# 3 week old kid with sticky, black poop?



## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

I have a 3 1/2 week old kid who up until tonight was the picture of health. When I went down to feed his mom for the night and lock everyone up, I noticed that he has some sticky black poop stuck to the fur on his leg and around his anus. He didn't have an active case of diarrhea when I was out there, and what was stuck in his fur was not very wet and didn't smell out of the ordinary. It reminded me of tar, which I'm pretty sure isn't normal at this age. He seems to be feeling fine, and I saw him nursing and playing around earlier this evening. 
Does this sound like something any of you have seen in your herds? If so, what was the cause and how did you treat it? In any other species I'd probably just wait and see how he's doing in the morning since he's not currently losing fluids, but I know with goats they can go down hill very quickly. Thank you for your help!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

He is ripe age for cocci and cocci can cause black poo...is he on preventive? if not I would begin now...


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

That is exactly what my doeling had this year, and she did go downhill quickly. Vet told me to give electrolytes, no nursing. If he won't take a bottle, syringe it into his mouth. Give cocci meds. Dehydration is the biggest danger. Black tarry stools means intestinal bleeding, in most species. 

Good luck, and hope he recovers well.


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

Thank you for the responses! Just a quick update before I go put everyone to bed...
I had Sulmet for my chickens, so as soon as I read your replies I went out and gave him his first dose. I gave his second dose today, and I'm happy to report that he's back to his normal bouncy, crazy self. He had been pretty sluggish over the weekend and in retrospect it was the cocci, but I originally thought it was because of the heat wave we've been having.
I now have another question to ask... The baby is new to our farm and is currently in quarantine with his mom, and grandma who is very heavily pregnant (due any day now). Should I be treating mom and grandma for cocci too, or can I wait until after grandma kids? They've had a stressful couple of weeks with the move here, hooves being trimmed (they were ghastly), and getting all their shots. I don't want to do anything that could harm the 20 kids grandma *seems* to be carrying. What would you all do? 
Also, both mom and grandma are incredibly skiddish, and any time I catch them it is very stressful for them. (They've come a long way in the 2 weeks I've had them, but we're just not there yet.) Normally I dose with the sulmet orally in a syringe, but if I need to go ahead and treat mom and grandma now I'm wondering if I can add it to their water with some molasses or electrolyte powder to mask the taste. Any thoughts on that?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Glad he is doing better : ) On moms....Might have a fecal done to see if its even needed...and if so unless its a bad case I would wait until she kids....if a fecal is out of the question, I would wait until she kids..then begin treatment..and I would also give undiluted dose...mixing in water may not get them what they need if they would even drink it...


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

*I need help!*

I finished the 5 day treatment with Sulmet on Thursday and the buckling was doing fine. This morning I went out to feed and he has very smelly, light brown diarrhea. I don't see any solids in it. The only thing that is different is that yesterday I saw him nursing from his grandma, who is about to kid. Could getting the colostrum do this or should I be looking for other causes?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Yes. Keep him away from her. Her kids need the colostrum.


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> Yes. Keep him away from her. Her kids need the colostrum.


Ksalvagno, I should start paying you a salary.  
I already removed grandma last night. I saw the kid nurse on her 2 times before I had her new pen ready, but it could have been happening all day while I was at work. I took grandma out at around 9:00 last night. The last time I checked on the baby was 11:00 and he was fine at that point.

So the diarrhea is probably just because he got the colostrum he wasn't supposed to get yesterday? If that is the case, should I just clean him up and keep an eye on him? Or give him electrolytes, or some other medicine?


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> Yes. Keep him away from her. Her kids need the colostrum.


Ksalvagno, I should start paying you a salary.  
I already removed grandma last night. I saw the kid nurse on her 2 times before I had her new pen ready, but it could have been happening all day while I was at work. I took grandma out at around 9:00 last night. The last time I checked on the baby was 11:00 and he was fine at that point.

So the diarrhea is probably just because he got the colostrum he wasn't supposed to get yesterday? If that is the case, should I just clean him up and keep an eye on him? Or give him electrolytes, or some other medicine?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would clean him up and watch him for today.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All good advice given.


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## chandysiegman (Jun 22, 2016)

I have 3 with black sticky poo and they have all had their first dose of baycox last week. I am giving electrolytes. What could it be getting a fecal is out of question until next week when the mobile vet can come out. I have ivomec and safeguard liquid and ivermebtin paste on hand  thanks


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

How much baycox per weight did you give? Any change in diet? What is their temp?


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## chandysiegman (Jun 22, 2016)

5 cc per 10 pounds and they have started eating pasture grass


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The dosage is 1cc per 5 lbs. The overdose may have caused the problem.


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## chandysiegman (Jun 22, 2016)

Hubby says I am wrong and we did 1 per 5 but he thinks we underdosed if they were close to the next 5 lb mark would under dosing cause then to not all die if they had them? The poop once it comes out before it dries on heir legs is almost a green bit super dark


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Dose is indeed 1 cc per 5# and over doing the drug can lead to scours..


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Underdosing can be a problem too. So the sticky dark poo is now green?


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## chandysiegman (Jun 22, 2016)

When it comes out it is green it looks black on the goats hair but he went in front of me and it is green I did scour halt can I do another dose of baycox of scour halt doesn't clear it up?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like you have been doing a lot of treating. I would work on their rumen. I would do probiotics daily.


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Some people mail in their own fecals & I think it's cheaper. I think jaimn knows the address.


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