Goat w/scours? Newbie ??

BigHenTinyBrain · #1 07/04/13, 08:00 AM

Have two Saanen doelings, about 7 months old. These are my first goats.
One, Sugar, had green and fully runny diarrhea yesterday. She cted fine in all ways, kept up with her sister, vocalized regularly. Her stomach was little rounded in the morning, but she looked normal by mid-day.
I thought it was probably feed related- the girls got loose on Tuesday, briefly. I believe they got into the chicken feed, a mix of BOSS/lyer pellet/crcked corn, but only a little. My husbnd put them to bed for the night and he feeds more "treat" than I do, too. I give them a handful of the chicken feed (about 1/2 cup, each) in the morning when they go out to the pasture nd in the evening when they go to bed. I withheld the treat yesterday. She spent the day on pasture and continued to act normal. I did not see her poop, but she had some on her tail.
This morning she is still acting fine, but she looks like she coughed up her cud sometime during the night- she has some on her face and chest. Still evidence of very soft-runny poop.
They have a lot of pasture space (wooded and grassy) which they share with one sheep. Free choice hay, baking soda and goat minerals. Water, of course.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Things to look for?

Backfourty,MI. · #2 07/04/13, 08:20 AM

I would think it's their feed too. Chicken feed is not good for goats at All! I would definitely stop the feed your giving the chickens.

If you want to give them treats give them a few animal crackers or just a small handfull of BOSS but not too much of either of those.

I would get some baking soda down them even though they have access to it. Mix some with a little water into like a paste or ball & get that down them & also some Kaopectate or Pepto bismol, a couple tablespoonfuls for each. Nothing but hay & their browse until their diarrhea stops.

Alice In TX/MO · #3 07/04/13, 08:45 AM

I think it's feed, but will add that they need cocci prevention/control.

BigHenTinyBrain · #4 07/04/13, 09:48 AM

Can you elaborate, Alice?

Alice In TX/MO · #5 07/04/13, 10:06 AM

Here's an article:
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0109/UNP-0109.pdf

Here's my "goat kid care schedule" with coccidia prevention included:
http://quirkygoatfarm.blogspot.com/2...-schedule.html

Pony · #6 07/04/13, 10:11 AM

Like Katie said, just hay and water for now, until their tummies settle down. If you're concerned about the diarrhea, then I'd go with some Kaopectate and/or yogurt. The baking soda is a good idea, too, especially if they look like they're thinking about bloating. In future, keep baking soda out free choice.

Cocci treatment is a good idea. If you don't want to use chemicals, a few friends here claim success with using cinnamon: mix a tablespoon or so in a slurry with milk, fill a syringe, and drench once a day for a week, then once weekly as preventive.

Keep us posted on how they're doing.

BigHenTinyBrain · #7 07/04/13, 10:18 AM

I think I wouldn't object to using chemical medications- except it's the 4th, so no one is open. Cinnamon it is, then.
Alice, your kid care schedule link didn't come through.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 07/04/13, 10:28 AM

Fixed it!

http://quirkygoatfarm.blogspot.com/2...-schedule.html

BigHenTinyBrain · #9 07/06/13, 07:51 AM

Happy to report that Sugar is back to producing healthy goat berries. Her sister (Cream) never showed any signs of scours, and Sugar never acted sick at all, so I m pretty confident that the problem was a raid on the chicken feed. I'll be keeping the BOSS separate from now on and mixing it in for the chickens s I feed- I hadn't realized that too much corn would be a problem. I'll also be moving the chicken feed barrel to a different part of the barn.
Thanks for your help everyone!

Alice In TX/MO · #10 07/06/13, 08:17 AM

I still recommend prevention for coccidia.

harvestmoonfarm · #11 07/06/13, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

I still recommend prevention for coccidia.

As someone dealing with a full-blown case of coccidiosis in several goat kids right now (our weather has been horrid - wet, hot and humid), I would definitely recommend coccidia prevention.

fishhead · #12 07/06/13, 09:16 AM

Monday I had to put down my favorite goat possibly because his coccidiosis wasn't properly treated when he was a kid 6 years ago. He never developed the barrel like the other goats and never ate normally. He was always thin.

BigHenTinyBrain · #13 07/07/13, 07:46 AM

Yes, I will be beginning prevention for coccidiosis, too.