# Help, is goat sick, diarrhea and snotty nose



## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

We bought several boer or boer mix goats last Friday, all under a year. 2 are older, but 2 others are maybe 3 months old. I noticed by Sunday that one had a clear runny nose and was starting to get diarrhea. Monday we treated the 2 smaller ones with Ivermectin paste since Cydectin wasn’t recommended for under 4 months. I also have all of them CD/T and pneumonia vaccinations. However, little baby still has a really runny nose and diarrhea. Her temperature is normal. Neither of the babies seems to be eating grains, but are eating orchard mix hay and whatever they are finding in yard to nibble at. I gave her Pepto last night and again tonight. I haven’t taken sample to vet as nearest vet that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is an hour away. What concerns me the most is the snotty nose! She’s been blowing snot bubbles! I know most of what can cause diarrhea, but I have no clue about the runny nose.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

I'd take her to the vet if I could. Sounds like pneumonia to me. The temp does not always go up, especially at first.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I would re-check the rectal temperature every 12 hours and give her an injection of B-complex.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree a vet would have better insight.


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## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

Thank you all. I took her to vet today. Poor baby has pneumonia and Coccidiosis. She received antibiotics for both, shot of Vitamin B, and Banamine. He is also having me give her 22cc’s of Cydectin for 3 days. She weighed 18.4 pounds and was a little dehydrated. I’m really trying to get some fluids in her but she’s not really having it. Put some molasses in their water. We also brought them home some freshly cut pine limbs and she’s munching away at them!


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

WENDY KESLER said:


> Thank you all. I took her to vet today. Poor baby has pneumonia and Coccidiosis. She received antibiotics for both, shot of Vitamin B, and Banamine. He is also having me give her 22cc's of Cydectin for 3 days. She weighed 18.4 pounds and was a little dehydrated. I'm really trying to get some fluids in her but she's not really having it. Put some molasses in their water. We also brought them home some freshly cut pine limbs and she's munching away at them!


With scours and pmeumonia watch her really close for more dehydration. Giving sub q fluids is not hard at all and is a good way of helpin with that if you cannot get her to drink much. Your vet can show you how to do it the first time if you need help or maybe youtube videos as well. The vet would need give you the fluid bags and needles to use though. The extra fluid lasts a really really long time too... vet told me so long as it is not cloudy it is good to use. My dora had pneumonia and scours from the antiobiotics this past spring and we had it to her three times a day because she wasnt able keep anything in her.

You can try gatorade too. I cannot remember but someone said one color of it their goats like better than the others. Pedialyte is also another good option. There is a recipe for homemade electrolytes somewhere too. Warmin the water before you put molasses in it might help her drink too.

If you talk to the vet again... ask for a bottle of banamine if he didnt give one today. (Some only want to give loaded syringes not a bottle to keep) It lasts a long time and is a good thing to have on hand. You can get b complex otc to keep.


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Yellow Gatorade is the best for goats though I can't remember for what reason..

Your vet told you 22 cc's of cydectin? My vet is adamant in dosing and it's 1cc per 10lbs so that would be 2cc's for an 18lb goat..only he wants you to give ten times the dosage? I'd call him back and double check.

You can try Vet-RX for the runny nose you can get it at tractor supply it really helps too.
I hope your goat gets feeling better but please check the cydectin dose asap.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

GoofyGoat said:


> 22 cc's of cydectin? My vet is adamant in dosing and it's 1cc per 10lbs so that would be 2cc's for an 18lb goat..only he wants you to give ten times the dosage? I'd call him back and double check.


It's probably the Cydectin Sheep Drench, no the cattle Cydectin.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

Sorry, it was 2cc's of Cydectin. That took care of Coccia, but she's still got pneumonia. Went back to vet yesterday. He gave her another antibiotic shot and did another fecal. So far no fever, which has been a good thing. She also still has a high worm count, so now getting 5cc's of SafeGuard. She's fighting like a trooper, but so thin! Is there anyway that I can help her get some weight on? She eats with her friend that we got with her and have kept together. I'm adding electrolytes in their water and giving her Nutri-drench, though read on one of these posts that it's hard on their throats or something like that. At this point though, I'll about do anything to keep helping her fight. She's still nibbling at back yard and nibbling on hay, but I don't know if she's eating any grain at all. We're in Georgia and although weather has been great this week, we don't have an abundance of grass growing yet nor any extra greens really for them to eat.


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## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> With scours and pmeumonia watch her really close for more dehydration. Giving sub q fluids is not hard at all and is a good way of helpin with that if you cannot get her to drink much. Your vet can show you how to do it the first time if you need help or maybe youtube videos as well. The vet would need give you the fluid bags and needles to use though. The extra fluid lasts a really really long time too... vet told me so long as it is not cloudy it is good to use. My dora had pneumonia and scours from the antiobiotics this past spring and we had it to her three times a day because she wasnt able keep anything in her.
> 
> You can try gatorade too. I cannot remember but someone said one color of it their goats like better than the others. Pedialyte is also another good option. There is a recipe for homemade electrolytes somewhere too. Warmin the water before you put molasses in it might help her drink too.
> 
> If you talk to the vet again... ask for a bottle of banamine if he didnt give one today. (Some only want to give loaded syringes not a bottle to keep) It lasts a long time and is a good thing to have on hand. You can get b complex otc to keep.


