9 week old not feeling good

CJBegins · #1 01/17/13, 01:21 PM

Okay, goatie gurus, I need some diagnostic help.

Nugget is 9 weeks, weights 37 lbs (he is huge), was born to my 8 month old doeling and has grown like a weed.

This am he walks like his tummy hurt and isn't his normal self. This baby aspirated at birth and was treated for pneumonia and has done really well but still has an occasional cough, especially when nursing. Lung sounds are clear this am.

His temp is 102.6.

As far as preventative, I gave all the babies c d &t and baycox at 3 weeks which after thinking about it was probably a little early. I was waiting until this week when they are 9 weeks old to give the second round.

The other 3 babies are spunky and doing well. None of the others weight as much as this one does.

I haven't seen him poop or pee yet. I am watching for that.

What do you think. I watched him nurse briefly and then he returned to the shelter to stand off by himself.

Carla

CaliannG · #2 01/17/13, 02:20 PM

Sounds like possible acidosis or bloat. What else is in his diet besides milk?

I would drench with baking soda water and watch him. Sounds like a gastrointestinal problem rather than a viral/bacterial problem.

CaliannG · #3 01/17/13, 02:21 PM

Oh, and 3 weeks is normal for Baycox. I dose mine every 21 days, so at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks, 12 weeks, etc.

Crazy Farmgirl · #4 01/17/13, 02:29 PM

Is he standing hunched with his legs drawn up under him? If so could also be cocci.

Any diet change recently? Crazy weather? Ours has been a roller coaster lately. Some other stress?

I would also do the baking soda and maybe some probios.

Backfourty,MI. · #5 01/17/13, 02:55 PM

I would also try the baking soda & see if that helps. I also do Coccidosis prevention at 3, 6, 9 weeks so you didn't start too early but should have gave the 2nd dose at 6 weeks.
Also CD & T should be given 3 weeks apart also for their booster.
Hope it's nothing serious & he bounces right back.
The cough could be from a little scar tissue from the pneumonia he had before.

CJBegins · #6 01/17/13, 03:31 PM

Hmmm, I was thinking I started 3 weeks too soon and then like a dummy missed the 6 week dosing.

So today, everyone got the doses they should get.

He does stand with his back feet a little more forward than normal, kinda hunched up. I will give him a backing soda drench and see what that does for him. The goats all have grass hay available 24/7. They also browse during the day. At night the kids share about a cup of 16% dairy feed between 4 kids.

CJBegins · #7 01/17/13, 04:11 PM

His belly isn't ballooned towards his back but it is tight lower down. I did manage to get him to burp once. Poor thing is grinding his teeth. I gave him the baking soda bolus just a little bit ago and the baycox this morning.

I hope something works for him.

Any reason not to give him a small dose of banamine?

CaliannG · #8 01/17/13, 04:52 PM

I cannot think of a reason not to give him banamine.

Hmmm, hunched in pain though, but not ballooned out.

Blockage?

Have you seen him pee, yet? Hunching in pain is a sign of U.C.

If he is peeing fine, I would drench him with a goodly dose of mineral oil. If he has a blockage, that should help it go through. If he has bloat, that will also help break up the bubbles.

Activated charcoal will also absorb gas, or anything else he may have gotten into.

CJBegins · #9 01/17/13, 05:02 PM

Caliann, I was just going to ask about the possibly of constipation. I have seen pee but no poop.

Can I give him olive or canola oil? Don't have mineral oil on hand, other than baby oil and don't think that would be a good thing.

Hmmm, I have a tube of charcoal. This is going to get fun.

Him momma is a nervous wreck. She knows he doesn't feel good and doesn't like it if I keep him in the house very long.

BTW, Hubby has the stomach bug to top it all off.....lovely times at the Begins house!

CaliannG · #10 01/17/13, 06:45 PM

Veggie oil will work fine, you just have to use twice as much, because the system absorbs it as, well, food.

CaliannG · #11 01/17/13, 06:47 PM

Oh, and the next time you go to the store, get mineral oil! That stuff is GOLD for gastrointestinal problems.

Backfourty,MI. · #12 01/17/13, 07:06 PM

Just make sure he doesn't aspirate any of the oil.
My wether I thought had Bloat pretty bad awhile back, called the vet everyday I think for 3 days but since she was up north doing testing on a big herd she couldn't get here.

I did extra Mineral oil after Caliann said it sounded like a Blockage & after I did the 2nd dose I think it was 24 hours & he was just about back to his normal goatie self.

Hope your little guy is feeling better soon.

CJBegins · #13 01/17/13, 07:31 PM

Where do you get mineral oil? Can't get my brain past baby oil....dumb I know! I put them to bed and will go check in a couple of hours. I feel so bad. I am afraid I am going to find a dead baby.

Never mind, I see I can get it in the pharmacy. Are you concerned about the fact that it has no taste that they would aspirate it?

PNP Katahdins · #14 01/17/13, 07:58 PM

Drug store. It's nice to have on hand.

Peg

Laverne · #15 01/17/13, 09:15 PM

Oil should really be tubed.

Are you prevention worming every 3 weeks with Cydectin or Quest horse wormer? Till about 7-8 mos. old.

CJBegins · #16 01/17/13, 11:58 PM

Laverne, I use ivomec for deworming the kids routinely. His inner eyelids are nice and pink.

He pooped a little bit and it was a clump. He cried out, poor little thing. He got more canola oil.

I did a fecal on this poop expecting to see tons of coccida. I did see a few along with a couple of possible liver fluke eggs (very questionable). I am really wondering if he does have some sort of obstruction.

Praying the little fella gets will.

Carla

Backfourty,MI. · #17 01/18/13, 06:55 AM

Does sound like a blockage if he's crying out while trying to poop. Give him 1/4 cup of mineral oil & some more baking soda. If that doesn't clean him out then try it again.
It will cause him to have diarrhea so be prepared but that's the idea is to get what every's in there out.

Tallabred · #18 01/18/13, 08:14 AM

Mineral oil does not pass thru the intestinal wall. It acts as a salve on the intestines allowing it time to heal. When my horses get the runs they get mineral oil on their pellets - it always helps.

CarolT · #19 01/18/13, 11:48 AM

Thought cocci would be diarrhea not constipation?

CJBegins · #20 01/18/13, 01:15 PM

Update: He is now pooping diarrhea. At least the veggie oil made it through. I bought some mineral oil this morning before I milked and hadn't given it to him yet.

He is a little more agreeable to having his front legs raised onto my lap and having his tummy rubbed. Got a couple of burps. I still hear him grinding his teeth and he is still hunched up. I gave him a dose of banamine. He wanted to nurse mommy a little but wasn't very aggressive about it so I poured some milk in a bucket (about 2 cups) and he happily slurpped that down.

Not sure what direction to go with him at this point. I guess I will wait and see what the day brings. Should I go ahead and give the mineral oil or not? Is the only goal with the mineral oil to cause them to have loose stools or would it help to sooth his intestines also?

He did slowly follow the rest of the herd out to pasture but he just stands around hunched up. It is sunny and 53 degrees outside.