The mother of the 3 month old turned up dead yesterday. She was foaming at the mouth or drooling and laying at the base of the trailer they use for protection from the weather. I couldn't find any outside injuries on her so I am assuming some sort of disease. None of my other goats seem sick, nor have they ever. I noticed the neighbor at the far end of the pasture spraying the fence line with roundup. Could that have been the culprit? How much roundup would a goat have to injest to kill it? I have since moved my goats back to there little lot here at the house but it won't be long til they are out of grass and weeds. What do you recommend I vaccinate for? I am in SE KY.
If your neighbor sprayed roundup into your pasture and killed your goat you need to make him pay to replace it! So sorry for your loss! Patt
Losing a goat is always hard, but before pointing fingers, do your homework. We had a dog ingest Round-Up a few years ago. I know she did it because I watched her chew up the container and wondered what the heck she was chewing on (serious duh!) She ended up vomiting a bit and had bloodshot eyes. But she was alright after a day or two with lots of water and Pepto Bismol. I called Poison Control and they gave me the number to Animal Poison Control. Animal Poison Control charges $40 unlike people poison control which is free. They told me that if Round-up is wet, it can cause poisoning reaction in animals, but once it is dry, it basically becomes a salt and doesn't affect them. I don't understand the chemistry behind it, but my goaties have proven this by eating weeds, without any adverse effect, that have been previously sprayed and the spray has dried. There are so many things that can take a goat down and poisoning is surely one of them. But unless you had a necropsy done or were absolutely sure of your diagnosis, be careful making enemys of a neighbor. Doesn't sound like the neighbor's intentions were to harm your animals. Could you talk with them and offer to take a weed-eater to both sides of the fence to keep the weeds down without chemicals in the future? Good luck and again, my sincere condolences. Jaybird
It's probably too late now, but If it happens again you might consider an autopsy. The symptoms you describe are too vague for any diagnosis. Even rabies might do that
Round up has arsinic (sp) in it...it can kill animals if they ingest weeds with it on them. It can also be absorbed through the skin. I would think that the foaming would indicate poison but I am with GeorgeK, The symptoms you describe are too vague for any real diagnosis. I would talk to neighbor and let him know what happened and what you think, he may have not even thought about it much at all befor he sprayed it. Good luck and sorry for your loss. Belinda
Talked to the neighbor and he says he didn't spray roundup on the section of fence that borders my pasture, but I know he did I saw him. The goats are such big babies they go running to anybody at the fence. So if he was up there spraying roundup and they ran to him, huh? It's so weird, Haven't had any more goats seem sick or die since I moved them back over here and it's been almost a week.
