Stiff back legs

Jeremiah29:11 · #1 10/13/12, 01:46 AM

We have noticed that one of our does recently (about 2-3 weeks ago) was walking with a limp. It was her back left leg. Now when she walks it looks like both her back legs are really stiff. She is heavily pregnant, that might have something to do with it. It's probably a deficiency or something, but the others don't have it. We recently got Pat Coleby's natural goat care book, but we're also not sure what to look up! Can anyone point us in the right direction?

Ford Zoo · #2 10/13/12, 05:34 AM

Not sure, but my first thought is perhaps with all that extra weight her feet are tender. How do her hooves look?

Read about pregnancy ketosis in your book. If she is starting to get that, it can cause edema in the lower legs which can be painful and make walking difficult, even if the edema is so mild you don't see it right away.

Jeremiah29:11 · #3 10/14/12, 01:22 AM

We've just noticed that her knee joints are 'clicking'. It is audible when she walks. Could that be arthritis? She would be 2 yrs old at the most. And all four are stiff.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 10/14/12, 06:13 AM

Has she been tested for CAE?

Jeremiah29:11 · #5 10/14/12, 05:46 PM

No, we haven't tested for anything. We have got another goat who sounds like she has asthma when she breaths. She could have it as well, couldn't she?

Alice In TX/MO · #6 10/14/12, 05:56 PM

Yes. I highly recommend that you draw blood and send a sample for each goat in for testing. CAE is not something you want to maintain on your farm.

Are her knee joints swollen?

Warning, this is a really gross picture. What CAE does to goat knees.
http://www.uwyo.edu/vetsci/courses/p...28/class_8.jpg