Help - Upset tummy?

PKBoo · #1 01/20/13, 10:41 PM

9-mos old Nubian doe - bred in mid October

Wormed with Ivermectin 12/8/12
Pneumonia in December - 2 doses ResFlor 12/8/12, then Vet gave Draxxin on 12/27 (one lung still not clear
Another 2 doses of ResFlor last Saturday/Monday (after being at Farm Show)

Temp 102.2 and up-to-date on all vaccines.

The three goats got into a bag of sunflower seeds on Friday - I don't know how much they ate. She loves them so I have a feeling she ate the most. Watched for bloat yesterday all day, and they were all fine. Eating/drinking/pooping normally.

DH said she only ate half her grain this morning. We were away all day. I went out to feed tonight at 10 - she did not eat any grain at all, and only nosed around in the hay. She did drink some water.

Gave her a baking soda drench right away (about half of 1/3 cup). For the last hour she just stood with her head down.

About a half hour ago I gave her 2 tblp Pepto Bismal and 10 gm ProBios. Also drenched about 1/4 cup water.

She's still just standing with her head down. I did put a t-shirt on her cuz she was shivering here and there. I listened for rumen sounds and heard a little rumble here and there, but not much.

How soon does the baking soda and Pepto kick in? Is there something else this could be? I did walk her around, and she led just fine

Donna1982 · #2 01/20/13, 11:01 PM

I personally would watch for a cud to come up. Maybe rub her belly some.

PKBoo · #3 01/20/13, 11:50 PM

She hasn't eaten anything in the three hours I've been with her. She hasn't peed or pooped either.

I gave her about 2 oz of bloat treatment and she did burp in my face. I've walked her around the barn twice. Rubbed her belly a bunch too

This is my first sick goat

Donna1982 · #4 01/21/13, 12:04 AM

I hate when they are sick. I would rub rub rub her rumen side. I would think in the last three hours she would of brought up a cud. Bloat is one of my worst nightmares. So far we haven't had it here so I'm not much help. Is she kidding her sides at all? I heard when they bloat they are in horrible pain. Hopefully someone can help more. I hope she gets better soon.

CaliannG · #5 01/21/13, 12:20 AM

You might want to tube some mineral oil down her. BOSS shells are high fiber. If she ate a lot of them, she could be compacted. Mineral oil will lube up the works and get them moving on through.

PKBoo · #6 01/21/13, 12:34 AM

How much mineral oil should I give her? I've given her about 4 oz of bloat treatment so far.

She's peed but not pooped. She hasn't eaten anything at all in the 4 hrs

CaliannG · #7 01/21/13, 01:02 AM

You don't have to use much...the most I have given a goat is 5 cc. I use a syringe with a tube attached.

PKBoo · #8 01/21/13, 01:04 AM

Ok I got 8-10 oz into her. Drenched - just ordered tubing supplies and it's not here yet. I don't know who's wearing more her or me.

PKBoo · #9 01/21/13, 01:26 AM

We must have been posting at the same time. The bloat bottle said 6 oz so I gave that plus 2 oz mineral oil (all I had).

She's laying down now with the other two. I guess I'll go to bed and hopefully the mineral oil will work its way through. Will call the vet tomorrow morning if there's no change.

Thanks Caliann and Donna

Frosted Mini's · #10 01/21/13, 01:27 AM

Do you have thiamine or FORTIFIED b-complex? I would give her some of that, in case this is leading to polio...and it is good supportive care for rumen issues.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 01/21/13, 06:57 AM

When 1 of my wethers had bloat &/or blockage a while back my vet said to give him 1/4 cup mineral oil, 1/4 cup baking soda paste/drench & the pepto bismol. I had to do that twice in less than 24 hours but then he was back to normal.

Sure hope your girl is better this morning.

CJBegins · #12 01/21/13, 07:46 AM

Praying for your girl.

I just went thru this with a 9 week old buckling this past week and these gals give the best advice. My little guy is feeling much, much better thanks to them.

