# Goat is sick



## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

:help: I'm new to this forum but I have a question, today our nubian doe Dixie got sick, we have no idea what happened. She was fine this morning. Then as the day went on she started staying by herself and looking droopy, but shes done this before for no reason. But towards around 5 pm she was starting to stagger a tiny bit, and she almost seemed partially blind, especially light-sensitive once it got dark. She ate most of her supper. Shes not bloated. Late tonight she was rapidly breathing, but heart rate was normal. She doesn't act in pain, and we felt her rumin and she didnt react. Shes still alive at the moment but we don't think she'll survive the night, and we don't have a large animal vet anywhere near here. Based on the symptoms we found lists of causes like a mile long, but the one we think fits the best was meningeal worm, which means theres no hope. (btw we live in the southeast) And when we bought her she was CAE/CL neg. Is there anything we can do? :tears:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I am sorry to hear this. I don't have an idea but there are lots more experienced goat people on here than me. Hopefully someone will offer some help soon.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

This really sounds like polio/listeria...the blindness and staggering are signs.........she neeeds to have Pen G injected at a rate of 1cc per 10 lbs every 6 hours as well as THIANINE dosed at 1cc per 25lbs every 6 hours. Probiotic paste should be given and I hope that once she gets these that you see improvement soon after.


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks for the info, but she was gone this morning. :tears: 
Do we need to worry about the others? Is there anything we should do for them?


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I agree with Liz.
Get the Penicillian in her right away. Yes that very high dose is needed!
If you have thiamine great if you don't and cant get it use Vit B complex.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Thanks for the info, but she was gone this morning. :tears:
> Do we need to worry about the others? Is there anything we should do for them?


 I am so very sorry.. for your loss....  :hug:

Are you feeding alot of grain? If so, don't feed as much of it...
Also.. feeding molasses based feeds... are prone to mold...

Are they getting moldy hay? Smell it..

Have you used corid or an antibiotics?..it can depleat the thiamine in their rumen

sudden diet changes.. weaning... reactions to some wormers...meds.. 
All can suppress Vitamin B1 production...Usage of antibiotics destroys flora in the rumen and can cause thiamine deficiency.....

To avoid it....illuminate some things above...Or when you suspect they ate to much grain or have eaten moldy feed.... you can give vit B complex ...Vit B1 ..or if you can get straight Thiamine...inject it ...will help to repopulate the gut after using antibiotics or scour meds..


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

So sorry for your loss :hug:


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks, :hug: Dixie was one of our favorites. We are very strict on our hay and feed. We always pick the best burmuda bales. She was getting 1 cup 2xday of Tucker Goat feed, its not molasses based. We don't use Corid at all anymore because of the thiamine thing. And we haven't done anything different lately, they haven't had any trouble so no antibiotics. The only thing different was she was 2 mos pregnant, last year she aborted at 1 mo, so this was gonna be her first kid. Otherwise, we have no idea, the symptoms were so vague. Everybody else is fine so far. :shrug: We're going to stock up on Penn G and Ivermectin in case somebody else gets sick. Though we did have kindof a cold spell all of the sudden, could that have been it?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Cold weather can create issues sometimes but.. I don't think... it was the cause...

It wouldn't hurt to give the goats ...a shot of Vit B complex shot...just in case..it was Polio...with the other goat... or just keep a really close eye on them.... :hug:


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I am so sorry. This reminds me that I need to talk to our vet about getting some Thiamine to have on hand. It can make a difference so quickly if it is polio. We were really lucky that we pulled our Amigo through it. He was sick for quite some time so I am suprised you lost your girl so fast. Now, anytime a goat acts off they are given the Bcomplex, which is OTC, immediately. Unfortunately the B1 concentrate has to be obtained from a vet.
Our sincere condolences.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I posted at 4 30 this morning and just now had chance to get on the forum...I am so sorry you lost her, I've had 2 suffer from polio/listeria in the last couple years.....birds can carry listeria in feces and I do have plenty of those around...I learned with my first case to have B Complex on hand...even if you can't get the Thiamine from a vet, the B Complex can work in a high enough dose to keep them from going further downhill til you can get the thiamine.


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

That was the only thing we had on hand was the thiamine. We gave her some yesterday but it didn't seem to help. We also have Red Cell, and she got that along with a little bit of Dolamite. We have some PennG now if someone else goes down. The other two does she was with are both pregnant, but they're both real strong. We're just gonna keep an eye on them. Yall have been so helpful, thanks so much!


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

She was diagnosed with tetanus by the vet, we have no idea how she got it, especially since we give ours CDNT once a yr. But at least it wasn't listeriosis. We're going to give everybody else the shots, it has been a little over 6 mos. And we're putting our nubian buck up for sale if anyone's interested.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Goats can get Tetanus from getting cuts or puncture wounds... it is quite odd that the goat contracted it even with the CD&T shot... when it should of been protected....  :hug:


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

yea we knew that. But as far as we know she didnt have any wounds, but, she mustve had one somewhere. :shrug: I dont really remember when they got their CD&ts, Maybe last Feb or March... Not sure.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Tetanus, that explains a lot. That is the first thing we suspected with Amigo. Luckily it was not for us. I am really sorry.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

the vaccines are helpful but not 100% of the time. :hug:


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

We vaccinated our priorities this morning, Oreo first. We just cant lose our oreo cookie! Shes our lil mini-nubian. Black with a white belt. Last year she gave twins(boys  ), so we're hoping she'll give twins this year, especialy cause shes bred to our mini-nubi buck, whose black and white spotted. We cant wait for Feb :kidblack:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug: Sometimes things happen and we will never know the answer....I am sorry you lost your precious goat over it....


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

>>>we're hoping she'll give twins this year, especialy cause shes bred to our mini-nubi buck, whose black and white spotted. We cant wait for Feb<<<<
I am glad you have something to look forward to. It helps the hurt.


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## rkl4570 (Nov 21, 2011)

Yea. It does, course it always turns you into nervous wrecks til the babies get here! lol. We have 2 bred, and one who was NOT supposed to get bred but she may have been. mini-nubi buck broke through the gate... :roll: Shes still so small. We're hoping he didn't get her. But, like you said, things happen that you always can't prevent. And sometimes things seem sad and you wish it didnt happen, but it makes room for something new later. :/


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