Poor goat with scours

Painted Owl · #1 10/22/13, 03:09 PM

Hi all! I have an 8 1/2 month old Oberhasli doe. I noticed last night she had scour muck around her bottom when I was putting the goats in their stalls for dinner and bed. The first I have noticed in either of my goats since they were new little bottle babies. The mess looked thickish, and dark green. This morning, there seemed little change. Quick check on her just now, and she pooped when I was watching. Watery, mucusy, some whitish clots and even a speck of red. She ate fine this morning and last night. She had some baking soda this morning, too. There shouldn't have been anything different in her outside area that she ate, and it's pretty sparse and scrubby right now. They get a dairy goat mix for breakfast, some alfalfa pellets, whole oats and BOSS afternoon, and timothy hay for feed. What should I be worried about? She was wormed (routine) for cocci at about four months. She seems, a bit off, to me. Just a bit.

Minelson · #2 10/22/13, 03:31 PM

Can you take her temp? Can you check her lower eyelid color? What did you do for cocci when you did it?

dozedotz · #3 10/22/13, 03:39 PM

Min is correct! First things first. Hard for even the most seasoned goat person to give an opinion without first knowing the temp and management plan.

Painted Owl · #4 10/22/13, 03:39 PM

Sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim tablets. What should I look for on her eyelids? I have not taken her temp before, I have a digital baby thermometer. I'll run down and check.

Painted Owl · #5 10/22/13, 03:58 PM

Her temp is 102.7, her bottom eyelids (inside) light pink. Not white, not reddish.

**mygoat** · #6 10/22/13, 04:04 PM

I'd take a fecal to the vet and deworm with something broad spectrum if there hasn't been a diet change.

Minelson · #7 10/22/13, 06:13 PM

What Dona said...that is what I would do too. Fecal test and deworm. I would also take away grain and only feed good grass hay until it clears up.
Sending healthy healing vibes!!

Painted Owl · #8 10/22/13, 09:16 PM

Well, throughout the afternoon, she hasn't had any signs of scours. (I cleaned her bottom when I took her temp, she is still clean) But, I haven't seen her poop or pee any of the times I checked her. She did have some milky fluid seep out of her pout one of the times I was checking. could she be in heat? I have been trying to figure out her cycle so I can organize a buck. So far I haven't been positive of the heat signs. She was holding her tail straight up and wagging it a lot today, I was thinking she didn't want to dirty it. She is eating and drinking good. I didn't give any grain this evening. I should be able to tell first thing in the morning if her scours are continuing. Hope it was just something she ate! Thanks all!

Painted Owl · #9 10/23/13, 10:38 AM

Still poopy!

dozedotz · #10 10/23/13, 11:27 AM

Probably best to get that fecal...even if she is in heat or will be soon, you want her cleaned up on the inside BEFORE she starts incubating! If it was something she ate and she is getting it out of her system (scours is a symptom and not a disease) that is actually better than not being able to eliminate the problem. AFTER the fecal and if your vet agrees, I would give her some really good yogurt with lots of good bacteria. That might help her rumen settle down...along with what Min said earlier. You will not be sorry for getting that fecal!! As she gets better, maybe gets pregnant - you will know that she had a good start.

**mygoat** · #11 10/23/13, 02:10 PM

I wouldn't wait on a fecal. I'd deworm asap and collect a fecal at the same time. Unless you can get one in asap and get results back asap.

Frosted Mini's · #12 10/23/13, 03:03 PM

Yes, sounds like she is in heat. The tail wagging has to do with being in heat, not trying to avoid poop. I would get her cleared up and breed on her next cycle. She should be in heat again in 18-20 days, just look for more mucous and tail wagging, +/- being vocal and active, possibly mounting other does or letting them mount her.

punchiepal · #13 10/23/13, 03:30 PM

A fecal first is the best thing to do, before breeding. If it is worms and not treated before breeding they will often cause problems before you really should worm a newly bred doe, ie the first 45 days.

Another thought -
It's "that" time of year also. Weather systems coming and going, causing stress on animals. Add in heat cycles, more stress. Plants possibly changing due to the cold or freezes they are experiencing. It can all make worms rear their ugly heads.

wintrrwolf · #14 10/23/13, 07:37 PM

Need to get the scours to stop ASAP...before she gets dehydrated.
Sulmet and pepto is good for this.
Fecal to check what you are trying to worm for...umm straight from the source is best!

Painted Owl · #15 10/25/13, 12:13 PM

Well, I took her in, and had a fecal. The vet said she is really healthy, and he saw exactly one cocci egg on the slide. He said it's not even worth worming her. We think the scours are most likely caused by the new bedding I tried out. It's a compressed wood pellet that expands with moisture. The package says it's good for horses, cows, goats but most likely she ate some, (it looks so much like alfalfa pellets and her dairy pellets) it's irritating her tummies and she is having trouble passing it. I put this new bedding in Tuesday morning, and by Tuesday eve she was ill. Her poop this morning is still very loose, but not the water that it was yesterday. Vet recommends probiotics and fresh, long grass, lots of water to help her work it out. He says she is totally strong and healthy enough to work through this. I also gave her some pedialyte yesterday, and she was doesed with bio sponge as well. Fingers crossed, she is on the mend!

dozedotz · #16 10/25/13, 01:37 PM

That is soooo great! Isn't it amazing what those silly goats will eat?! So, on to the breeding and the safe delivery of all four of the girls she is bound to have!! YEA!

Painted Owl · #17 10/25/13, 02:28 PM

Can't wait for baaaybiessss!!

Minelson · #18 10/25/13, 03:54 PM

Yay! So glad you were able to figure it out

SkeeterBlue · #19 10/25/13, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Painted Owl

Well, I took her in, and had a fecal. The vet said she is really healthy, and he saw exactly one cocci egg on the slide. He said it's not even worth worming her. We think the scours are most likely caused by the new bedding I tried out. It's a compressed wood pellet that expands with moisture. The package says it's good for horses, cows, goats but most likely she ate some, (it looks so much like alfalfa pellets and her dairy pellets) it's irritating her tummies and she is having trouble passing it. I put this new bedding in Tuesday morning, and by Tuesday eve she was ill. Her poop this morning is still very loose, but not the water that it was yesterday. Vet recommends probiotics and fresh, long grass, lots of water to help her work it out. He says she is totally strong and healthy enough to work through this. I also gave her some pedialyte yesterday, and she was doesed with bio sponge as well. Fingers crossed, she is on the mend!

Yikes!

Wow! I'm just so relieved for you that she is going to be fine and is healthy. Scours is one scary critter to deal with. I don't know why, but I always get more concerned about Oberhasli that any other goat I read about. Maybe it is because they just look so adorable and delicate to me. Anyway, what a relief!

punchiepal · #20 10/25/13, 07:55 PM

Glad she is feeling better!