Carla

PKBoo · #13 01/21/13, 09:06 AM

She had a pudding poop this morning, but she isn't eating or drinking. She's still standing with her head down. I walked her around the barn and she walks fine, but when she's on her own, she's moving very slowly.

Talked to the vet, and she said to continue the baking soda and pepto, and also add antibiotics. I have one more dose of ResFlor so she said I can give that or penicillin.

She also said to give alfalfa hay. Can't find that around here so heading to TSC to see if they have some little bags.

She explained about the stomach becoming acidic, and possibly causing her bloodstream to acidify too. Also that damage could have been done to the intestines due to the sunflower shells

She said with the antibiotics, she should be doing better by tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest. She said she doesn't need to come out, because I've done everything that needed to be done, and it's just a matter of time now.

Backfourty,MI. · #14 01/21/13, 05:43 PM

The diarrhea causes her stomach to be upset also. The baking soda & pepto should help that.
If she is still acting the same tomorrow I'd call the vet again.

I know when my wether was like that a couple months ago I think I called my vet 3 times in 3 days. I'm sure she was glad when he started feeling better.

Just my opinion but I would think good grass hay at this point instead of alfalfa hay would be best for her. No grain either until she's feeling better.

PKBoo · #15 01/21/13, 06:57 PM

I'm so worried that we're going to lose her

Talked to the vet again this afternoon because she hasn't eaten or drank all day. He said to "tent" her eyelids to check for dehydration, and she was the same as the others, so I guess that's good news.

I've got a heat lamp in the barn, and a dog coat on her.

Got two cuds into her (the other one never saw it coming!)

More baking soda tonight, another drench of mineral oil and Pepto. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers...

Backfourty,MI. · #16 01/21/13, 09:43 PM

I'd hold off on the oil after this & just do the pepto bismol tomorrow. As much oil & baking soda you've got down her now should have taken care of any bloat.

Give her grass hay. Do you have Probios paste & also Vitamin B Complex? If not I get those & give get some tomorrow to. The vit. B will help with appetite & the Probios paste will help with rumen function.

Not sure why none of us thought to ask but is she Up to date on her CD & T shots? If not I would ask the vet about giving her a C & D Antitoxin shot & if it would still do any good this long after she got sick. You can buy it over the counter at TSC. It's not the vaccine it's the antitoxin.

PKBoo · #17 01/21/13, 11:50 PM

She is up-to-date on her CDT vaccine.

Vet this morning said no more mineral oil or Pepto. Just baking soda and probios. So I did that along with Vit B complex. She still didnt eat all day

Vet tonight (different one) said mineral oil will coat her stomach and Pepto will help make her feel better. So this evening she got 1/4 cup mineral oil 2 tblsp Pepto and 1/4 cup baking soda along with probios.

Got 4 cuds into her throughout the afternoon and evening. She still has not eaten or drank. Calling vet again tomorrow morning.

ETA: she has free choice hay. Friend at the feed store told me about a new Purina Hydration hay - soak a block in 5 qts water and it absorbs the water. It's finely chopped and very palatable supposedly. She's had two customers have animals saved by it. The other two goats like it but she has only nosed it. Hopefully she'll be feeling better tomorrow

GoatJunkie · #18 01/22/13, 04:57 AM

I have no advice, but I am wishing her the best. Please keep us posted.

Backfourty,MI. · #19 01/22/13, 06:29 AM

When my boy was the same after the 2 doses of mineral oil my vet said just the pepto the next day & he came around. I hope your little doe does too. Nothing worse than when 1 is sick & your doing everything you can & are told & they just don't seem to bounce back quick enough.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your little one.

PKBoo · #20 01/22/13, 03:48 PM

Sorry I couldn't update sooner

I was in the barn all day for the last few days, and am so behind in my schoolwork.

She drank a little water this morning, and she ate a few strands of hay at lunchtime

She seems more alert than yesterday too.

Poor girl - she sees me coming and puts her head in a corner to get away from me

I don't think she's out of the woods, but I have so much more hope now than I did yesterday. I have stolen a few cuds today again (THEY eye me warily every time they bring up a cud, and I had three failed attempts today!)

Thanks for your help everyone - I don't know what I would do without this site!