I have a bottle of banamine, but haven't gotten the fluid bag. At appointment yesterday, he said that she seemed to be hydrated enough that he wasn't as concerned about that. Poop has pretty much been solid since Saturday, though not nice little goat pellets, more like a clump of them.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Cydectin is a dewormer, not for cocci, and neither are antibiotics. But antibiotics are necessary for pneumonia.

How is the pneumonia doing?


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## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

He gave her medication for cocci as well last week and sent some home for other little one. She went to vet yesterday. Still has pneumonia so he gave her another shot of antibiotics. He was surprised that she's made it thus far, so said she was a fighter. But she's so thin which really has me concerned. Scours stopped by Saturday, so she's retaining some of what she's eating, but I don't think that she's eating enough. She has free range orchard/alfalfa mix hay and whatever they are eating from backyard. She won't seem to eat grains.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

@WENDY KESLER We are in GA too and have the same problem with worms and weight in our goats.

What is her FAMACHA score?















If her score is light pink to white then she needs DAILY injectable prescription B12 shots (which I think is the Vitamin B you got from the vet right? Dosage is 4cc per 100 lbs, but you can't overdose on b vitamins), and oral Red Cell. Red Cell is dosed daily for a few days, then WEEKLY after that, dosage 6cc per 100 lbs.

Reading both of these pages should help you immensely: http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/anemiaingoats.html
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/pneumonia06.html

Based on her weight she needs 3 cups of fluids per day. So _if she's not drinking,_ then syringe feeding, tubing, or sub-q fluids will have to be administered.
You could try tempting her with warm water with molasses added to it, or goat electrolytes.

Keeping an eye on her temp is super important. Normal temp is 101.5 F to 103.5 F. If her temp is low, that is an emergency and means the rumen is shutting down. High is infection. That's good you said she didn't have a fever right now.

You said that the vet said she still had a high worm load even after the Cydectin, and then gave you SafeGuard. Just so you know, SafeGuard unfortunately doesn't work in most areas now due to overuse. Did the vet say if the worm count had gone down at all after the Cydectin? Is this a vet that sees goats often? (most vets aren't, so it's important to check).
What was the name of the medicine you were given for the coccidia?
Name of the antibiotic for the pneumonia?

For her to eat besides hay, have you tried alfalfa pellets? Beet pulp (shredded or pellets)? Are the other goats keeping her from getting enough food?
What grains have you tried?
Do your goaties have loose minerals available free choice? If so, what kind?
Here's another thing that a few folks on here have recommended: https://www.jefferspet.com/products/dyne-high-calorie-liquid-for-livestock

Sorry for all the questions.  We have had some sad experiences due to not knowing the right things. Just trying to help!


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

The minerals question is a really important one. Lack of minerals will almost guarantee a high parasite load, and anemia

The B vitamin that you get from the vet is B-1, thiamin. For overall health, a Fortified B Complex that you can pick up at the feed store is good.

Coccidia and worms are parasites, but the same poison won't work for both. If the doctor is giving your girl a medicine called Corid for the cocci, then don't give B vitamins. The thiamin will stop the Corid from working and your goat will stay sick.

This example is why we ask about the names of medications, so we don't offer counterproductive advice.

We are long distance from you, see, and could easily give good, but erroneous, advice when we don't have all the facts.

Back to minerals... Don't buy loose minerals that have medication in them. Those minerals have to be doled out individually, a certain amount each and every day. They can't have more than that amount, even if they need more minerals, because of the medication. They can't have less than that amount, even if they need less minerals that day, because they have to have that certain amount of medication.

No, what you want is nonmedicated minerals that they can eat as much of as they need to.

Thanks for listening.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

@WENDY KESLER any update? Has your goatie improved at all?
Sorry for the question and information overload. All that stuff is important, though.


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## WENDY KESLER (Apr 12, 2018)

21goaties said:


> @WENDY KESLER any update? Has your goatie improved at all?
> Sorry for the question and information overload. All that stuff is important, though.


Yes, she is doing much better. I need to check her lids again and she could probably still stand a shot of B12, but her appetite is good, no more cough or snotty nose, and she's putting weight on. I am so pleased with her progress so far considering the fact that the vet really wasn't sure she'd make it. Her name was to be Little Mite, but now it's Little Might bc she's Mighty!! Thank you for all the information.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good to hear.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

Glad she is better!


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

Yay! So glad. :7up: 
Pictures would be nice, to see how she looks now. 

Make sure to come back here if you ever have any more questions!


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## Sophie123 (Feb 18, 2019)

I am starting to think there is a lot of different ideas when it comes to giving medicine to goats, seems like a lot of vets give different things and different dosages. Everything is off label. Makes it very hard to figure out what is the right thing to do. 
Glad your little goat is better. 
Our vet recommends Corrid for coccidia in goats but sulfamethazine for coccidia in lambs. And Nuflor for the pneumonia. So far all of ours that had either one lived. 
We have never had a goat yet that scored less than a 3 on the FAMACHA card, ours almost always have coccidia when sick. We have had a few with pneumonia, but strange enough in August , not winter, but unlike yours ours had very high temperatures with the pneumonia


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