My $4000 goat

Belladonna · #1 08/28/14, 08:06 PM

Just wanted to share my story... Winifred aka "Winnie" was given to me when she was a day old. Her mother had passed giving birth to her and the older gentleman who owned her was not able to do the every 4 hr feedings she would require. Started her out on clear pedialyte then gradually added powdered milk mixture for kids. Winnie grew quickly and spent the first 5 months of her life with me indoors ( she had her own pen on vinyl flooring). Gradually she was taken outside to her own pen where she had woodsy browsing supplemented with hay, alfalfa and some feed. We bought a farm when she was 1.5 yrs old which she had a field to herself and a buddy, hay, alfalfa and feed (very little feed). When she was two I got another Nubian doe and her kid for Winnie to have more friends. Winnie did not fall in love with these goats ( I'm pretty sure she believed she was a person). One morning this summer, I went outside to feed and love on her and she didn't want a carrot. I knew at that time she was deathly ill. I gave her milk if magnesia, oil, c&d antitoxin, and massaged her sides. After spending the morning with her not improving I called my regular vet. My regular vet came around 5pm and administered fluids, more oil and banamine as my baby was in a lot of pain. She told me it was a wait and see and probably a gut impaction. I cried so hard... My baby was in pain and I was out of options. Still not doing better by 9pm, I drove her to an emergency vet in the city for an ultrasound to look for an impaction. It was a cat/ dog hospital but after speaking to me and hearing my desperation they agreed to look and perform a surgery and give their best efforts. No luck on the ultrasound and very bad odds for surgery. So upset and desperate I drove her all night to my alma mater Virginia Tech which has a livestock animal hospital and is one of the most advanced on the east coast. VT was amazing to me- meeting me at 1 am and admitting her. Immediately they gave pain meds and started her on fluids as well as other medications. I wasn't able to stay with her and so slept in my car outside. In the morning she wasn't better. I had to go home to manage the barn that I run but got to say goodbye and love on her before she was to go under exploratory surgery as they too were thinking gut twist or impaction (she had no gut movements). Winnie pulled through surgery and was on morphine some slight impaction was found but it was not material which would normally be impacted (grasses and normal eating material). As time progressed her gut had still yet to start moving and she was also given lidocaine for pain and to help restart. At 6am the morning after i brought her to VT she passed away. A necropsy was performed and was found that she had a perforated ulcer in her stomache. Winnie was my baby and I can't explain the depths of my despair and heartbreak. The morning when I left her to have surgery she immediately came to me from all the vets and interns and put her head in my lap, they too cried as you could obviously see the love between us, and as I begged the vets to save her not caring of the cost or recovery time. The two years I had with her were amazing but I had never heard of goats getting stomache ulcers and am wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience. It's been months and I still cry as I'm writing this... Your thoughts and input is most welcome. Winnie was my first goat and even experience with goats.. I now still have the momma Nubian and her baby but its not the same.

" Country is knowing who you are, what you're made of and not being afraid to show it"

Belladonna · #2 08/28/14, 08:08 PM

ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1409274507.662081.jpg

My pretty Winnie

" Country is knowing who you are, what you're made of and not being afraid to show it"

nehimama · #3 08/28/14, 08:37 PM

I'm so sorry about your wrenching loss. She was a love!

dozedotz · #4 08/28/14, 08:48 PM

No, we have not experienced a stomach ulcer or a death as you describe. Yes, we have loved as you describe. You are lucky, dear, to have had the experience. Some people never do, you know? Loss is greater for the experience, but the experience is well worth the sorrow. Whatever your beliefs I hope you are able to share your capacity to love with other "friends." Truly, love is the greatest thing!

Ford Zoo · #5 08/28/14, 08:52 PM

Oh, so sorry, she was a sweety. I have seen reference to ulcers in articles, but have no info for you.

BethW · #6 08/28/14, 09:26 PM

Oh, what a sweet pea she was! I'm so sorry that you lost her.

Belladonna · #7 08/29/14, 09:39 AM

I guess I'm really looking to see if anyone else has had a similar experience with ulcers? Or just any experience with ulcers?

" Country is knowing who you are, what you're made of and not being afraid to show it"

Josie · #8 08/29/14, 03:35 PM

I'm sorry about your Winnie

.
I have never heard of ulcers in goats. Maybe something else we need to be mindful of?
I know that they only have a 3 chambered stomach, but when I worked with Alpacas, they often got/were treated for ulcers. I believe we used "Gastrogard"...huh, it seems to be much cheaper than I remembered it being.

TRAILRIDER · #9 08/29/14, 04:19 PM

I also have never heard of ulcers in goats. But then ulcers are quite common in horses, especially performance horses under the stress of training.
Really I just wanted to say how sorry I am for you. Why is it that the animals we love the most are always the ones this happens too? Doesn't matter if they are horses, dogs, cats or goats. It will always be your most favorite. My thoughts are with you.

where I want to · #10 08/29/14, 04:47 PM

I can feel with you for the loss of your beautiful girl. I don't know if you will ever have a clear answer as to ulcers but I would not be surprised to find it was somewhat common.
One of the things I have noticed with my small (down to two

) Boer goat herd is that, while I always have baking soda out for them, they make hardly any use of it when their rations are only grass hay. When they get a larger proportion of alfalfa, they eat a lot more baking soda.
I think that alfalfa tends to change the stomach chemistry in a way that would change the bacteria balance. I wonder if that might be a factor although I have zero authoritative science to go on.
Til the day I die, I will always have a picture of my first goat Timber in my heart. It's sad to have lost her but I also remember the joy she gave me.

GrannyG · #11 08/29/14, 08:16 PM

When we truly love an animal, we try our best to save them....many years ago, this forum gave me so much good advice.....I was able to save mine...in fact, the vet refused to come out again...told me to put her down, it was cheaper.....for months, we did ROM on her legs, rocked her in my old rocking chair for hours in the barnyard, she had all kinds of Vitamins given to her....and one day, she slowly began to improve....and lasted many years after that.....we buried her several months ago in the barnyard she loved...yes, we get attached to our critters.....you did your all, gave your all, and she passed knowing you loved her....can ask for no more...Hugs

Pony · #12 08/30/14, 11:31 AM

Oh.... ouch...

{hugs}

I am so sorry.