# Goat not feeling well



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Hello,

Got hom from work and noticed one of our wethers wasn's at the fence to greet us as usual. Went down and he's laying in the house. He did get up to greet my husband but then bedded right back down. We have him a slice of hay and seperated out the other goats. This guy normally sends haying flying left and right each night at feeding, he grabbed a small bite and then sat back down and get up for more. Offered him some water with electrolytes, but he wouldn't drink. Normally he loves fresh hot water at night. Nothing looks abnormal other than it doesn't look like he's eaten today. No swelling or sore spots, although he did let a big toot when we were in there (not abnormal for him  ). He's almost three and really healthy. The only thing he's eaten besides hay and pasture is some peanuts on Sunday as a treat, but he's had them several times in the past.
The closest goat vet we know is 50 miles away and closed fo rthe night. Any suggestions on what steps to take? Should we try drenching him some of the electrolyte water?


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Ok, so now's he standing up and straining and then puffing his stomach out and letting pretty good sized toots. I'm thinking he needs mineral oil, or baking soda. Will give that a try.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

He weighs 175, I started with 120 cc's mineral oil. He's shaking and really looks worse than he did an hour ago. He is standing up and straining and tooting alot though every now and then.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

He may be straining to urinate which would mean he is plugged with a stone. He needs to go to the vet immediately if this is the case.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

Any news? I've been a bit worried about your fella all day since I read your posts this morning.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

I'm so sorry I haven't posted sooner; all of our time has been spent taking care of Butte. We unfortunately couldn't do an emergency vet visit due to money and went through mineral oil, lemon juice, and electrolyte drenches. He got really bad and we thought we were going to lose him, he was bleating out and moaning before he turned a corner and started to improve. He got up the next day and started to eat and drink although he still was still a sick guy. He started to pass a lot of clumped poop and we thought he was on the mend. We did some more mineral oil, electrolytes, and started him on some penicillin just in case. He seemed to stay that way all night and after being with him and not seeing him pee at all I knew the blockage was the most likely cause. I took him in and he has a large stone blocking right above the penis. Unfortunately he also has a lot more stones, although most appear smaller in size. They said he may have passed some smaller ones since he was so vocal and sick and then improved some. They said they can try and remove the blockage but we may be right back in the same situation on 20-30days, or we could put him down. We choose to have them try and remove it to relieve his pain now, I love this guy and am not ready to say goodbye. He is going under now and we should know the result in a few hours. I hope and pray he makes it through the procedure and they free the blockage. Any advice on the next steps? They said surgery to remove them usually doesn't go well and that it's really expensive. Also, it worth having the stone analyzed if they are able to free it?


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

My heart goes out to you, it's a hard decision regardless of finances what to do about trying to deal with them. What a terrible thing those stones are. Keep in touch-


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Thank you. We just heard back from the vet and they didn't get the stone. They said he didn't even have a pizzle and they had to insert the cath 6-8 inches before the felt they hit something. They were able to drain his bladder but said it and his urethra is so inflamed and hemorrhaged it's sloughing off tissue. He said most likely he will just back up again, but weâ€™ll wait until morning and go from there. I don't know what to do. Again, they said surgery is normally really hard on the goat and usually doesn't have a good outcome. If he starts to back up again, then my only option is to put him down? 
For now they said he's doing good and eating alot of hay.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

