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Hello, usually I'd introduce myself, but I got to try to save my goat first, and I hope that experienced people like you will throw in some good advice because I'm honestly at a loss.
Diving Right In
I had an alpine doe die... (One of the first and last deaths I had in a long time) I think she was around two or three, and it was something we have never seen before. She started looking off a week prier; it didn't look too bad, she just wasn't eating enough, a little lethargic. Next day, I noticed coughing, and chunks of cud coming out with every other cough. When she peed it was obvious that her back legs were weak because they almost collapsed from under her. Two days later, she started to get bloat.
Now we didn't stand around and do nothing; I did a lot of research (Not that I found anything) then we encouraged her to walk. Constantly massaged. We gave her shots of B (I think; this was quite awile ago mind you) and waited the night out. She was worse in the morning. Every time she peed her legs collapsed; and after awile she gave up and peed on herself. We tried to lift her up but with little avail. The bloat was very prominent by now and so we went ahead and tubed her. Gave her another boost shot; but nothing changed. I remember before she died, she ate a little tiny bit of alfalfa. We thought this was a good sign.
In The Now
Three years later her baby (Probable coincidence.) Is showing the beginning signs of the same thing.
Does anyone know what it could be? I need help
and I need it fast!
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Yikes. Have you consulted a vet? Sounds to me like you need to find one ASAP.
What is her temperature? Have you had a fecal done to check for worms? Sorry I'm not much help, but I really think you need to find a decent vet who can help you. I had a doe coughing up cud last April and we think it was poisoning (although we've never found out what she ate that made her sick). I took her to the vet and they tubed her with oil and charcoal and she was fine by next day.
The goat needs to go to the Vet. Pure and simple.
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Vet but if thats not an option try to post on the goatspot forum. They have many more breeders and people with multiple animal experience.
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The website Dave refers to is
www.thegoatspot.net/forum
What worries me is that this seems like something that a person should not wait for an answer for. I hope something is done.
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Get her to a vet ASAP! Everyone has opinions on the goatspot forum but you need the vet's opinion NOW!
Goatberries Happen!
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To tell you honestly? She's doing a lot better; we realized it wasn't the same thing for she hasn't gotten bloat and she's not coughing up cud. (anymore) Fable's (Her name) temperature is at a 104 degrees though... We think it might be pneumonia because of our weather. (Hot, cold, Hot, cold) She also had white mucus coming from her nose this morning (Only this morning) and her breathing is a tiny bit labored. (Weak legs though? How does this add up? Weak because of pneumonia?) We injected her with penicillin, banamine, and gave her vitamin B complex orally. We also gave her electrolytes in her water.
And I'm sorry guys. I'd really, honestly, love to contact a vet, however, we have absolutely NO goat experienced vets up here. In fact, we had to contact a HORSE vet to help a doe during labor. (One of the most awful experiences in my life. The doe almost died and the three kids didn't survive. Then the vet demanded a huge price...) Anywho; I'm not terribly fond of the thought of doing that again nor of the thought of driving 300 somethin' miles with a goat that is sick and can be easily stressed out with the drive itself.
Thank you for the advice though! I really appreciate it.
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07-11-2014, 06:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-11-2014, 06:18 PM by Dave-Trinity-Farms.)
I hear you Reckless and I figured with as much personal research you were trying to do yourself, a vet might not be a possibility. We went 8 years here without a vet that would look at goats. You would call one, they would say we dont see goats but try this next vet. Call that one and that vet would say the same thing and tell you to try the vet you had just talked to who told you to talk to this one. And then there is the vet that doesnt have a clue about goats... so dangerous. They often mess things up worse.
Talked to my other half and she had this to say
Penicillin isnt going to do much. You need LA 200 or even better/ best Nuflur. These are stronger and faster acting antibiotics. And you will need to give it to her for 3 shots total, 1 every other day for the Nuflur. One time with the penicillin isnt even close to enough. Thats a 10-14 day ordeal but it really doesnt do anything for pneumonia. It does sound like it could be pneumonia but it could be brought on by low blood mineral levels. What kind of loose mineral are you using. The weak muscle could be white muscle disease (deficient in selenium and vit E.) If she is deficient, that could make her more likely to catch other illnesses and opens her up to parasites.
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Exactly. I'm so glad I'm not the only one with vet issues; or more accurate, vets with issues.
And yes; she is deficient in minerals. (Our bad: Feel absolutely horrid about it) We found out last night that goats need certain minerals to keep from getting sick easy and have the nutrients they need... I guess our six years of breeding goats was pretty lucky, we had no idea. Today we got sweet-lix or somethin' like that. It has many of the minerals that she requires.
Anyway, we weren't going to only do one dosage of penicillin, but it's good to know Nuflur is better. Where would you get that?
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