# Impacted food in cheek



## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

A few of you might have read my last thread about my new doe who had food impacted in her cheek causing a large lump on her cheek. I just got her on Friday and it was her previous owner who had this diagnosed by a vet. I plan to have my vet see her as soon as I can. But does anyone have any experience with this? She is very skinny. At her previous home she was being bullied pretty severely and apparently had to eat her food really fast, causing the impaction. Well, now that she actually has access to food, she is starving. But the lump and pain in her mouth is making it extremely difficult for her to eat hay. She is eating grass ok. And I'm trying to soften the hay and alfalfa pellets up in water for her. That has seemed to help. I don't think her rumen is working very well because who knows how long she hasn't been able to eat hay. I've also been giving her probios and some yogurt to hopefully help the rumen. I've been giving her a little calf manna too to help her appetite, but don't want to confuse her poor belly too much. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I was told not to you whet you much grain right away, but that's like all she can eat.  and she is ravenous.... But will barely touch the hay. 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It sounds like she needs her mouth to be looked at. She may have an abscessed tooth. All dietary changes need to be done slowly. Cut the hay into short pieces less than 2". Make sure it is soft hay.

If she still has a lump and all food has been removed, my bet is on a tooth abscess. Definitely have the vet look at her soon.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

I'm planning to call the vet tomorrow. Sometimes I think the lump is shrinking... But then I think maybe it's just hopeful on my part. She definitely has pain in that side of her mouth, and today she is snorting/breathing a little funny. I think it's because it's hard to open her mouth, and maybe there is more food stuck in there. I tried peeking in there yesterday but she didn't like that and I didn't want to unecassarily stress her, since I know the vet will be coming out. 


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Have you tried soaked shredded beet pulp? It's very soft and mushy, and its not a grain so it'll be better for her rumen.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

could try alfalfa pellets


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks all! Beet pulp is a great idea! I've never actually used it so it didn't come to mind right away. I'll pick some up next time I'm in town. I am doing soaked alfalfa pellets. She loves them 

She is already looking significantly better. And has tons more energy and spunk. When we got her on Friday, she was super slow moving and just seemed depressed. She is already running around our yard and looks happy. She seems genuinely thankful to us for helping her. She really is the sweetest girl, I can't wait until she feels better. 


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

She is definitely doing much better!! She has been here for four days now... The first is her cheek when she came to us and the second picture is from just now  such a sweetie!














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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad it is going down. I would still have the vet look at it. Poor thing. Glad she is now in your care.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Well the vet came out yesterday and pulled a big wad of feed out of her cheek. When he was done her face looked completely normal. So it isn't actually a lump, definitely just feed. I was definitely glad to get the worry of CL off my mind. But she is still stuffing good away in that cheek. It does seem painful to her. The vet wasn't sure what could be causing her to do that, but said he would do some reading and to call him if she kept doing it. Her old owner thought she might have been doing it because she had to eat so fast because the other goats bullied her so much. But she is by herself while eating now so can take her time, but I still notice her stuffing it away. 
Anyone have any ideas? She is doing wonderful otherwise. 


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Did the vet check her teeth?


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Karen, I was going to ask the same thing. Just pulling the food out is not fixing the problem. Did he feel around to make sure the teeth are in good shape, not swelling in the gum area?


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

He did. He said they seemed normal. I'm not sure how much he knew about goats though :-/ there aren't many vets who will see goats here. 


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

There was no swelling though. As soon as the food was out her face was completely normal and no lumps or swelling at all. 


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

You can clear it yourself. We have had a few does that did it on the old farm we worked on. You pry their mouths open (need two people) kinda like how they open the mouth of an alligator, and then just push the impacted food into the mouth by pushing on the cheek.


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

I'm curious to know whatever happened with the goat with impacted food in her cheek. I have an 8 year old goat that has food impacted in his cheek for about a month. Everyday I go in and scrape out the food but he ends up filling his cheek again. His nose is now runny and he seems to use his opposite eye as the dominant eye because the big lump in his cheek has affected his vision on that side. Thanks for any help that is offered!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Goatmaaa- said:


> I'm curious to know whatever happened with the goat with impacted food in her cheek. I have an 8 year old goat that has food impacted in his cheek for about a month. Everyday I go in and scrape out the food but he ends up filling his cheek again. His nose is now runny and he seems to use his opposite eye as the dominant eye because the big lump in his cheek has affected his vision on that side. Thanks for any help that is offered!


