# Foaming at the mouth



## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

My juvenile Nubian wether (6 months old) sometimes foams at the mouth...wierd! He doesn't seem to be in distress (although the first time it happened I hastily drenched him with MOM). He walks around chewing cud, apparently totally fine! It seems to happen only in his paddock, which he shares with our buck. The buck is not affected. The pen is pretty devoid of ground vegetation at this time, but has yaupon, pine, hickory and oak. None of my other goats have ever had a problem in this paddock. My only thought is perhaps he's sometimes rummaging/nibbling in the older hay on the ground (which I leave for mud/dust control) and getting a little mold and, given his smaller size, this may be impacting him but not his daddy. Any thoughts? Thanks!


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

Do you have a salt lick? Several of mine get foamy mouthed after extended sessions licking salt. Just a thought


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

elchivito said:


> Do you have a salt lick? Several of mine get foamy mouthed after extended sessions licking salt. Just a thought


Good thought but no -- no salt lick. I do keep loose minerals out for them, but they are rusty in color and I can always tell when the goats have been eating them as their lips have the tell-tale "rust" residue. I haven't noticed that with him within the time-frame of the foaming mouth.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Clover?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Toads?

What kinds of plants are they exposed to?

Is he acting in duress at all? 
Any bloating?


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

ksalvagno said:


> Clover?


nope...no clover or other legumes (sadly!). Really nothing much growing at "grazing" level in there right now.



toth boer goats said:


> Toads? What kinds of plants are they exposed to? Is she acting in duress at all? Any bloating?


-->>Toads... now there's a thought. I do have the occasional toad. Would it be that perhaps the toad is excreting onto the hay and the wether is getting it thru the hay?

As for duress or bloat -- nothing. Honestly, he acts and looks perfectly normal...if you discount that he looks like the little boy who got into daddy's shaving cream!

Plants...in the paddock there is the occasional sprig of grass, but not much. Between the buck and him, and the dogs, it's pretty bare. There are yaupon (a form of native holly that grows up to look something like a crepe myrtle and it is one of their favorite foods). There's also pine, a couple of types of oak and hickory. That's pretty much it. I built this pen for my buck a little over a year ago, and put the baby in with daddy when I weaned him about 3 months ago. It's not unusual during "nobody's trying to breed" months for me to allow the girls in there as well...actually I just open all the gates and let them roam as they choose. NEVER a problem except every couple of weeks with this little guy.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I have an older Alpine (sundgau) doe- foams continually as she chews her cud. I can tell where she has been by the amount of foam left behind. She milks well, eats, poops, etc. She breeds well, has healthy sundgau kids, doesn't have after birthing trouble. She has foamed since she was a kid. So, for 5 yrs. she has been a foamer. She isn't wormy, bloaty, etc. Some goats just foam. (and she isn't on pasture).


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

Goats Rock said:


> I have an older Alpine (sundgau) doe- foams continually as she chews her cud. I can tell where she has been by the amount of foam left behind. She milks well, eats, poops, etc. She breeds well, has healthy sundgau kids, doesn't have after birthing trouble. She has foamed since she was a kid. So, for 5 yrs. she has been a foamer. She isn't wormy, bloaty, etc. Some goats just foam. (and she isn't on pasture).


That's good -- a "foamer" LOL OK...I'll just keep an eye on him and not worry. Thanks, everybody, for weighing in! Ya'll are great!!!


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

My LaManchas are mild foamers when chewing cud. I haven't worried about it because they've had no distress at all.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Did he just start this foaming and is he still foaming now?

If not, it could be he mouthed a toad. 

Everything else sounds good and normal.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Maybe a bad tooth ?


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

it's usually of short duration...three have been 3-4 incidents in the past 3 months, and I can't recall one that lasted more than a day. All in all he's bright-eyed, energetic, and Nubianically vocal! Silly boy!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hmm, strange, he is getting a hold of something that is making him foam up. 

If it goes away that is good.

Have you checked inside his mouth at all when he is foamy? But be very careful not to get bit by accident.


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

toth boer goats said:


> Hmm, strange, he is getting a hold of something that is making him foam up.
> 
> If it goes away that is good.
> 
> Have you checked inside his mouth at all when he is foamy? But be very careful not to get bit by accident.


I agree...he has to be getting something in small amounts that is not affecting his paddock companion (my buck). No I haven't thought to sweep his mouth...usually he looks like he's chewing cud when he foams up. The most likely suspect I've been able to identify is probably mold from the residue of a round bale I had in there last spring. I'm going to clean that out as soon as I can...this week unless we get the rains they're predicting from the incoming Gulf storm... Thanks!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yeah, get that moldy hay out, not good if he is eating some here and there.

If he is not foaming now and acting OK, just keep an eye on him.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

My doe used to foam every time she ate grain/alfalfa pellets as a kid up to about a year old...now she doesn't :shrug:


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## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

NyGoatMom said:


> My doe used to foam every time she ate grain/alfalfa pellets as a kid up to about a year old...now she doesn't :shrug:


Maybe it's "something" he'll outgrow as well! I did notice his mama with a small line of foam today...she was free-ranging, chewing cud, doing fine... I'd never noticed it in her before today, but maybe there's a family thing going on! LOL She had not been in the boy's pen (near the old hay). Just too weird. I still need to clean out that old hay ...Spent the day winterizing shelters in anticipation of tomorrow's storm. Cleaning the hay is next on the list!


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## Mountainfarms (Feb 3, 2015)

We have a foamer, only when i put out the feed bowl. she gets excited and gulps to quick. then she starts slinging cud and foam everywhere . just figure shes over anxious . but seems very healthy otherwise.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Mountainfarms said:


> We have a foamer, only when i put out the feed bowl. she gets excited and gulps to quick. then she starts slinging cud and foam everywhere . just figure shes over anxious . but seems very healthy otherwise.


Thats usually how choke starts.....i have one doe that has had choke three times....and what you've described are the first signs she is having trouble.
I don't let her rush into the grain anymore so i can avoid anymore episodes....
Its never fun..


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