Aspiration Pneumonia - Hope?

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

So I have a little 7 week old buckling and he has confirmed Aspiration Pneumonia. X-rays showed some consolidation in the cranioventral field. As many of you know the prognosis is poor to none and I'm just seeking if anyone has had any success with such a young kid pulling through. Is there any hope?
He is bright alert, active and happy. Wants to eat all the time. You almost wouldn't know since I started him on two antibiotics, along with thiamine, and a half dose of banamine every 24 hours when his fever returns (not ideal, but dvm suggested as which risk is greater). 
But the overall cause may be an abnormal swallowing response, and I can't get him to drink from a pan instead of a bottle (as there suggestion too, trying to keep him from continued aspiration). 
Any suggestions? Experience? 
I love this little goat, I don't mean to pick favorites but he means so much to me. His name is Rafiki, it means best friend in swahili. 
Herd tested neg for CAE,CL,Johnes, and utd vx, including pasteurella. If nothing else send some love to a little goat named Rafiki. <3
[img]IMG_20170415_000236 by Kataya Uren, on Flickr[/img]

[Nanno]

I'm so sorry about your little cutie. Unfortunately I have no advice on this issue, but I always believe that where there's life there's hope. Sounds like you're doing everything you can. I hope he pulls through for you.

[Charlie Horse]

Jeez. That guy is cute! He needs to pull out of this. I have no idea what to do though. Havent heard of this problem. I'm sending good vibes though!

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Call me crazy but he loved his nebulizer session.
Thank you guys for the positive thoughts.
[img]IMG_20170417_215547 by Kataya Uren, on Flickr[/img]

[Charlie Horse]

Nothing makes you bond with an animal like nursing them back to health!

[IdahoNancy]

I had a 12 week Ober who got an aspiration pneumonia. Being a new goat owner by the time I got him to the vet his respiration were extremely fast with a high fever. They said they had to "revive" him after the chest xray. The xray had both lungs completely full with a very small sliver where air was being exchange.
He could never drink right from a bottle. He was always choking and coughing. I was sure he was going to die as he could barely move. We did 2 different injectable antibiotics, another medication to take the water off his lung and make him pee. At the point I thought he was not going to make it I crushed about 6 aspirins and syringe fed them. I did not know about bantamine back then and apparently neither did the vet. It was the 4th of July and I brought him to the emergency pet vet. Not exactly goat specialists. My mobile vet did eventually called me back and confirmed the antibiotics we had were good. I continued to slowly syringe feed him the goat electrolytes.
About an hour after the medications he lifted his head and soon he was eating and drinking. That was nine years ago. Cruz is a 225 38 inch tall Oberpacker who love to be on trail. We were never sure how his lungs would be but he hike as well at 10,000 foot elevation as any of us do. Don't give up hope until he does. They are amazing animals and often will surprise us.

[Charlie Horse]

Well there's your hope for you right there!

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Thank you so much for sharing Idaho Nancy! I needed to hear that it is possible!
I guess right now we are in the gray zone, not getting worst, and not obviously getting better. I'm crossing my fingers his fever stays away, I hate using banamine for so many days in a row (day 4), especially on such a tiny guy.
Our routine is now only 6 oz of milk at a time, a tiny bottle and the tiniest of holes in the nipple, plus I only allow him access to feed for 1 second at a time, then I make him stop and swallow. It's extremely time consuming, one tiny bottle takes about 20-30 minutes to finish, but he hasn't obviously aspirated since I started this "bottle dance" yesterday afternoon. At this rate he will need 6 bottles/day.
Some people have suggested I look into weaning him early, the vet hesitantly mentioned it as well. Being 7 weeks old its far younger than I'd like, but I truly don't think he will ever drink from a bottle correctly. I've started introducing calf manna per suggestion as additional nutrient replacements.
Any thoughts? I even tried feeding from a pan, he puts his nose up and flips the bowl with his hoof little stinker.

[IdahoNancy]

I'd nail the bowl to the wall before I weaned him. Put him in a sturdy box with his head out and a bowl of milk in front of him. Kind of like a mini stanchion and sit down with a good book for a few minutes. Good luck.

[GoldenTreePackGoats]

Haha, I will let you know how that goes!