# Buckling With Bent Neck Help!



## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

I have been working with Ace for about 14 days now and going up and down with him. He had a really low temp two weeks ago when I started (99). I brought him in the house to get him warmed up and he was doing better. He would have his not so good days, but it looked like things were on the upswing until yesterday. He had a really low temp (99 again) so I put a heater in for him (he is living in my room in a tub). I have been giving him re-sorb and pedialyte along with vit. B shots and red cell (he was also a bit anemic). Today his neck was bent back and he was to weak to stand. He also had some convulsions this morning. His last temp was at 100.9. He has lost so much weight (he has no muscle mass) (he weighed 23# two weeks ago and he is three months old). I have an appointment to take him to the vet tomorrow. I don't know if he can stand too much more in the way of things to give him.:tears:


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that  I wish I could help! Hopefully the vet can or maybe someone on here...


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Listeriosis??Or polio?? 14 days is a long time to deal with this but maybe check it out...


> The encephalitic form is most common, causing inflammation of the nerves in the goat's brain stem. Symptoms include some or all of the following: depression, decreased appetite, fever, leaning or stumbling or moving in one direction only, head pulled to flank with rigid neck (similar to symptoms of tetanus), facial paralysis on one side, blindness, slack jaw, and drooling. Diarrhea is present only in the strain of Listeriosis which causes abortions and pregnancy toxemia. Listeriosis can be mistaken for rabies.


http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/listeriosis.html

Low temp indicated rumen shut down..C D Antitoxin will help bind the toxins building...Thiamine is needed to prevent or treat Polio...Pen g at large amounts are needed to treat listeriosis...The link has a chart to show how much Pen G is needed


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

the crap thing is large amounts of pen g can kill healthy rumin... very tough situation. Hope the vet will be able to pin point the problem. Good luck


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I'd say polio, thought tetanus with the bent neck and convulsions (like rigamortis), but 14 days is too long.
The bent neck can also be a severe selenium deficiency (more often seen in calves).


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Are you tube feeding him? He needs something with more nutrients than electrolytes.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

if he isnt eating on his own and if he can swallow well..mush up some alfalfa pellets in water and use a turkey baster to feed him..keep him fed will help him fight what ever is going on...
And although its true Pen can be hard on the rumen...giving Probio paste 3-4 hours after pen will help keep his rumen in enough shape until treatment is over..then follow with Probios daily for at least a week...
best wishes..please keep us posted on what the vet thinks...
here is a electrolyte recipe that would be better for him than Pedialyte 

Homemade Electrolytes
A half gallon of hot water
2-6 Tablespoons of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
1-2 Tablespoons of Either Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda or Table Salt.
1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar


Mix well and drench or let them drink it.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

^^ calf manna is another good one to soak and feed. You can soak in in really hot water, let it soften up, put it through the blender until its at puree or baby food consistency, add more water and tube feed, or keep it thicker and feed with a Turkey bastor. You can also add his minerals if you want.


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## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks everyone for all your help. He is holding steady currently. We will be looking into the calf manna in the morning. Will keep you posted.


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## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

Good news! He was able to move his head and he tried to move around when he heard me come in. I gave him two ounces of a mash I made up (garlic, kiefer, yogurt, oat groats, soaked alfalfa, vit. B1 (250 ml), oregano oil, onion, and echinacea,). He was able to eat it on his own and drank half of his electrolytes (I tubed the other half). I gave him 1.5 ml penn. (he got .7 ml earlier, and then we found out he would need more) at 10:30pm and probios at 1:30am. This is the first interactive response from him in about 21 hours! YAY!


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## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, his temp. is at 102 (under the lamp but hey it's coming along). Got to rejoice over every little blessing!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

good news...any progress is encouraging..sounds like he is in good hands...


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## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> I'd say polio....


I think you are right. I took him to the vet yesterday and she did not know about the goat polio (while our vet is not as well versed in goats, she has family that have goats and she takes a keen interest in learning more, about them and helping as much as she can). While he was at the vet he went from laying on the exam table and not moving, to being able to stand on his own for short periods of time. The vet said to do a little muscle therapy for him and get him standing as much as possible. By yesterday evening he was able to graze a little and start to take steps. He still falls, but his falls are getting further and further apart. I was able to get a hold of some straight B1 and have been giving him that. His neck is starting to straighten out! Over all I think he is on the mend. He is starting to be able to regulate his temp. without a heat lamp as well. One question though, would he be infertile (He was originally purchased to be an upcoming herdsire) because of how sick he has gotten? He is quite stunted, weighing 17# (he was 23# two weeks ago) at just over three months (he is an Oberhasli). Any thoughts?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

He may be less fertile at the moment, but he should recover and gain more fertility and be able to carry on his job as your new herd sire. Polio shouldn't cause any reproductive issues, I have a doe that appeared to have it 2 years ago, I got her over it, and she continues to kid.
Just worry about his health right now, when he's over this bump in the road you can alway have a fertility check done (semen collection observed under a microscope counting the % of mobile sperm).


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

YAY!!! I pray he continues to recover for you :hug:

As far as polio affecting fertility, I have a now 4 year old ND doe who had polio at 5 months of age, she did have some lasting nuerological issues for over a month past her last treatment, she still has an odd tilt to her head on occassion but has kidded successfully 2x for me since, her first with twin does and her second with 3 does and a buck


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## Pacamamma (Apr 8, 2013)

Ace passed on this morning at three:tears:. He died peacefully in my arms. His last hour was pretty rough. He had convulsions and lock jaw. What I thought was the goat polio, was really tetanus. I should have given him the anti-toxin from the get go. Yesterday he was walking better and grazing more like a normal goat. By three a.m. he was dead:tear:. He just went so fast. Rest In Peace little buddy. He will always have a significant in my life. Here is a picture of him before he got sick.


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## LamanchaAcres (Jan 11, 2013)

Awwww sorry for your loss


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I'm sorry.  

I've never seen tetanus drag out that long, normally 48 hours max, and they're gone.
poor little guy.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I'm so sorry. ... Never heard of tetanus going that long either ???


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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