With horses, it means they need their teeth floated. 
Since your goat is more of an aged one, I would bet money that his need floated too. 
I'd call a vet out and them take a look at his teeth.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I agree with having his teeth floated.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

G


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hope the goat is doing better. I would love to see an update. Still impacting?

If I where the vet, I would of tubed the goat to see if there is impaction in the throat causing the buildup.
Or ulcers.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Wow! Weird this came back up today, this is literally my first time back on since posting this 

Willow was continuing to impact the food. Our vet had no options for us on how to fix it ( ummm time to find a new one!) I continued to feed her soaked alfalfa, beet pulp and grain. We decided that we didn't have the space or monetary resources to keep a goat like her since I felt she could never be bred. We only live on 2 acres so want to be as efficient as possible. I found another farm and gave them to her with full disclosure of the issue. The lady knew a lot about goats and has rescued and rehabbed many in the past. I haven't had any updates recently, but last I heard she was doing great. 

Good luck with your goat who is doing this!!


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

Thanks for letting me know about Willow! I am glad to hear she is doing great.

My Jasper is still in a tough spot. I followed up on a couple of suggestions from previous posts (thank you!) and called a vet today regarding having his teeth floated. No one in our area will do that for a goat. I found a vet 1.5 hours away, but I'm concerned about trailering Jasper as his balance is off and he will crash into the walls of the trailer while traveling.

I did pick up some ProBios today and added it to his evening meal of soaked alfalfa pellets and organic dairy goat pellets. His appetite is great and he licked the bowl clean. I also gave him 10ml of Milk of Magnesia, as per suggestion of the regular vet I use.

Soooo, we shall see what tomorrow brings. By the way, where does this Forum originate? It looks like it is documenting the time of posts about 7 hours ahead of Arizona time. Just curious.


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

I just checked on Jasper before heading to bed and I saw him poop (look more like raisins than berries, but the good news is that he pooped -- I had not seen him poop all day!!!) PLUS, full-moon bonus...I heard gurgles in his belly -- yippee for ProBios! I can hardly wait for breakfast to give him another dose!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad he is still doing OK, good work.


For the time being wrong.
Go up to the top of the web page where it says "My account" click on that.
It will drop down a list, go to " Edit forum options"

Scroll down to "Date & Time Options"
Change to your time
Submit.

Hope that will fix it for you.
You can change your time zone there to get the proper time for
your area. Not sure where the forum is out of now. It has changed ownership a few times.


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

Thanks for your help toth!

OK, update on Jasper... He is eating great, I have two days milk of magnesia and Probios in him. He is coming out into the pasture (he was hiding in the stock trailer for over a week) BUT he is extremely dizzy, looks drunk, and his eyes are not tracking!! One eye seems a bit steady and the other eye keeps moving downward 2x a second, like he's watching a fast basketball dribble. The poor guy!! Any suggestions? I have a call into our vet (again, he's a horse vet and not much of a goat vet), and waiting to hear from him.


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

Yesterday afternoon I did more research online and headed to the feed store for Penicillin and picked up some electrolytes. I believe Jasper was dehydrated as I have him lots of fluids and he stabilized a bit -- he was more steady on his feet and his eyes steadied. I'm continuing the milk of magnesia, Probios, electrolytes and water via syringe and penicillin.

As I look back on the last couple of months, I am thinking that it was either a sudden change in food or some mold. We received lots of weeping willow branches from the neighbors with our monsoon winds and rains bringing trees down (end of July, early August). The goats had tons of leaves - sometimes before their normal breakfast feed. I'm guessing that a few days of altered diet and possibly some moldy leaves in the pile might be the origin of the problem.

Jasper was bumping into fencing, puncturing himself a few times (early August). I thought he was accident-prone (playing with other goats and tripping) but now hindsight is showing me he has early stages of imbalance.

He was also becoming very aggressive at the feed trough (10' feeder for 7 goats) and he was quite a bully -- not his normal demeanor!!

Then he started storing food in his cheek (mid-August). The lump of food impaired his vision on that side, so he began using his opposite eye as his dominate eye, changing the way he held his head. 

