Goat semi-paralysis

Desertbred · #1 07/03/14, 12:57 PM

Hello everyone. Yesterday we lost our 1 month old female Nubian due to some possible illness.
Since this is the first time it has happened to one of our goats, we have had no experience with diagnosis/treatment prior to this.

She has never been checked for worms nor dewormed.
Unfortunately we did not check her temperature.

Just the night before, she exhibited no signs of anything but her playful self. Still hitting her mom up for milk, as her twin did.
Still munching on alfalfa.

The next morning i heard her calling for her mom from a tall patch of grass. I reached her and noticed she couldnt get up although she was trying. Its as if, in recollect, her legs werent in sync to get the balance, and she couldnt hold her head up, but only flop it over.
She was not foaming at the mouth.
I picked her up, and although she was quite alive, she was rather limp.

We laid her down and within the hour, i administered .5cc of peniciilan and was off to buy some vitamin B.

Her condition did not get any better, and within the next hour she was dead.

The rest of the herd appears to be relatively healthy, out to pasture all day, fed alfalfa, clean water...

This also came two days after irrigation, and she may have gotten into some bad hay.

Well, if anyone has any experience with this quick onset type illness, please let us know.
Thank you

ozark_jewels · #2 07/03/14, 06:15 PM

Hmm......could be several things this time of year. But without a necropsy, know way to know for sure. With her dying within two hours of you seeing this, the inability to walk could be simply a symptom of her being so close to death. Likely, in my opinion. Pneumonia can strike and kill overnight, as can entero. And as you say, toxins, as in bad hay act very fast. Most illnesses will cause a goat to become unable to rise from a lying position as they progress toward death. I'm sorry I'm not much help. And sorry for your loss, that is always hard.

Desertbred · #3 07/04/14, 02:12 AM

Thank you for your response it was of help. I read up on both entero and pneumonia and it does seem like entero moreso than the latter. It seems like having CD antitoxin on hand is the thing for such a morning. Thank you again oz

ozark_jewels · #4 07/04/14, 11:23 AM

I tend to agree. I've seen the clostridium-type issues kill basically overnight much more than pneumonia. And the age is a sensitive age this time of year.
That C&D Antitoxin is a much needed item in those type of emergencies.......as I sit here without any, of course! Sister used it in a situation with one of her kids. Kid is fine. Last time I was in town, tried to pick some up and they were out. Need to head back there soon and get it. Make sure you keep it cold at all times. If it gets warm, you should throw it out.

Doug Hodges · #5 07/04/14, 03:20 PM

How long does the single dose of antitoxin last? My local store carries single doses.

dozedotz · #6 07/04/14, 03:28 PM

We are out also. Vet says he cannot get it (we have had a request for it for several months)???? Not sure what is going on...

Desertbred · #7 07/05/14, 01:41 AM

I have to add, that when this particular kid was born she was the one (of the twins) that was not hitting her mother for milk and had some difficulty getting her first drink while the other was hitting on it successively.

We were keeping an eye on her, but if i knew then what i am understanding now -about the importance of colostrum- then i do believe the outcome would have been different.

What a wonderful environment to raise children.