on pneumonia.

noeskimo · #6 07/04/12, 05:05 PM

Two things come to mind besides pneumonia: Where do you live? I live in West TX and it is very dry and very dusty.Dust is bad for goats and they are so much closer to the ground than we are. Second:I have a couple of girls who cough when they bring up their cud, almost as if coughing was how they do it.

Sherry in Iowa · #7 07/04/12, 05:13 PM

noeskimo..lol..we've had the same thing. We have a line that throws "coughers" when they bring up their cud. It hasn't shortened their lifespans any.

garlandgal · #8 07/04/12, 07:05 PM

Thanks for the responses.
To NOESKIMO: I live in N. California....it hot and dusty right now....but I've bought other goats around this time and haven't had any problems (plus it's also rained here a couple of times since they arrived, which padded down all the dust).
I have a stethoscope on hand so I'll go do my best to see what I hear....
I only wormed them once....when they first arrived....I suppose giving them another dose of Ivomec couldn't hurt?

LoneStrChic23 · #9 07/04/12, 10:37 PM

I usually deworm all new arrivals with a "white" wormer for intestinal critters like tapeworms & a "clear" dewormer for blood suckers like HC (barberpole) & repeat both in 10 days to catch any eggs that may have hatched out after I killed off the adults.

White wormers I prefer are Valbazen given at 1cc per 10lbs or Zimectrin Gold given at 1cc per 30lbs. Not a fan of Safeguard as I have to give it 5x's the lable dosage, for 5 days to get to to work (according to vet fecal).

Clear dewormers I keep on hand are Quest horse gel which is moxidectin (same active ingredient in Cydectin)..... Quest is easiest for me to give & is my most effective choice here in the south, also known as parasite heaven. Dose is 1cc per 100lbs..... Next option is Ivermectin (Ivomec). Give ORALLY, 1cc per 30lbs is the dosage used here......

I don't have to deworm often, but new arrivals get hit with everything.... They get unloaded, feet trimmed, scrubbed in fungacide, a shot of B complex, shot of Bo-Se, copper bolused, lice powdered & dewormed.... Poor goats look shell shocked usually, lol. Then they go into quarantine, dewormed again in 10 days, and about 2 weeks after that they can go in with the herd.

A note on fever, just what I saw here.... Only one of my doelings never ran a temp, but she ended being the worst of all of them.... So bad I drug out my daughters breathing machine & was giving her breathing treatments (was kind of desparate). I don't know why she never ran a fever, while the other 2 did.

I would watch them closely, give vit C & some benadryl at the very least..... Shot of fortified B wouldn't hurt either.

Backfourty,MI. · #10 07/04/12, 10:46 PM

If their lungs sound clear then I wouldn't start them on antibiotics. I would re-worm them again & then 10 days later.
I had a doe that always had allergy's & I always gave her Liquid Dimetapp but the liquid Benedryl will work too if you have that on hand I'd give it a try & see if that helps.
Dust in the hay & it's been so hot & dry even rain isn't enough for all the dust that's already blown all over the barn, hay, etc. Plus like others have said a Lot of goats cough their cud up when they want it.

luvzmybabz · #11 07/05/12, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

I... So bad I drug out my daughters breathing machine & was giving her breathing treatments (was kind of desparate). I don't know why she never ran a fever, while the other 2 did.
.

\
I can visualize my neighbors if they were to see me do this. Did the breathing treatments seem to work? I have used a portable suction machine on newborn babies to help clear them.

garlandgal · #12 07/05/12, 04:06 PM

Here is what is probably a stupid (and rather obvious) question....but how does one actually get an official diagnosis of pneumonia? My goat books say something along the lines of "seek a vet immediately if they are displaying signs/symptoms" and leave it at that.
But other than the coughing, they seem fine (playing/eating/jumping on me for treats). They aren't doing that "stark stance" that the books say they'll do if they have it, nor are they listless.
I went ahead and gave them some BoSe and Ivomec Plus and Vitamin C and I'm sending my husband out this weekend to pick up some Biomycin and kids Benadryl (we live 2.5 hours away from the nearest town/livestock store).