Bloat - help!!

MaddieLynn · #1 09/25/12, 09:06 PM

I think one of my wethers is bloating. He's HUGE but doesn't necessarily seem uncomfortable. His belly is pretty hard but not like a rock. It's 9 PM where I am so I can't go to any feed stores... What do I do?

GoldenWood Farm · #2 09/25/12, 09:18 PM

MaddieLynn check out Dreamgoat Annie's thread titled "Bloat?" here. Several people talk about how they dealt with bloat in their herd. I haven't dealt with it myself yet so I have no advise other than check out that thread where other people have chimed in.

Hope your wether gets to feeling better!

Justine

MaddieLynn · #3 09/25/12, 10:34 PM

He died... it happened so fast there was nothing we could do. I've never heard of anything happening this fast. It's weird because he's always had an abnormally large belly but I thought he just had a large rumen.

Anyways, at about 7 PM I was at work and my dad called while he was feeding the goats for me. He didn't know if he should feed Leonardo because he said he looked bloated. I thought he just didn't know how Leonardo normally looked.

At 9 I got home and went to check on him. At 9:15ish drenched him with oil and baking soda. Goat experienced neighbor came over and we drenched him again with a teaspoon of dish soap granules in water. We walked him and massaged his belly. At 9:45 he suddenly fell over, thrashed around violently, and died. The whole thing happened in 30 minutes.

KrisD · #4 09/25/12, 10:52 PM

So sorry to hear that. Make sure you have CD antitoxin on hand. Clostridium is the one thing that will kill them that fast. I lost my girl to the same thing. I have 2 bottles in my fridge now! Please order some when you feel up to it. Hugs I know how difficult this is

andabigmac · #5 09/25/12, 10:54 PM

Oh my. I am so sorry.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #6 09/25/12, 11:01 PM

Sorry, Sweetie. I know you have been working hard with those boys.

GoldenWood Farm · #7 09/26/12, 12:10 AM

Oh no! I am so sorry you lost him

. ((hugs))

Justine

Minelson · #8 09/26/12, 06:14 AM

Oh no

I am so sorry

Backfourty,MI. · #9 09/26/12, 06:21 AM

I am so sorry for your loss. I know you Love those boys! Hugs.

FrogTacos · #10 09/26/12, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaddieLynn

He died... it happened so fast there was nothing we could do. I've never heard of anything happening this fast. It's weird because he's always had an abnormally large belly but I thought he just had a large rumen.

Anyways, at about 7 PM I was at work and my dad called while he was feeding the goats for me. He didn't know if he should feed Leonardo because he said he looked bloated. I thought he just didn't know how Leonardo normally looked.

At 9 I got home and went to check on him. At 9:15ish drenched him with oil and baking soda. Goat experienced neighbor came over and we drenched him again with a teaspoon of dish soap granules in water. We walked him and massaged his belly. At 9:45 he suddenly fell over, thrashed around violently, and died. The whole thing happened in 30 minutes.

Well, not quite 30 minutes. From when your dad noticed until he died it was closer to 3 hours, if not longer.

This would be a great time to learn how to 'burp' a goat. I had a baby that went through a bloaty phase and burping him worked beautifully. If you put their front legs up on something (helps the gases rise to the top of where they are trapped) and rub from front point of chest up to the chin, there is an indented spot on the neck, that if you rub in on it will usually induce a belch. I always gave my boy a big dose of Pepto, then burped him.

You can also watch some videos on YouTube on tube feeding a goat - you can run a tube down to the rumen and the built up gas will hopefully come whizzing out of the tube. Lots of good sizes of tubing available at Lowes in the plumbing department.

As an absolute last resort, take a very large gauge needle and poke right through the side into the gut to release some of the gas. Seriously very last resort, the procedure itself can kill them or leave lingering problems.

KrisD · #11 09/26/12, 10:28 AM

Gas X tabs from the store will reduce the gas from regular bloat as well.

Dreamgoat Annie · #12 09/26/12, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaddieLynn

He died... it happened so fast there was nothing we could do. I've never heard of anything happening this fast. It's weird because he's always had an abnormally large belly but I thought he just had a large rumen.

Anyways, at about 7 PM I was at work and my dad called while he was feeding the goats for me. He didn't know if he should feed Leonardo because he said he looked bloated. I thought he just didn't know how Leonardo normally looked.

At 9 I got home and went to check on him. At 9:15ish drenched him with oil and baking soda. Goat experienced neighbor came over and we drenched him again with a teaspoon of dish soap granules in water. We walked him and massaged his belly. At 9:45 he suddenly fell over, thrashed around violently, and died. The whole thing happened in 30 minutes.

Oh, I'm so sorry. {{{hugs}}}

This is exactly how my first bloated ewe died. She died so quickly that we could hardly believe it. In fact, John was with her and I was in the house mixing stuff to give her when she died. I still feel badly but sometimes it happens. You did your best. That's all we can do.

Sue

MaddieLynn · #13 09/26/12, 11:52 AM

The 1/2 hour part was starting from when he started acting sick. At 9 he was very bloated but walking around normally.

I knew about the deflating with a needle thing but there was just no time. He was just standing there baaaaa-ing and baaaaa-ing and then he fell over and died. I wasn't expecting it.