# Unexplained paralysis in doe



## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

Help! For reasons unexplained my four year old Alpine doe, Emma, cannot stand up. The vet and I have tried everything. She was fine when I tucked everyone in on Friday night. Saturday morning she couldn't use her legs. She's acting like she's perfectly healthy. She's eating and drinking well. No sign of Injury. I have given her an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, de-wormer, and selenium over the past week. She's two months pregnant. Any ideas??? Ashley.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

she has no feeling or she cant use them?


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## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

She can't stand up. I can physically manipulate her limbs. They are not stiff, sore, swollen. She can move her body and pull herself forward with her front legs, but will not take her weight on any of her legs, when we try to stand her up. We've been changing her position frequently and doing everything we can to get her up. She is not the least bit distressed. I just don't understand. Ashley. P.S. The rest of my herd is fine. They eat the same food, hay. Live in the same barn. Graze in the same pasture. How long can a goat stay down like that and recover the muscle tone/strength in her legs? Emma weighs about 140 lbs.


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

Is she down on her breastbone like she's supposed to be when laying down?

If you stand her up on her legs are they wobbly and weak (with a step or two) or does she just fall down again(without trying)? 

How are her hooves?...maybe its painful for her to stand on them.
I had a doe that went from limping to laying down, found out she out she had a twig poked in the fleshy area in between the hooves
Pulled it out and she was walking better right after (took 3-4 days for her to recover without infection).


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## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

She is laying on her breastbone, front feet out straight. Her hind legs are facing out on the side she is positioned on. She keeps the top hind leg out straight, but I can manipulate it/bend it into position as though she is going to stand. As soon as I remove my hand, she stretches it out straight again. Then looks at me as if to say, "What are you doing?" Her feet are trimmed approx, every two months, or whenever she needs them done. They look fine. I typically use a herbal dewormer (Molly's Herbals). Emma can move her tail. And she talks to me like she always does. She seems perfectly happy.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

You say


> I have given her an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, de-wormer, and selenium over the past week.


 Was this all before oar after she would not get up?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Can you make a hanging strap sling....so you can get her up on her feet... Another thing that is happening is... her legs are probably going to sleep on her...if you can get a heavy strap that can support her weight ..underneath her whole under belly and partly up on her side....that is cushioned.. so it doesn't hurt her...getting a chain or something that can support her weight without breaking... hanging her so.. her legs have a slight bend in them ...feet touching the ground....so if she wants to try to get on her feet by herself... she can.... ....work...and massage her legs ..to stimulate her to get up.... If she stays down for to long ...she won't make it to long....

My DH made a hanging contraption ... for a large calf one time ...out of those conveyor belts...cause it is strong....he cut it to size for the animal...cut 4 holes in it and put a chain through the holes and putting them on a strong barn area...to hang the animal.... We also put a blanket on the inner strap area before syncing(sp) it up on the calf ...so the strap.. won't hurt the belly..and be more comfortable....



Did you get a temp on her?

How are her gums?

Give her vit B complex... Get her some Probiotic paste... we need to try to keep her rumen going...if she isn't able to move around... her rumen may stop working.... also massage her left side belly (Rumen)


Might be MENINGEAL WORM ...What wormer did you use and what dosage....?
tell your vet.. he may need to start treatment if it is this worm..as they are very hard to get rid of....

Praying that Emma.. will be OK :hug: ray:


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## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

Just got back from the barn. It's been snowing all day here. Emma had all those meds after she couldn't stand up, in the hopes one of them would do something. Normally she has access to hay all day long as the barn is left open for the goats to come and go. They have baking soda, water and minerals at all times. The goats, including Emma, have access all day to our upper pasture, approx 20 acres. They graze with our Dexter cattle. As I said before, I normally use Molly's herbal dewormers. I did mention to my vet about the M. worms as there are white tailed deer in our fields, at times. However, Emma doesn't have any CNS symptoms, other than the legs. My vet said she should have shown progression in her symptoms if the worms were the cause. We do hoist her daily using a sling and cargo straps.
She's moving around a bit tonight and has more tone in her muscles. Here's hoping!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't have anything to offer as far as advice but I do send prayers that she recovers :hug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I pray... she will be alright..... :hug: ray:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

ray:


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

I can't give you any info, but I sure hope she will be okay ray:


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## Dotty246 (Sep 26, 2011)

This sounds like Tick Paralysis to me, especially since you have deer in the area. This is a paralysis caused by a salivary neurotoxin produced by certain species of ticks. It begins with hind limb weakness and progresses to hindlimb paralysis, sensation in the limbs is usually maintained. Sometimes you can find a tick on them, but sometimes it has already dropped off. The ticks are usually really hard to find though, I have even heard of one case where the tick attached just inside the anus. I would make sure that your vet has considered this disease, as many times vets do not think of it and these cases get refered to the university level. Here is a link to the section on Tick Paralysis in the Merk Veterinary Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... 102600.htm 
I hope this helps!


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## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

Thanks!! I'm going to check Emma for ticks right now. Ashley


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Dotty246 said:


> This sounds like Tick Paralysis to me, especially since you have deer in the area. This is a paralysis caused by a salivary neurotoxin produced by certain species of ticks. It begins with hind limb weakness and progresses to hindlimb paralysis, sensation in the limbs is usually maintained. Sometimes you can find a tick on them, but sometimes it has already dropped off. The ticks are usually really hard to find though, I have even heard of one case where the tick attached just inside the anus. I would make sure that your vet has considered this disease, as many times vets do not think of it and these cases get refered to the university level. Here is a link to the section on Tick Paralysis in the Merk Veterinary Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... 102600.htm
> I hope this helps!


Good info to know. I had not heard of this before. Thanks!


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## Wild Orchid Farm (Nov 15, 2011)

I couldn't find any ticks on Emma. However, when I read the info on ticks, the symptoms match Emma's. If her paralysis was caused by either a dog tick ( which we have here) or a deer tick, will she recover? She sems to be moving her hind legs more, so I'm hopeful. Her breathing is fine, temp remains normal, she continues to eat/drink well, and talks to the other goats when they stand on her pen rails and look in.


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## bethany (May 22, 2012)

hi there
what ever happened to your emma? really hoping everything turned out okay for you.
we have a goat with similar symptoms—have treated her for meningeal worm, but she's still down, almost a month later. her back legs are paralyzed, but some days we have lots of movement, a couple weeks ago she could walk with support. this week things are not as promising—she has good days and bad days in terms of leg responsiveness, but she isn't in pain, and is still happily eating, drinking, etc.
we do have her on anti-inflammatories, and are doing our best with pt and massage. anyway, thought you may have some advice. 
thank you


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug: how is she doing?


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