# Goat allergies?



## melissamiller (May 2, 2011)

Hi everyone!
Well I've had my two Nigerian Dwarf doelings for a little over a month now and I'm loving every minute. They're fantastic! 
But I do have a health question - I'm probably overreacting as a newbie but I thought I'd post the question anyway. 
So my does have access to the yard and their shed all day, but at nights I close them in - originally because they were small enough to be raptor pray, but also because one of them is *ahem* a talker, and I don't want to disturb the neighbors. I will be transitioning them to have their shed door open all night as well this summer.
Anyway, when I get them up in the morning, my black doe Olive always has crud in her eyes. They are greenish boogers and don't seem to bother her at all. In all ways otherwise she seems perfectly healthy and fine, great appetite, no coughing, etc. And the eye discharge is only after being in all night.
At first I thought she might have a problem with the wood shavings. So now I've tried wood shavings, their abandoned hay, and straw as bedding. It doesn't seem to matter. She always wakes up with eye boogers, which makes me wonder if it is an allergy? Could she be allergic to something else in the shed, like the hay itself, or dust? Any ideas?
For the record, my other doe has no eye discharge.
Thanks for any tips. All the best to you all and your goatie friends!  
- Melissa (http://urbangoatherder.com/)


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

with green discharge I would suspect a possible infection of some sort. Do you have any eye meds?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Hi there... and welcome... :thumb: 

greenish color... she may be fighting a cold - give Zinc... vitamin C...Garlic human type is fine for goats ...you can use the children's immune enhancer chewable or liquid....

If it doesn't correct...then she may have allergies... then use some benadryl...

You could take a clean rag and wipe the gunk out... then put a couple of drops of PenG in there or terimycin ointment...or even LA-200...for a few days... could also be a cold in the eyes...

Is the eye cloudy at all?

Maybe try to put a hog panel... in the doorway at night.. if the barn doesn't have enough ventilation.... Alot of things are flying around in a closed barn....and if there isn't enough ventilation...... it can cause some issues...if you can strongly smell their urine....that isn't good....


Usually Goats are quite at night....unless they have a problem.... is she vocal at night? 

There are alot of possibilities of why the goobers are happening.... 

good luck... :thumb:


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## melissamiller (May 2, 2011)

Thank you both. I don't have any eye meds so I will maybe try what you recommend. Her eyes look really clear, and like I said, it only seems to affect her at night - all day long her eyes are fine. I will try and take a picture tomorrow morning and post it so you can see. They aren't vocal at night, but I'm worried that the chatty one will decide that dawn will be a good time to wake us up for breakfast.  

Thank you again for responding.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome.... will wait for pics.... :thumb:


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