# 2 new babies- with diarrhea



## Owataqt (May 17, 2011)

Iam so confused as to what to do, I am new with goats..I just got a two week old and a 9 day old nd doelings

I have had them for about a week now and first 2 days great poo..the past few days, one poo will have a tint of red, then the next poo will be normal and then the next runny, then next day normal, then later, runny, then next poo semi normal..then no tint of red at all..today they had the same thing..each poo different..

Last poo before I put them to bed..runny again and dark brown as opposed to runny yellow

What should I do? I have added probios to their milk.

Yes, I get the mothers milk from the breeders. I just worry about how it doesn't seem to come out consistent as it did the first few days I had them. They each take about 5 ounces 4 times a day..some days a little less some days a little more.

They are alert, playful, running, climbing all over the place, into everything..they are kept in my home and run all over and then placed in their makeshift pen I made for them in my foyer. 

It seems their aren't any goat vets around me. 

What would I do?

Thank u all


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

First off...WELCOME!

Now, as to the babies, a consideration would be if the mother has had any changes in her diet or any illness that has been treated with meds, even mastitis....these can contribute to the kids sloppy butts.
For now, I would get a temp on each baby...normal is 101-103.5*F, and dose each with Pepto Bismol, 4-5cc every 6-8 hours to firm the poop...also, something else to consider as I've just learned this myself...when giving Pepto to milk fed kids, it will turn the poop dark and it won't be the yellow color they would normally have.
Is the milk being fed to them "pooled" together from each doe or are each getting their own mothers milk? If it's pooled, it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly which doe may have an issue.
Also...do you provide them with hay? At this age they would normally be nibbling and by 2-3 weeks they are actually eating it alongside their moms if they are dam raised.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Well Welcome :wave: 

Are they possibly eating anything other than the milk?
Dark brown poops could be coccidia. 
I would take a vet a fecal sample and have them check for worms and coccidia. Any vet can have the test run it doesn't have to be a goat vet. 

They do need to have access to hay for them to nibble so their rumen can begin to develop and process solid foods.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

A vet check with a fecal is good to do but the "life cycle" of coccidia is 3 weeks...these babies are 9 days and 2 weeks old, coccidia may not show up with a fecal at their young age.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Liz would you treat for it then or? Lets say the kids are just getting moms milk only and no other diet changes.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

freedomstarfarm said:


> Liz would you treat for it then or? Lets say the kids are just getting moms milk only and no other diet changes.


Treat them for coccidia?

I do prevention with DiMethox but don't start until they are 3 weeks old, from what research I've done, sulfa drugs will treat scours but it is more likely to be caused by something other than cocci before they are 3 weeks old.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Thanks! Great info!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

ive had kids get coccidia at 2 weeks but yeah anything younger than that I dont think cocci as the culprit.

you said it was tinged with blood -- maybe the stools were a bit hard causing them to bleed a little while pooping as they were constipated?

ecoli can also be in play with young kids.

I guess I need more info to help you along --- Liz has some good questions to help narrow it down


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## Owataqt (May 17, 2011)

Thank u all, okay let me take it step by step
I got the first one at 7 days old to be exact normal stools..then I got the black one at 4 days old about 5 days later.

Her stools were kinda normal then the next day yellow runny, then I noticed the next day..it was poling..I watched and at the end of the stool was tinged red. I also saw the tinged red from the hole itself..that made me think..it wasn't the stool itself but her little hoke or vessels..then the next day, normal..then back to runny

Today the black one will be exactly 2 weeks old on Friday..she gets straight goat milk from her momma

The second goat- white will be exactly 3 weeks old on Saturday ..she gets 1/4 goats milk mixed with her milk replacement. Because that breeder is no more supplying goats milk to me and the other breeder I get just enough to give the 1/4 extra in the other goats milk replacement so that she is still getting some real milk.

Fecal sample okay I will do..

But wanted to share today with u after feeding them..solid brown runs...no blood or anything like that.


Iam just worrying because no vet can see me till the end of the week.

I haven't been doing hay because I was told not till 2 months

Now what type of hay should I go purchase??!

