Pacific Crest Trail

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Holy crap!
Friday morning we left to do our first overnight with Huck, Yukon, and Pluto but life had a different idea. In hindsight I look back and see Yukon having more attitude than normal as maybe not feeling good, but at the time it was so slight and pretty unrecognizable. So we set off to hike up Johnson Creek to Medra pass until Yukon had a respiratory event 3 miles in and collapsed. We still aren't sure what or why but we hiked back down and everything with everyone appeared to be normal besides the fact no one wanted to drink any water from the creek or collapsible bucket. I put them on a low line the grazed on the grass and were quiet through the night. First thing in the morning Yukon had his back to us, wasn't responsive, and had a temp of 105.8. We packed up and headed to the nearest vet (Ellensburg Veterinary Hospital) where he was given a liter of IV fluids, banamine, antibiotics. I was also told that he potentially has an underlying respiratory disease similar to COPD and may not make a pack goat. Shattering news.

We decided the responsible thing to do was head home but when we got home and unloaded everyone, Yukon and Huck had declined and we had to pick them up to get them moving. Once again we loaded them back up and headed to Pilchuck ER for some diagnostics and treatments. They were tubed with a couple liters of water with electrolytes and otherwise told to go home since their blood was relatively normal.

So we went home, and their temps spiked to the 106-107 range, and at this point one of my does started to show similar symptoms with a temp of 105.8.

After contacting a vet after hours she told me that temps this high and consistent are usually viral and that I should treat my entire herd with antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection but that I will have to let it run its course. We took one hour shifts all night and temped everyone, any one who was over 104 got cold hosed until they were below 103.4F. I was instructed by the vet that based on the information and symptoms they have, desperate times call for desperate measures and to give banamine IV every 6 hours as fever persists. And the last instruction was to pray.

The vet will be coming by today, and hopefully get a culture so we can see what we are dealing with but after a full 2 days, finishing up our 72 hours those infected aren't any better.

*** Information following this event can be found on a thread in the health section posted in the link below, it further discusses diagnostic testing, treatments, and other goat people's experiences and thoughts.
http://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/sh...p?tid=2245

Rest in Paradise Yukon, my forever number 1. Our adventures together were too few, but we will carry your spirit into the journey ahead. 
[img]IMG_20170320_005546_690 by Kataya Uren, on Flickr[/img]
[img]original_d7f80608-a5e6-47f5-86c4-c7f6c34cf1bb_IMG_20170603_164943 by Kataya Uren, on Flickr[/img]
[img]IMG_20170709_123656 by Kataya Uren, on Flickr[/img]