emergency-goat down

mrstillery09 · #1 09/06/13, 08:27 AM

One of our two ladies is lifeless and barely alive. Wont move, made some small noises. Her head is propped against the fence. What on earth should I do?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 09/06/13, 08:33 AM

Take temperature. Listen to gut for digestion sounds. Check lower inner eyelids for color. Should be strong pink, not pale or white.

Does the area where she is look like she was stuck in the fence? Pawed ground, piles of poop?

If you have B vitamins on hand, give her an injection.

Call the vet.

(I have to be away from internet access this morning. I hope some of the other experienced goatie folks jump in here!)

MDKatie · #3 09/06/13, 08:34 AM

I second call the vet!

Backfourty,MI. · #4 09/06/13, 08:41 AM

I also suggest B Vitamins, take temperature & Call Your vet! Sounds like your girl is in serious need of help & vet will do the best for her other than trying to guess what's going on when she's already so bad.

mrstillery09 · #5 09/06/13, 09:10 AM

Vet can be out by 1 PM, which will be too late. I hate to say it but I don't think that will be enough time. She was by the fence, but I don't think she was stuck. My dad said last night she ran right by her feed, so I'm thinking this is the end of something not the beginning. Of course we don't have any B vitamins but I am going to try to make a run to the store to get some.

Hollowdweller · #6 09/06/13, 09:12 AM

How much is she milking? Sounds like Milk Fever.

mrstillery09 · #7 09/06/13, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollowdweller

How much is she milking? Sounds like Milk Fever.

I should have added, but she is only 7 months old and not milking.

**mygoat** · #8 09/06/13, 09:30 AM

Need more info to be of any help. Take a temp. Is she bloated? Any drool on chin? Any facial paralysis? What color are eye membranes? Diarrhea? Feed history? Vaccinated for entro? Any other symptoms you can see/notice? Think of any odd behavior yesterday or earlier?

Pony · #9 09/06/13, 09:43 AM

Dona is right: we need more info.

Keep us posted, let us know... {hug}

Alice In TX/MO · #10 09/06/13, 10:52 AM

It would help to know what preventive care she has had. For example, deworming, cocci treatment, etc.

BlueRose · #11 09/06/13, 12:58 PM

Hows your little girl doing?

mrstillery09 · #12 09/06/13, 01:52 PM

Ok, sorry for the delay in responding. The vet made it out earlier than expected. He said she is pretty far gone, and he would be surprised if she made it. He gave her a shot of B Vitamins an antibiotic and something else. (For the life of me can't remember) She is basically unconscious though. When my dad locked them up last night she seemed a little odd, and thought either something scared her or she wasn't seeing well. So I feel bad as this could have been caught much earlier.

I was completely prepared that someday I'd probably half to make the decision to put them to sleep, but I was so not prepared to be facing this so soon. So any prayers, and good wishes are totally appreciated.

Lizza · #13 09/06/13, 02:13 PM

I'm not sure of your herd size but I highly recommend a necropsy if at all possible if you loose her. Here our University does it (about a 45 min drive for me).

You need to know if this is something contagious or a herd management problem.

Did the vet give you any idea of diagnosis?

You are certainly in my prayers, these are the hardest times to livestock ownership.

Minelson · #14 09/06/13, 04:02 PM

Sending prayers for your girl!

mrstillery09 · #15 09/06/13, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morningstar

I'm not sure of your herd size but I highly recommend a necropsy if at all possible if you loose her. Here our University does it (about a 45 min drive for me).

You need to know if this is something contagious or a herd management problem.

Did the vet give you any idea of diagnosis?

You are certainly in my prayers, these are the hardest times to livestock ownership.

We just have this one, and her "sister". Needless to say her sister isn't very happy today either. If she does pass we will look into getting a necropsy done. How does that work? If she were to pass this evening and couldn't be taken till tomorrow is that ok?

The vet didn't say anything in particular. He said goats were difficult to keep, and said there could be lots of parasite problems. He said he didn't see any signs of worms/parasites with her though. I'm thinking he is treating more for a thiamine deficiency, but said it could have also been something she ate.

She is still alive, but hasn't improved much. We did get some tail wags and she struggles at times like she wants to get up. Thank you all for your advice and prayers. They are much appreciated.

**mygoat** · #16 09/06/13, 05:04 PM

What were the weird behaviors from yesterday? Try to get as much info as possible.

If it is thiamine deficiency (polio), give Thiamine every 6 hrs. Injectible thiamine is Rx (200mg/ml) but you can use B complex at 2x the dose (it is 100mg/ml). After the first few injections given IM, you can give sub-q or even orally. For listeria, the treatment is a big penicillin shot every 6 hours too. The symptoms are very similar and both treatments are cheap, so you usually treat for both.

We still need more info if we can help you figure out what is going on and how to continue to treat it, as well as prevent it from happening again.

