Bloated goat

Buckhuntr · #1 02/05/13, 08:28 PM

Ok, I goofed. Didn't introduce new feed slowly enough, and Sox got bloated. DW phoned me and said Sox was vomiting up foamy stuff, so I wheeled into the TSC on my way home, talked to an employee who had goats and sheep, and he said it sounded like bloat. I got a drench syringe, a bottle of something to treat bloat, and DW and I proceeded to treat the doe. Now, as a hunter and outdoorsman I can handle all manner of noxious smells and putrid fluids, but one thing I cannot handle well is vomit. The goat puke about had me heaving.

Worst was when she snorted, flung her head, and some landed on my lower lip.

Had to sterilize my mouth with some 100 proof bourbon, just to be on the safe side, after scrubbing my lip raw with soap and water.

All this after getting a crown set at lunch, without the numbing shot, and on a tooth without having had a root canal, so the nerves were intact. I told the dental assistant that her ancestors must have been Vikings who liked to torture and pillage, and she said it was just one of the perks of the job.

I sure hope tomorrow goes better...

myheaven · #2 02/05/13, 09:16 PM

I'm sorry your day was horrible but i just loled big time!

Ford Zoo · #3 02/05/13, 09:28 PM

OK Buckhuntr, that must be a guy thing (your poor DW, I feel her pain)

Back to the goat, what did TSC have you drench her with? How is she? IS she eating, drinking; or laying around grinding her teeth? I would drench baking soda mixed with water. Foam is indicative of faomy bloat and you may want to add mineral oil to the mix. And keep her up and moving for sure, don't let her lay. Giving the same mix of baking soda and mineral oil as an enema (yes-if you can gut a deer, you can shove a tube up a goat's butt!!) may help her too. But keep working her till she seems right.

Trust me, you don;t want to wait and see if a treatment works!!

Frosted Mini's · #4 02/05/13, 09:31 PM

Cud slinging, ew! What did you give her for the bloat and how much? Was it called soemthing like, therabloat? I have not needed to use it yet, but I think you need to use a whole bottle. If she is not getting better quickly, you may need to tube some oil into her. Sometimes the tubing part helps a little bit too. Once she is through the worst of it, I would give her a transplanted cud from another goat, because the change of feed and then the treatment for the bloat, will have killed a lot of her rumen flora.

Frosted Mini's · #5 02/05/13, 09:33 PM

And if you do use oil, definitely tube it, you don't want it in the lungs, and you need to give several ounces, at least.

Buckhuntr · #6 02/05/13, 09:38 PM

The drench from TSC is Durvet brand Bloat Treatment. It has Docusate Sodium emulsified in soybean oil. I gave her 30 CC's of it, then followed with an equal amount of baking soda/water mix. After an hour I checked on her, and she was standing & looking totally miserable, but was not grinding or foaming. DW is just now checking again, hopefully this is helping.

Buckhuntr · #7 02/05/13, 09:45 PM

DW said Sox is standing like she's tired, but she's not grinding or frothing anymore.

Buckhuntr · #8 02/06/13, 05:15 AM

5:00 AM This is Buckhuntr's DW. I just checked on Sox and she's doing well. She was laying down when I went out but got up to check the feed trough to see if I was bringing food. Her eyes are brighter, she's not grinding her teeth, and seems to be getting back to her perky self. Tail is still down though so I know she's not 100% back yet but hopefully that will happen today.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 02/06/13, 06:00 AM

Glad she's feeling better. I would give only good hay for a day or 2 then introduce any new feed slowly. Grass hay will help sooth & settle her stomach too.
Probios or a cud from another goat like previous poster suggested is a great idea.

Minelson · #10 02/06/13, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckhuntr

The goat puke about had me heaving.

Worst was when she snorted, flung her head, and some landed on my lower lip.

Had to sterilize my mouth with some 100 proof bourbon, just to be on the safe side, after scrubbing my lip raw with soap and water.

I can't believe how this sounds exactly like my husband!

He could have written it...so much so that I had to read it to him!
''that sounds exactly like you honey''
''no it doesn't''
''yes it does''
''no it doesn't''
''yes it does!''
''no it doesn't, I would have cut my lip off after I scrubbed it raw''
''oh that would help''

Thanks for the laugh and I'm so glad Sox is doing better!

Sherry in Iowa · #11 02/06/13, 07:37 AM

M-I-N-E-L-S-O-N!!!!!!!!!!!

Buckhuntr...your day was NOT good

hope you and your goat are both on the mend today!

Minelson · #12 02/07/13, 06:33 PM

How is Sox doing???

Buckhuntr · #13 02/07/13, 06:55 PM

Ok, last night Sox was looking better, then this morning a little more foamy drool and tooth grinding. So we gave her some baking soda in water, and went off to the day jobs. A little bit ago she was trotting around looking pretty chipper, so I put some fresh hay in the manger and we dosed her with some probiotics that I picked up at TSC. Fingers crossed...
Thanks for the concern!

Backfourty,MI. · #14 02/07/13, 07:06 PM

Is she up to date on her CD & T shots? Just checking in case it might be something other than bloat.

Buckhuntr · #15 02/07/13, 07:35 PM

Shots?... Um...

Minelson · #16 02/07/13, 07:58 PM

Uh -oh....Katie...what do you recommend for Sox. Anti-toxin??

Minelson · #17 02/07/13, 08:22 PM

Buckhunner....you need more help than I can give but I know this is an emergency so I started another thread. Please follow the advice here and try to save your goat. It's time to throw the kitchen sink at her and get her over this. This is very serious!! Don't think you have time...you don't

Need help!

CaliannG · #18 02/07/13, 08:25 PM

~ponders~ If it was tetanus or C&D reaction, I don't think she'd still be alive after 36 hours. Both of those kill pretty fast without treatment.

Hold on, I'll check symptoms and treatment to make sure.

KrisD · #19 02/07/13, 08:35 PM

You need CDT antitoxin now! If they eat too much that is what they need. Make sure you're taking her temp regularly. If her rumen stops working she's dead. If you don't have CDT antitoxin on hand call other goat people in your area. The vaccine won't work only the antitoxin will work.

CaliannG · #20 02/07/13, 08:39 PM

What kind of hay are your feeding?

Her symptoms do not match Enterotoxemia, which is the condition caused by C&D bacteria, nor do they match Rumenal Acidosis, another possiblity.

The do match Frothy Bloat (also known as Pasture Bloat) which is caused by a change in diet or an addition of new legumes.

Treatment is tubing oil into the rumen to break up froth tension.