Floppy Kid Syndrome?

[Mrs. Ed]

OK. Me again with yet another question. Here's the deal...

18 day old kid, single, rejected by mother. NO INITIAL COLOSTRUM. Colostrum supplement given within 24 hours after birth. Being bottle fed fresh, whole cow milk 3 times per day. I have worked up to 12 - 13 ozs per feeding. Am giving her some vitamins mixed in with milk. Have given her 1 injection of Bo-Se with 3 more installments to go (2 shots per week for 2 weeks as per vet instrucitons). Gave her baking soda this afternoon.

Mother has aborted 2 times in the past year and a half and developed NO milk after birth of abandoned baby. OK now, I am currently dealing with in the baby...

Weakness, favoring back legs, some mild stiffness in back legs, walking sideways, head pulling to right, falling down, not eating as well/decreasing appetite.

I am at the end of my rope. Our vet feels that it is EXTREMELY POSSIBLE/most likely that she has some congenital disease/disorder that she inherited from her mother. I tend to agree. We have fought one thing after another these past 18 days and it is starting to get to me. I have resigned myself to do the best I can, but that we will probably lose her anyway due to lack of initial colostrum. My question for the night is this...

If I were to treat her for Floppy Kid Syndrome, what would I do? I know to give her baking soda, but what about the eating? Should I cut her milk? I offered her 12 ozs. at the last feeding and she only took 9 ozs. (I have charted this so I can watch for steady/continued decreased appetite.) It may be that she is cutting her own intake due to whatever is wrong with her. Help!!!

[M&G-Nubians]

Looking from the outside in, and I'm not trying to sound evil, mean, or insensative. But, I would cull the kid to rabbit soup and not breed this doe again. Ever. The amount of money you are going to tie up into this one animal you would be able to buy a very nice registered this or that. Yes, I know it's not all about money. I'm sure that some would absolutely disagree with me and I understand others opinions. If this kid would have been born in the wild it would be supporting the life cycle of another animal. Does this sound like the strong survive speech? It's not ment to. Just what I like to try to tell myself that I will/wouldl do when put in this situation.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

The neurological type symptoms you are seeing are not that of floopy kid. Honestly all weak kids are diagnosed as floppy now, and there are those who automatically put baking soda in their summer kids lambars, including myself. For us floppy kid has always been a diagnosis of summer kids, I think this is a much used, nearly non exsistant condition. Milk that is not curdled in the stomach is found in these kids as is acidosis, which is likely from not enough good bacteria in the gut. Rarely hits herds that uses probiotics on their infants.

Give her some probiotics and even baking soda, but that is not likely going to help.

The neurological sypmtoms of the kid sound like encphalitis...has the dam been tested for CAE? Also with the abortions of the dam and now this kid born with problems...I would do an abortion panel on the doe for Q fever, mycoplasma (does the kid or dam have swollen knees?)

Is she running a temp?

She is too young for tetanus.

If she has been disbudded than this is encephalitis from having the iron applied to long.

Kids don't get listerosis.

She is too young and not ruminanting for this to be polio.

There is no reason for this to be enterotoxemia.

The E in CAE can cause symptoms like this although she is young.

What's the disease status of the dairy you are getting the milk from initially? Do they test for CAE? I really would be leaning this way, since you have a sterile kid, who then drank unpasturised milk from positive, perhaps symptomatic does? Does the dairy have swollen kneed older stock? Vicki

[Sondra Peterson]

Edited here to add that as I was writing this and no one had answered you as yet all I said below is a guess and what I would do or try. Vicki I see has answered you probably the best but like I said this is what I would try as doesn't cost much and I try anything short of leaving them with the VET in this particular case as then will get quite exspensive. Probios is a good thing and don't increase the milk intake small portions more times a day is much better for the kid at this point.

OK not sure I can help but if this were my kid she would get B1 Thiamin ASAP
even if you have to grind up people tablets and syring her. but your vet should have it. Fortified BCOMPLEX on a kid this tiny I give an insulin syringe 3 times a day. I would also give her CD ANTITOXIN now your vet probably won't have it some Tractor Supply's do carry it. and get it in her right away. May not help but sure won't hurt. I give this to any kid born that might not have gotten colostrum. CD ANTITOXIN is not the same thing as the CD/T you normally have.
Also go read www.kinne.net think she has an article on Floppy kid or polio
but http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/ar.../newborns.html has an article on newborns problems and I know it covers this.
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles/polio.htm

they have similar symtoms polio is lack of B1 if I remember correctly.
with using the CD Anti-toxin and the B1 you are covering all basis. I would also have your vet read these articles so she can help you. personally don't think this is a mom problem except for her not feeding the baby but think it is a problem with a bably that received no colostrum.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Sondra you are one smart lady, and you never have to go back and edit a post! All we can do is give our opinions, it's up to the person to read through the posts and glean what they can. Your answer was perfect! Vicki

[MoBarger]

She said the kid was being fed cow's milk -- wonder if the dairy tests for Johnes?
How are your goats today, Mrs. Ed ?