Goats are not more difficult to keep than any other livestock. Proper management prevents most issues, but learning those management techniques and the delicate interplay between management topics can be difficult.

If you want to do a necropsy, call the vet in the AM. REFRIDGERATE her body until then - do NOT freeze. Get it to the testing lab ASAP.

Awnry Abe · #17 09/06/13, 05:21 PM

If it were me, I wouldn't do a necropsy with a small herd. But that would be a purely financial choice, so your parameters may be different than mine. With your vets help, and the help you can get here, you should be able to run through some basic troubleshooting on her sister to determine what she needs. Did you vet assess the health of both goats? Take a look at the "Goat Emergency" sticky thread at the top of this forum. It will summarize all of the essential "zero day" information you need to gather to get help from your vet or from us.

If you do decide to do a necropsy, put the goat in plastic trash bag and get it to the vet as soon as possible. If she dies off-hours, stick it in the fridge as soon as possible (if possible) to slow some of the degeneration that occurs because of death. It won't matter at that point if the carcass is chilly. We just had a necropsy done. The cost was $35.

I hope you can bail her out.

mrstillery09 · #18 09/06/13, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mygoat

What were the weird behaviors from yesterday? Try to get as much info as possible.

If it is thiamine deficiency (polio), give Thiamine every 6 hrs. Injectible thiamine is Rx (200mg/ml) but you can use B complex at 2x the dose (it is 100mg/ml). After the first few injections given IM, you can give sub-q or even orally. For listeria, the treatment is a big penicillin shot every 6 hours too. The symptoms are very similar and both treatments are cheap, so you usually treat for both.

We still need more info if we can help you figure out what is going on and how to continue to treat it, as well as prevent it from happening again.

Goats are not more difficult to keep than any other livestock. Proper management prevents most issues, but learning those management techniques and the delicate interplay between management topics can be difficult.

If you want to do a necropsy, call the vet in the AM. REFRIDGERATE her body until then - do NOT freeze. Get it to the testing lab ASAP.

Apparently yesterday when my dad went to feed them Berta (sick goat)was already in their pen where they eat/sleep, and her sister Juniper was still out browsing. My dad fed our barn cat and when he came back (less than 5 minutes) Juniper was there, but Berta was missing. He shook their feed for Berta to come, and she ran out of her hut and ran right through the feed pan and nearly hit my dad. He said it was like she couldn't see, but he thought maybe the cat had startled her. She turned right around and started eating.

Both goats have a nice sized area they roam in, and nothing in the way of feed, bedding, or hay has changed. Weathers been normal around here as well. I had tried using Replamin to rectify their copper deficiency, but ended up blousing them about a month ago. They had loose minerals and baking soda available as well. They have been very healthy, normal poop, good condition. This really came from nowhere.

The vet said she did have a fever, but I forgot to ask what it was. The vet said she was not bloated. No diarrhea, gums/eye membrane is a normal color, they browse for most of their feed, but get a cup of grain morning and evening. No recent vaccinations. Her eyes are dialated, she is pretty motionless except at times she will cry out a bit and try to stand up. The vet said she is basically unconscious.

He said I could continue giving B vitamins if I'd like, which I am doing. That is all I can think of at the moment. Sorry this is so long!

**mygoat** · #19 09/06/13, 09:07 PM

The blindess, incoordination, and the possible facial paralysis sounds a heckuva lot like Listeria, maybe polio. Check for facial paralysis by seeing if she can move her jaw and blink. (but the fever makes me think Listeria) Is she drooling? If no facial paralysis, it could also be enterotoxemia. You can vaccinate for it with CDT, and there is an antitoxin that you give as an injection that is cheap insurance to keep on hand. I'd give that if I had nothing else to guess on.

What antibiotic did he give? I'd give another big dose of Penicillin, and keep doing it every 6 hrs. If she had a fever, you need to keep after it. Give Thiamine (B1) every 6 hours as well. Listeria and polio are really not issues that they come out of on their own. If you have one you can spare, use a human digital thermometer rectally on her (I usually test them on another goat or myself before use, because I've had some scares with broken ones, lol) - normal is 101-103*. Continue treatment for a few days after the last symptom.

If she's still around and you can get ahold of your vet tomorrow, I'd consider asking him for some dexamethasone or banamine. It will help a ton to reduce brain swelling and pain, if you think it fits with listeria/polio.

http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/ar...steriosis.html

^^ this site gives treatment, symptoms, dosages etc. Very helpful.

Backfourty,MI. · #20 09/06/13, 10:25 PM

I agree with Mygoat, at this point doesn't sound like the vet is sure what's going on & I would treat for Listeriosis & Polio. Also give her C & D ANTITOXIN, not the toxoid that's used for the vaccines.
Get the Thiamine from your vet & keep up on the penicillin.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for your little girl.