# My Doe is lame



## lawilliamson (May 14, 2013)

Hi, I had recently saved a boer Doe from being killed because she had scours...well everything was going good until last couple weeks we ran into some problems and could not buy goat feed. So we took her out everyday let her eat grass and we fed her bits of bread to keep going until we got some food which was gonna be this past weekend. Well I think it was the 6th my husband out her on a chain next to my dog... she and my dog got tangled and I was at work...my mom found her, and she was deficating on herself, coughing, and became weak...well I had to nurse her back to health and everything was fine, Wensday evening I put her out to eat, then took her in after a couple hours threw some tree limbs with lots of leaves, she was chewing on inside of it...Then the next morning she could nto walk. I tried pick her up, and she would not stand on her heels. Well yesterday me and my husbands uncle got in a fight about it because he says the reason she cant walk is because its my fault for not letting her eat grass and no goat feed for past week, he knew because he snuck around my house to look...which is a lie about the grass I took her out everyday until Thursday...she EVEN looks good jus a lil skinny from having scours 3 or 4 weeks ago, she jus wont get up...so I finally just went ahead put her in a dif pen, gave her some food, and hay and let her eat grass in that pen, to just show him....I have looked it up everywhere....the only way it would be because of food, is if she was weak acting, and movements would be weak....she moves her head fast and strongwilled, if it was the food thing she would be dead by now, right?....anyways my question is..... Can her not have the right food make her lame???


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Any significant quick change in their food can cause issues, especially in a very young kid. How old is she? How is her temperature? Please take her temp and let us know what it is. 

Idk how much experience you have with goats. But, since we don't know exactly what is wrong we must start with several basic items. 

1-has she had a cd/t shot, if not, give that. 2ml shot subQ. Get it from your supply store. +another shot in 30 days.
2-Thiamine or B-Complex. Thiamine is best, RX from your vet. B-Complex at supply store (injectable is best but also in a tube-oral) SQ.
3-BoSe also RX, you don't need much, it's an injectable, and it is dosed at 1/4ml for a newborn, or 1ml/100lbs. DO NOT overdose this med! This is also available as an oral med in a tube. This med is great for a kid that is weak in the legs. 

Is she on a bottle? Or is she weaned? Are you feeding grain products? How much? Grass in your yard is usually not a great substitute for a good quality hay. Especially if you use any herbicides or chemical fertilizers. And, some common decorative flower are toxic to goats. So, be careful. I would never tether a goat unless I was there to watch her 100% of the time. They get tangled so easily, and then you may come home to a dead goat.

If she is over 3-4 weeks old, I would also treat for cocci. They all have it and it gets out of control during times of stress, the feed issue and original diarrhea is enough stress. So, get some Sulmet from your feed store and treat with that. 1ml/5lbs 1st day, 1ml/10lbs day 2-5 (this tastes bad, so I sweeten it with Gatorade) . Pepto Bismal is good for diarrhea. 4-6cc's I use it twice/day.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It sounds like injury caused by chain.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

Your husbands uncle is just looking out for the animal. I know it can be hard to hear and one can become defensive, but use it as a wake up call to improve your care of the doe. Listen to the advise from this forum. Do some research of your own. Your doe has no idea you saved her from the butcher and is just doing the best she can as a goat.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Yes not having proper nutrition can cause lameness. It makes them weak just like it would with people. 

I would follow thee instructions given by Di. After that we can likely help you know what is wrong with her.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Its great you saved this little gal..but More Info is needed so we can help you help your doe...You say she cant get up...Lame..is she showing weakness in all four legs..one leg ?? back or front?Is she grinding her teeth..twisting her jaw like in a yawn? Get her temp using a reg. Thermometer ..do this rectal...normal temp is 101.5-103.5....also check her left side..is it hard and huge?? Bloat will put a goat down fast.if she looks hard and huge on the left side...give her 1 tsp. Baking soda in enough water to drench ( suck it up in a syringe and squirt down her throat.if you dont have a syringe..then use a spoon...get it far back on her tongue and get her to swallow it...follow with lots of messageing of that side..


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Tenacross said:


> Your husbands uncle is just looking out for the animal. I know it can be hard to hear and one can become defensive, but use it as a wake up call to improve your care of the doe. Listen to the advise from this forum. Do some research of your own. Your doe has no idea you saved her from the butcher and is just doing the best she can as a goat.


Said much better than I could.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You said you put tree limbs in her area. What kind of tree was it? Some trees are poisonous to goats. Also, drastic feed changes can cause polio.


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