# Thin doe is anemic.



## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

:help: My oldest ND doe which I mouthed her at 5+ years is thin and anemic. She really has never been able to gain weight so I started giving her Dumor Pelleted and beet pulp. She eats and acts normal. All of my goats get free choice orchard grass/alfalfa hay, free choice loose minerals, and free choice alfalfa pellets. I checked all of them today and all are pink and she is the only one with white lids. We do not have access to a goat vet. In the mean time for immediate care I gave her 3cc of Ivomec injectable orally and I can give her more if needed. She weighs about 70-80 lbs. 3cc of red cell. Im not sure how much red cell to give her so I started with that. I will continue with that until I see her pink up. I will dose her again with the Ivomec in 7 days. I am going to look for an inexpensive fecal test kit and scope online. But for now this is all I could do. If there is other info you could give me by all means I want to know .


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

not sure about how much red cell.. :scratch: ....sounds like.. you gave her the right amount of Ivomac..... and treating her 7 to 10 days later is good...

Other things that come to mind is .. cocci...adults may not show scours ...but may loose weight for no apparent reason ...even when feeding them well.....also she may have tapes....we don't know... the exact cause.... without a fecal test....but these things come to mind.... :hug: I will pray for your doe ray:


----------



## jaytori220 (Mar 24, 2009)

Thanks TBG. I am definatly looking into getting a microscope and test kit. Ive been looking on Ebay and I prefer the cheapest I can get that will do the job. What should I look into?


----------



## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

If you rule out cocci. Lice would be my next guess. sometimes you dont see the bugs but they can suck an animal dry. To the point she wont gain weight and her membranes are pale. Another wormer you could try is cydectin. Its a por on and pretty pricey but it works great for lice. If you know someone you can slipt the cost with that would help. Also ivermectin pour on will get lice. If you know any cattle farmers in your area thatsa good start.
You may also be able to get a small amount from your vet.
beth


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Determining the cause of the anemia and its companion symptom bottle jaw
is the first step. The best field indicator of anemia is a high FAMACHA
score (4 to 5). Have fecal s done by a qualified vet or veterinary
technician to determine the causative agent and level of infection.
Note: The presence of liver flukes cannot be detected by a normal fecal
test; a fecal sedimentation test is necessary. Choose a dewormer
appropriate for the problem and treat the goat. * Do not deworm the goat
over and over and over again. Over-deworming can stress the goat even
more than it is already stressed. Deworm, wait a week, and have fecal
counts done. If worms are still present, encysted worms have likely
hatched, so deworm again with appropriate dosage.*

Producers who expect the anemic goat to be well quickly after deworming
will be disappointed, because they've taken only the first step
towards restoring the goat to good health. Daily injections of Vitamin
B 12 given IM (into the muscle) and weekly oral dosing of Red Cell iron
supplement or injectable iron for a minimum of two weeks are important
supportive therapies. Vitamin B 12 is an injectable red liquid which
must be obtained through a vet's prescription. Red Cell is an
orally-dosed over-the-counter equine product. Ferrodex 100 and Dextran
iron injectables are available OTC in most states. While it is
possible to overdose a goat with iron (and copper), this probably won't
happen even with daily dosing (except in kids) because rebuilding
red blood cells occurs slowly. However, it is best to err on the side
of safety and dose the iron daily for a few days and then weekly
thereafter. Geritol is not recommended as an oral iron supplement for
goats because it contains alcohol. Giving vitamin B 12 injections
daily is safe because all of the B vitamins are water soluble -- what
the goat doesn't use, it eliminates from its body in urine. A healthy
rumen produces its own B vitamins daily. An anemic goat is obviously
not a healthy goat. Estimated dosing for Vitamin B 12 is 4 cc per 100
pounds bodyweight; for Red Cell, 6 cc per 100 pounds body weight; for
injectable Ferrodex 100, 4 cc per 100 pounds body weight. Producers
should monitor the goat's reaction to these iron products, some of which
may also contain copper, and adjust frequency and amount of dosages
accordingly.
Offer the goat green leaves, alfalfa hay, and high protein pelleted goat
feed to help rebuild red blood cells. Keep in mind that anemia results
from a massive decrease in protein caused by the loss of red blood cells
to blood-sucking internal parasites. Recovery from anemia can take
weeks and sometimes months. Goats lose weight very fast and put it
back on very slowly. Gain that is too rapid will be deposited as
layers of fat around internal organs, so slow and steady re-gain of
weight by a recovering goat is best.

Other sources of anemia may come from external parasites such as
blood-sucking lice, ticks, and fleas. However, the blood loss from
external parasites pales in comparison to that lost from internal


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I use Ivermectin at a rate of 1cc per 20lbs orally so you may want to give a little extra to cover the fact that she is over 60lbs -- under dosing can be just as bad as not dosing. 

cocci is also a possibility -- adult goats rarely get diarrhea but they will loose muscle mass


----------