Thank u all, I feel like iam doing everything wrong ...

Xoxox


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## Owataqt (May 17, 2011)

I thought I replied I must have done it wrong....
Okay Saturday one will be 3 weeks old, Friday one ilk be 2 weeks old

This morning solid brown runs..

Vet can't see till Friday..if they can squeeze me in..if not Saturday..

In the meantime I will add hay, 
What kind of hay do I purchase?

Both are doelings

Will add pep to

I do have sulmet, should I use?

Thank u everyone

Oh and the soon to be 3 week baby gets milk replacement with 1/4 mommas goat milk..breeder of that one doesn't supply goat milk anymore after 2 weeks..so I use 1/4 milk of other breeders goat milk

Xoxox


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## glenolam (Jul 20, 2010)

Owataqt said:


> They each take about 5 ounces 4 times a day..some days a little less some days a little more.


 I don't bottle feed my kids, but that amount seems excessive to me.

I did have to bottle feed a little nigerian buckling one time for about 2 days and all he got was 3oz 4x a day.

The amount of milk they're getting could be too much for them.

ETA - never mind. I thought they were still only a few days old.

Have you been switching milk on them? A change in the milk you give them can cause diarreah.

I've read that you can give them whole cow's milk from the store - it's cheaper and just as good as the powdered milk stuff. You don't want to switch them over immediately, you gradually change their milk by doing what you were doing with the goat milk, 3/4 powder 1/4 vit d milk, then a few days later do 1/2 powdered stuff, 1/2 vit d milk, etc.

Also, if they have diarreah they sell a product called scour halt or scour ease or something along those lines (they're basically all the same). You don't give them any milk, just the scour halt stuff until their poop firms up.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

i would test them for cocci, or just treat them for cocci and get them on some hay. I have never heard of people not offering hay to young kids, that should be offered pretty much day 1. The long stems help develop their rumen. good quality 2nd cut grass hay, maybe a little alfalfa hay would be good for them, something tender. 

I would have out fresh water for them. 

And when you get their stomachs settled down, I would consider a sprinkle of goat grain each day. 

I would cut them down to 3 bottles a day, but not cut back on the total amount of milk they are getting per day. and I would stop heating the milk, offering it room tempurature at first and then cold, or just the chill taken off of it. Milk heated up too much can cause bacterial scours. 

I would consider bacterial scours, if you think you have been keeping the kids too warm and over warming the milk, spectam scour halt is good for bacterial scours. can get at feed stores.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

Is the one with the worst scours, getting the milk replacer? Some people have had problems with certain brands of milk replacer giving scours, I have had good luck with Land o' Lakes, but I have heard people complaining about Manna Pro kid replacer.

Whole cows milk seems to work pretty well for everyone.


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## Owataqt (May 17, 2011)

Yes, it is now the one on the milk replacer with the brown runs..
Xoxox


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I woulnt give goats cold or room temp milk -- thats not normal. Processed and chilled right and then reheated and giving is perfectly acceptable (if using goats or cows milk). I have never had these bacterial scours you are talking about - but thats probably because i handle the milk properly from goat to fridge and from fridge to kid. 

Some milk replacers can cause scours - I like Land - o - lakes never had an issue with it. There are no added fillers in it. 

Try giving less milk in the bottles (like 3-4 ounces)and keep up the number of feedings - you want to resemble moms feeding as much as possible (short meals often through out the day). Also mix the powder a bit differently - try a little less replacer with the same amount of water to see if that helps. sometimes the mixing instructions are a bit to rich for the kids to handle.


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## Owataqt (May 17, 2011)

Thank u everyone...

Test came back all negative , I paid for additional testing as well..things the state lab said my babies could have.

Whhosh, all clear..all good to go.. :clap: 

I switched to whole vitamin d cows milk and also some pumps of scour halt, is that what it's called?

My friend owns goats and brought it to me..now they aren't having diarrhea..it's more solid but dark dark brown.. I swear some times it looks today like it's forming those little berries

I thought don't form those till after bottle feeding I'd done?

What do I know..lmao..nadah..

Thank u again for being there for me
Xoxo


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