Help! Lost.2.Goats.to.Severe Diahrea, 3rd in Jepardy

[blackie's maiden]

Not that i know of, Nan.

[blackie's maiden]

Blackie (and Sprite) are home. His backend still really wabbly with tendancy of one back foot to fold under. We kept the two in the yard around the house so he couldn't wander to bottom of pasture and collapse. Grass is much better and longer in here too. He has no interest in his pellets which surprised me after all this time. Vet was on a ranch call so we.didn't even get to talk to him yet. No meds sent home with him. His assistant said they had stopped all meds two days ago. I asked about goat polio. She said no, it was not that but had no diagnosis to offer. We will probably put him and Sprite into horse trailer tonight to limit his travel distance and protect him from coyotes should he not be able to keep up with the herd or get left behind. I know now for sure he could not have survived without being left at the vet's. So strange, the two we got our wierd made-up concoction down stopped their severe diahrea and never went down. But he and one other female we treated were already down and it had no impact. That female died. Soooo glad we didn't lose him. No further problems with herd but vet gave us shots to give all whether symptoms or not, and we did. Still have no idea at all what it was or how to prevent in future.

[Nanno]

So strange! Sounds like you've got a good plan for nursing Blackie back to health. I hope he makes a full recovery in the very near future. You're wise to keep an eye out for polio. Stress can sometimes bring it on so even if he doesn't have it now, it's good to be on the lookout in case he starts showing strange neurological symptoms. What a crazy sickness! I hope the worst is behind you.

[blackie's maiden]

That is what made me think polio because i would call it "strange neurological symptoms" from his hips down. He is "hocked in" really bad as well as still walking with one foot folded under. He walks like a deer that's been shot and about to go down. His eyes still look really bad too. I don't think we are anywhere close to recovery or "out of the woods" yet.

[Charlie Horse]

It seems like the vet should at least know the category of the problem by now. Sheesh.

[blackie's maiden]

Well, vets in this area aren't very goat savvy tho this one has been far better than others we've tried. He said "probably some wierd unidentified virus going around." Oh,well. Blackie doinv much better, less wabble and almost using legs normally

[Nanno]

I'm glad Blackie is continuing to improve!

[blackie's maiden]

Been a while. His backend still not right. Still walks hocked-in and looks like he lost a lot of backend and leg muscle. Not sure he will recover enough to pack again.

[Nanno]

I'm sorry Blackie is still weak in the hind end. However, it's much too soon to question whether he'll pack again. I thought old Cuzco might never pack again after his run-in with coyotes. He was already 10 years old and that attack took a huge toll on his lungs and legs (I found him almost 3 miles from home and he'd probably run there at top speed). He had to take things slow for a few months, but a year later he was on a steep, hot trail in Idaho carrying a 30-lb. pack, physically dragging a reluctant 120 lb. yearling, and still outpacing goats half his age at the Rendezvous. And that was after 2 full days riding in the trailer with just one night of recovery time. He impressed everyone (including me) on that trip! I hope Blackie makes a similar recovery.

[blackie's maiden]

Thanks for encouraging words. We are hoping.