I recently went through this and I found myself making the decision early on in his illness to not do the expensive surgery with the long complicated recovery and rehabillitation. Partly because, as it was explained to me, the stones are likely to come back again within a year even if the surgery is a success. So my goat's future as a packgoat was through, and he was going to have to suffer a lot to undergo the surgery and recovery, and then in all likelyhood would end up getting more stones in the future. I was surprised that I found myself making that decision, because I usually won't give up hope easily when my animals have a problem. As it turned out he went downhill so fast that he was too far gone two hours after I noticed his problem for any treatment to work. But I had already made the decision that the surgery wasn't going to be an option. Part of what's hard about this particular disease is that your goat goes from totally healthy to really bad off so fast you hardly have time to think. Try to give yourself some mental space to really think for yourself about what you want to do for your guy. Just because vets can do something doesn't mean it's the thing to do. Do all the diagnostic tests and consultations you can to figure out how bad off he is, then determine your course of action. It's good he passed some stones on his own.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I'm so sorry to hear that Butte has stones. What a difficult thing to figure out what to do. I'm sure you'll do your very best to make the right decision for him. I'm glad he's feeling good at the moment and that he was able to pass some stones on his own. I sure wish there was some silver bullet remedy for this issue... something that would dissolve or break up stones without having to make the decision of whether to go for surgery. What a conundrum! We'll be thinking of you.


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## feederseaters (Nov 8, 2009)

Im am hurting for you and your goat on so many levels. You will be in my thoughts.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Over the years that I have raised goats, I have had to make tough choices like this. Many times having to put the animals down myself. To weigh money vs quality of life should reasonably be easier then it is, but its not. The love we feel for our animals tells us to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Regretfully though, love is often not enough to push back the darkness. I wish I could give you a perfect answer to your problem, but I cant. The only thing I can tell you is, after many years of having to makes choices like this, it never gets any easier and in fact gets harder each time something like this happens. But the joy, love and happiness I get from my goats is well worth the cost. There can be no heaven without a hell to measure it by. And there can be no measurement of happiness without an equal amount of sadness. Good luck with whatever you decide.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

We had to put Butte down tonight at the vet. He hadn't urinated all morning after they removed the cathater and he started felling really bad again. It went as well as I could expect and he's no longer in pain or suffering. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do and my heart is broken.

I want to thank everyone for the posts and kind words. I couldn't have said it any better Dave and you touched my heart with what you wrote. I am so thankful this forum is available and don't know what we would do without it. Thank you.


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## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Very sad. My condolences? Wish non of us had to go through this ordeal.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

I am so so sorry for your loss. It is a super hard one. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing your boy was so well loved and you did your best for him and he is not suffering any more. Someday soon I hope somebody figures out a way deal with the stone issue. It is so heartbreaking.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. You did everything you could, but sometimes that's just not enough. That's the sad part of having animals... we have to part with them eventually, and sometimes doing what's best for them is very tough for us. I know you did the right thing, and I know Butte felt loved and comforted by your presence. Go and give your other goats a hug and some treats for Butte and celebrate his life and his memory. Your years with him, though few, were nevertheless a gift.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Am so sorry it turned out the way it did. Each time I read a post like yours, it instantly makes me think "What if it were my Legion" and my heart aches. I am back home from being outta town on a work related trip for 4 days, so Saturday will be my first day to visit my goaties. I will be taking Legion and Darius out tomorrow for an unplanned hike in a kinda tribute of Butte. This is my first year with packers and this just reminds me, not to waste a single chance to enjoy them. Peace be with you.


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## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Thank you!


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## saph (Dec 19, 2009)

Huckleberry, I am so sorry for your loss. May you take some comfort in knowing there are so many people on this Forum who support you & are there to help--even if only to grieve. There is so much expertise literally at our fingertips, simply by posting--for example, Carolyn Eddy's book, "Diet for Wethers," has been an immense help in these matters. 
I have enjoyed meeting several of the regular Forum members at the annual Rendezvous & I so much appreciate the diversity, knowledge, and last but not least the friendship & support everyone brings to the table. Best wishes & may you heal with time.


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## SMaxwell (May 20, 2012)

Condolences on your loss. Time will heal, but there will always be a little scar on your heart. I had to put down our beloved Chocolate Lab of 14 years last year. He had been with us since he was a puppy & he was "the best dog ever," as my daughter often said. I had to shut the door of my office for the next four or five days because I cried like a baby every time I thought of him. It made it even harder that I had to make the decision to end his life. Choking up even as I write this. I will say a prayer for you & Butte.


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