# Starved goat



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

So the owner of my goat Poppys twin sister, went on vacation for 3 weeks (does that make us goat in laws?). She left pellets and other feed for her two goats.

When she got back, they had not fed the goats anything, and the one died yesterday. I went and picked up Gretel today. They had some forage, but not enough to sustain life. Also, they threw a styrofoam cooler into the pen which was partially consumed.

My friend and the person who gave Gretel to me is just beside herself with grief. She thought she had hired a good pet sitter and had everything lined up correctly.

She's fairly alert, though shaky. Eye membranes not too bad. Pooping, peeing.

I gave her a very small handful of alfalfa pellets (she's a full sized diary goat but probably at 50% to 75% of where her weight should be). I put her in a pen with grass hay and water.

I gave her probios, and b complex.

Otherwise, it looks like she could have a slight case of hair mites (a little missing hair on her necka and the tips of her ears are a bit bumpy feeling).

I think goathiker posted something about the danger of feeding a starved goat too much too quick.

Any suggestions for a plan of action?


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Browse seems to be safe in any situation--can you hang some branches on the fence in her pen? Thanks for rescuing the poor thing--she must be very traumatized.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Small feedings of alfalfa many times a day is perfect. 
Grass hay and browse use too much energy to digest. A truly starved goat will use up their vitamin reserves trying to digest these rough high sugar foods.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Awe, she's cute.... She'll do well at your place...


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

goathiker said:


> Small feedings of alfalfa many times a day is perfect.
> Grass hay and browse use too much energy to digest. A truly starved goat will use up their vitamin reserves trying to digest these rough high sugar foods.


Ok good to know. I will start her on small multiple feeding of alfalfa. I was worried about doing too rich to quick.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

She was still alive this morning just now at dawn. I gave her some alfalfa pellets but she kind of picked at them. I mean she ate some, but not a lot.

I'm wondering, other than vit b complex (which I'm doing) and probios (which I'm also doing) can I do to increase her appetite?


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

I hope she makes it! She doesn't look too bad in the photo, but maybe that's just her thick Saanen coat. 

I wonder if alfalfa hay would be easier for her to eat than the pellets. I know it's insanely expensive and pretty crappy here, but as a temporary thing, maybe... Mine have gone nuts the few times I've bought it for them. 

I have to cut albizia today; I'll drop a few branches outside your gate. The leaves are so soft and not super-fibrous, while being very nutritious. That was the staple that brought my Nubians back to health, though they were in a different situation; long-term moderate starvation vs short-term severe starvation. They always had good appetites, thankfully, but they were very weak, walking slow, stumbling on rough ground, etc when I got them. 

How long has it been since her owners got back and started feeding her again? Kinda seems like she should be past the crisis time where her rumen would be shutting down, right? I don't know a ton about starvation in goats, though. I was probably just lucky that mine survived.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

lilaalil said:


> I hope she makes it! She doesn't look too bad in the photo, but maybe that's just her thick Saanen coat.
> 
> I wonder if alfalfa hay would be easier for her to eat than the pellets. I know it's insanely expensive and pretty crappy here, but as a temporary thing, maybe... Mine have gone nuts the few times I've bought it for them.
> 
> ...


I think they got back three or four days ago? I'm trying to think, she messaged me as soon as they got back and asked me to take her but I couldn't get over there till yesterday. I think she messaged me Saturday night? The trembling has me worried. She just might not like alfalfa pellets I guess. She's picking at the timothy hay.

Thanks for the offer of albezia, I hope she will eat it. I bet she would, I've yet to meet a goat that didn't love it.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

What beautiful face markings. I so hope she pulls through this, she looks like a lovely animal. Her thick coat really is hiding her poor body condition! But is it possible her companion died of something other than starvation? (parasites? pneumonia?)

Have you checked her rectal temperature to rule out fever contributing to the shaking/trembling?

I think both low blood sugar and low calcium could cause the trembling but I hate to recommend either as another burden on her body to process!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

SalteyLove said:


> What beautiful face markings. I so hope she pulls through this, she looks like a lovely animal. Her thick coat really is hiding her poor body condition! But is it possible her companion died of something other than starvation? (parasites? pneumonia?)
> 
> Have you checked her rectal temperature to rule out fever contributing to the shaking/trembling?
> 
> I think both low blood sugar and low calcium could cause the trembling but I hate to recommend either as another burden on her body to process!


I have not gotten a temp (I will do that) but its not that kind of shaking I don't think. Its a weird head tremble. Hard to explain, does seem a bit better after her b injections.... Weird. She's totally not into the alfalfa but she did like the sweet potato greens I brought her. So I'll keep that up and keep trying the alfalfa.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Maybe try some yeast or dark beer.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> Maybe try some yeast or dark beer.


I'm gonna grab a beer in the morning for her. She doesn't want alfalfa pellets or alfalfa hay. She will nibble at albezia and sweet potato green, and carrots. UGH. She likes the timothy hay more than anything else.


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

My Saanen from Hamakua didn't much care for albizia at first, had to get used to it. I figured maybe she'd never seen it before.

Please keep us posted. I hope she recovers!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

lilaalil said:


> My Saanen from Hamakua didn't much care for albizia at first, had to get used to it. I figured maybe she'd never seen it before.
> 
> Please keep us posted. I hope she recovers!


Whooo hooo! Today she was very interested in her albizia! But still not really interested in anything else "dry". So I'm gathering her guava leaves (I remember you telling me they were pretty close to alfalfa), sweet potato greens, etc.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

> Its a weird head tremble. Hard to explain, does seem a bit better after her b injections.


 Could be battling Polio due to near starvation...bodies cant make B1 with out proper foods...Might do B complex 2 times a day for now...
I would also Make her a GI soother 
1 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, ginger, cinnamon, acv and molasses in enough water to make 20-30 cc and drench. can be done a few times a day for several days...
also Carrot, celery and garlic juice is good food. use equal parts carrot and celery, then add a few cloves of garlic.

best wishes


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

I'm glad she is eating  I will probably cut some more forage tomorrow; if so, I'll drop off a bit more for her.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

So, how is she doing Dayna?


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

She seems to be doing better. Has an appetite. I have a good feeling. The first couple days I wasn't sure she would make it


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Sounds like you're doing a wonderful job & giving her lots of love & attention! Do you think she would eat a little of the sweet potato tuber if you cut it up?


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Great job Dayna!! Good to hear


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good work.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I just wanted to update. She's doing really well!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That's great! She sure is cute!


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

Look at her sweet face. You do such a wonderful job with your goat rehab projects.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Good job Dana!!!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

The person (s) that starved her should go without food. You are doing a great job!


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

I'm so glad! She looks very sweet.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

Great job!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sweet girl. 

Bless you for helping her.


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