# kids with arched backs



## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I have (had) two kids that have had arched backs since they were born. They are twins born on Jan 22. They appear totally normal, they eat normal, they are the size of all the other kids born at the same time, but their backs are just arched upwards. Basically it looks like you take a normal goat and move their feet together causing the back to arch upwards. These two kids were very slow to stand and walk. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to get them on their feet when they were born. All my others are on their feet within minutes. They have been normal kids since. 

The reason this is now a question is that one of them died yesterday morning. It looked and acted normal the evening before (with the exception of the back being arched up). 

I was out of town and the wife and kids were taking care of the goats. We had about 3 inches of snow on Friday and it was a slushy muddy mess around the barn. They have three pens in the barn that had heat lamps, but it was so cold the donkey got in there and leaned on them all breaking them. I don't know if this kid just got too cold, wet, and muddy or if something related to the arched back killed him. 

So my main question is this: Is there any type of illness that would cause a goat to arch it's back?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Arched back can be many things such as too cold or constipated. Sorry this happened.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Get a fecal for worms and cocci, check the inner lower eyelid coloring and gums.

Were they started on creep feed?

Get a temp in case.

Feel the belly and make sure it is full.

Check momma's udder and milk is it OK?

Do they have good shelter, bedding, draft free?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

If they have had it since they were born my guess is not enough to eat. When you check moms bag don't just.check to see if milk.simply comes out make sure your getting a good amount. You can also attempt to make a bottle up, this long they might refuse but if they latch on you know for sure


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

These kids have been eating feed and hay since they were about 4 weeks old. They have always had a lot of milk. We checked the udders and they produce. The belly is always full. They aren't constipated, normal goat berries. I haven't checked the eyelids in a week, but last week they were the brightest pink I have ever seen. 

They are in a 5 acre hay field that is attached to a barn. I converted the side of the barn where people usually keep tractors into goat pens. 2x12s on the sides up to 4 feet high and cattle panels on front. The top, back, and ends are barn tin. They are draft free and dry, but they are allowed free access to the field ( I keep the doors open). I have several dog igloos and cut in half barrels for them to use as shelter. Each of the three pens have a 250W heat lamp 3 feet off of the ground in the corner of the pen. 

I will check eyes and temp tonight on the other one. She act normal, I just want to be safe. Hopefully just cold and wet got the other one. 

How do you collect a sample for a fecal? Is there a time frame to get the sample and get it to the vet?


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## frenchELMfarms (Dec 8, 2014)

I have been told that an arched back is a sign that the goat could be in pain in their abdomen. So parasite load maybe? Have you had fecals done? To do a fecal you simply watch for when the goat in question has droppings to be sure which goat the pellets came from. Then put a few in a zip lock bag. We try to collect just before going to the vet. Collection should definitely be the same day. If there are hours in between our vet tells us to refrigerate the bagged sample. If you are collecting from more than one goat put them in separate baggies and label. Sometimes we pool the herd's sample for a general idea of parasite load and other times we are concerned about a specific individual's parasite load.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I would get a fecal in to the vet. The first thing I think of when I see a goat like you are saying, I think Cocci. They are at the right age as well. Please get a fecal before you treat them for it.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Very sorry for your loss....:sad:

Its hard to say whether their hunched appearance had anything to do with the ones death, but The hunched appearance could be WMD ...selenium Deficiency...babies born with WMD can also have weak hearts.... can struggle with URI ect....If you have not already addressed Selenium Deficiency in your herd, might start with the surviving sibling kid...BoSe would be my first choice over the gel since he has struggled since birth...


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Kids with worms and/or coccidiosis often times have a hunched over appearance.


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I can check for worms and coccidian, but how do I check for Selenium Deficiency?


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## nigies4ever (Sep 19, 2012)

You can send in blood to check for selenium..many just go off of appearance though. However, you have to be very, very careful not to overdose them.


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I was just reading about WMD and was wondering if this could be seen in the dead goat. I have kept him below 40 degrees, but it has been more than 24 hours now.


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I am not messing around. I have an appointment with the vet in just over an hour. I am leaving work early. 

I will have the vet check the blood for selenium amount. I will also have a fecal done for worms and coccidia. 

What else should I have the vet check. 

I don't want to doctor this one myself. You should have seen my boys face yesterday when he found the other one dead.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Sounds like a good plan....a necropsy will hopefully get you answers on your lost baby, maybe get copper level from his liver?? 
On the sibling kid...I understand they were born hunched, this is why I suggested Selenium, But as to sudden death, worm over load can certainly do that on a young kid...
I would also do fever checks..when we had silent pneumonia last summer..lost one doe but her illness alerted us to others who were ill...they look fine and happy one minutes and two hours later can be dead...began taking temps every few hours for several days...had four other cases we caught in time...temps spiked to 108! Not to scare you, just to alert you to another cause of sudden death...

Im sorry your son found the dead baby...:tears:


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree with happy bleats. Something's up since day one with the hunched back, and kids are not born with worms.....I also.agree that the actual death could be.something like worms. So I would suggest even if the vet finds, say it died of worms to still dig into why they were not right when born. Just my thoughts anyways


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## frenchELMfarms (Dec 8, 2014)

Any word from the vet?


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## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

The vet said nothing is wrong. Not selenium, not worms, not coccidian. She said they are walking funny with hunched backs because the tendons in their back legs are messed up. They are tight causing the kids to point their toes and walk on the tips of the toes. She said it could be a birth defect or just positioning in the womb. I never looked a the feet, I kept looking at the back and abdomen. The vet thinks it may stretch out with time. 

This was the does first kids and she is a little small. We expected one kid and two small kids came out. 

Thanks for all the advise. I feel better knowing nothing is really wrong with her. The vet thinks the other kid died due to the elements. It was bad here and I was out of town. Next time we get that type of weather we decided to lock them in the barn and keep them out of it. They are all so friendly that they will run out of the barn to greet you even in pouring rain.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They still could use selenium to help those tendons.


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## dreamacresfarm2 (May 10, 2014)

and leg massage


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree..I.would give.selenium..which deficiency can cause contracted tendons......extra vit. E capsul.and physical therapy ..glad everything checked out...


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## glndg (Feb 8, 2013)

Hunched back in WMD:

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/WMD.html


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