My original guess was that he had a tooth problem. Now I am thinking he developed some facial paralysis on that side and was unable to move the food. He was losing weight quickly and started staggering - not drinking water on his own when his cheek was full of food. I started removing the food from his cheek multiple times a day, and changed his food from Chaffhaye to soaked alfalfa pellets, trying to offer easier foods to eat.

And that is when I finally found The Goat Spot and made some inquiries and did lots of research. 

I thought I would document this experience in hopes it helps others in a way that is quicker than my naïve route.

I will keep you posted on Jasper's progress.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds like Listeria or Polio. High doses of pen and fortified vit B complex or best yet straight thiamine. Every 4 to 6 hours around the clock.
Start treatment right away.

How is his lower inner eyelid coloring, pale pink, white or dark pink ect?

These links will help please read.

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/falling-ground-160295/
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/urgent-goat-down-160693/


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How are things?


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

Yesterday seemed to be a turnaround day! Jasper was more steady on his feet, his eyes are steady, he ate voraciously (just the soaked pellets I make for him, he is not browsing), he drank water on his own out of the bucket!!!, and is not hiding as much in the trailer. He comes out and sits or stands in the sunshine, which is wonderful!

I'm unsure how long to administer penicillin. I am giving him 6ml 2x/day. Any suggestions?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If it is listeria, please read the links I attached prior. 

Pen and thiamine have to be given until all symptoms are gone and still treatment must continue for an additional 24 to 48 hours thereafter, so it doesn't come back.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How are things?


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

Thank you for your assistance Toth boer goats. I appreciate your support and concern. I am treating Jasper for both Polio and Listeria. I reviewed the links you suggested and although I have no positive confirmation that it is either, but his symptoms give me enough reason to treat him as such.

He is holding his own. His steadiness improved when I began the injections, and he is maintaining. He has a long way to go before I would consider him "doing well". I am feeling that too much time passed before I realized intervention was necessary, and may have hindered the possibility of restored health.

It is a tough lesson. I have been so fortunate to have had healthy goats for 12 years, that I have not spent much time getting familiar with health issues with goats. I find myself looking at other posts, wanting to gain a breadth of knowledge of characteristics of dis-eases, so I will be better prepared when symptoms begin showing up.

Oh, to answer your previous post, his lower eyelid is pale pink. I checked with a couple other goats and they had similar coloring. Is that normal or a sign of worms or something I should be treating everyone for????

Again, thank you for your support.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your very welcome.
Please don't blame yourself, there is hope. You say he is already responding to treatment and has improvement already, that is hope.

If you have Banamine, you can give him that for a few days. 1 x a day Or get Dex, 1 x a day, Dex though, needs to be under close supervision by a vet. 
With Listeria and Polio, brain swelling occurs and those drugs, will help bring down brain swelling. Which is crucial for healing to begin along with high doses of Pen and thiamine. 

Pale pink, it depends how pale.

Here is a famancha chart, the card itself would be better to have but this may give you an idea on what to look for as in coloring and when to worry.


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

...an update on Jasper...we have continued 6cc Penicillin and 10cc Vit. B/Thiamine 2x/day. He has a great appetite is moving around the pasture more, spending more time with the other goats, drinking on his own and only stores food in his cheek every other day or so (compared to constantly before any treatment). When he does store food in his cheek, it is usually during the night. I scrape it out in the morning. His lungs usually sound watery those mornings and he is drooling and salivating--I'm guessing some saliva is slipping into his lungs. His lungs tend to clear by mid day. He is much more steady on his feet, walking with more confidance, but still loses balance a little bit.

This marks two weeks of Penicillin...any thoughts or suggestions out there on prognosis, plan or path?


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## Goatmaaa- (Sep 7, 2014)

If anyone is following this (and hopefully not going through it with your goat...) I just wanted to give you an update. Jasper has been on penicillin and vitamin B complex for 3 weeks and doing great. He eats on his own, drinks lots of water on his own, hangs out with his fellow goat buddies and suns himself (he was hiding in the stock trailer when he was really sick). He is stable and walks with confidence. I think he has a little neurological damage from me not recognizing symptoms early on, but he will be having a good quality of life. I wish that for everyone's goats!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad he is doing better!


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