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Any advice is welcome... our son's pack goat is down

829 views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  TracyCrabtree 
#1 ·
Drover is a 1 1/2 year old Saanen wether. We just had our 4H pack goat meeting here on Monday night and he was out with us, playing, eating, drinking, being normal and active. We trimmed hooves, went for a walk and he was fine. Yesterday early evening, my husband saw him standing off in the yard alone. He tried getting him to eat or drink but nothing. When I got home in the evening, I went up and they had gotten him to walk to the barn and he was just standing there, head down, back slightly hunched, backside quivering. Seemed bloated some, gave vege oil, couldn't get much vit c down. We saw him urinate, but not a lot, in the evening but nothing since that we know of. Son saw him poop once, loose pellets, not alot. Temp is 102. He was not out of the yard yesterday so no new plants, trees, shrubs, etc. to eat. No access to any feeds other than hay and some pea pellets, the normal daily and fresh water.

Husband just went out to check on him and tried to move him slightly off the wall of the barn and Drover fell down and won't get up. It is 4:30 in the morning here... our vet doesn't get in til 7 but we could get him to the emergency animal hospital an hour away.

Any quick help is greatly appreciated!
 
#3 ·
Temp is normal. With 'bloat' and trembling, and being a young wether - I too would be concerned about urinary calculi which can be emergent in nature. Otherwise, the symptoms are pretty vague and I'm not sure there is much we can do to help you. :(

To note, some animals with UC will go down and be in pain until their bladder bursts. At that point, they can seem to improve suddenly for a short amount of time because it's less painful. However, electrolyte derangements that are very dangerous can quickly develop as nothing is being excreted via urination (and are instead reabsorbed from the abdominal cavity into the bloodstream), and the animal crashes again. Usually heart failure due to potassium levels.
 
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#4 ·
It will be a long road for sweet Drover but he is doing better each day. We are thinking it was an infection in the brain. High dose thiamine and antibiotics, IV fluids and several days of round the clock syringe feeding. Bladder ultrasound clear. CBC showed elevated white blood cells.

He is currently blind but we think there is some vision returning. It will take a while, I'm sure. Otherwise, he is acting more like himself every day. It is possible he won't recover 100% for packing but the pack goats are considered *pets* in our family so his position is secure regardless ;)

Thank God for awesome neighbors who come running at the drop of a hat and a loving, caring vet who goes well above and beyond for her 4 legged patients.
 
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