# Foaming at mouth and turning head



## hippygoatherder (Nov 26, 2013)

My little nubian has been very sick. Vet wormed her 2 weeks ago and she showed much improvement the past week. Then this evening she has taken a turn for the worse. She is grinding her teeth and foaming at the mouth. She doesn't seem to be able to swallow. She is trying to eat lots of grass/hay but it just hangs out of her mouth as she slobbers. I have given milk of magnesia and some baking soda in case of poisoning. Nothing seems to be helping. She keeps turning her head all the way to her left side and walking in circles also.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Sounds like listeriosis, she'll need large doses of thiamine and antibiotics asap. What's her temp?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

First check for abstruction in her throat ....I would also begin treatment for polio/listeriosis...ASAP...

Thiamine or fortified B complex and Large doses of Pen is needed..per this link..and banamine 
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/listeriosis.html


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm torn between choke and Listerosis. 

If choke: Put a finger full of Vick's Vapor rub on the back of her tongue, about the amount you would put on a child's nose. It will release the spasms causing the choke. 

If Listerosis: Treatment is Pen G, Thiamine, and Banamine.


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## hippygoatherder (Nov 26, 2013)

temp is normal. gave antibiotics yesterday


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Listeriosis needs Penicillan at large doses to pass the blood Brain barrier..amounts per the article...Give Thiamine in case the goat has polio and not listeriosis...and banamine to help with brain swelling..


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## harleybarley (Sep 15, 2014)

Not to be contrarian, but could it be bloat or poisoning? The foaming at the mouth is bloat-y; drooling without foam would be more listeriosis-y, wouldn't it?

Stomach pain on left side could cause a goat to look hard to the left (or even chew at the rumen), and the goat would sometimes walk in a circle as they forget about walking while looking at the rumen.

I am almost brand-new, so listen to the voices of experience. 

I raise it because I lost a goat to bloat/poisoning with foaming at the mouth. I didn't think infection caused frothy mouth unless it was causing bloat as a symptom (and then the bloat would be a life-threatening complication). And poisoning may be too severe for MoM to fix.

Experienced people, please correct me where I'm wrong.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Baking soda and MOM was already given for bloat and/or poisoning and it didn't help. That is in the original post.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Head tilting and circling almost always means listeriosis, because the feverish brain loses its coordination and control. The loss of control can cause difficulty swallowing, which will make the goat choke and cough up foam. That's what happened with my doe when she came down with this illness. My doe also became paralyzed in her hind legs.


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## harleybarley (Sep 15, 2014)

Ah. Thank you for clarifying. 

I've never used baking soda alone for bloat, I've always added oil to break up the bubbles. 

Coughing up foam - ah, that makes sense. Thank you!

Trying to interpret a description of symptoms is interesting. Like "keeps walking in circles" could be "it happened a couple times" or "the only way she walks is in circles."


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

It's confusing, because different illnesses can show the same symptoms! Foamy mouth is usually associated with bloat and poisoning, but can occur with listeriosis as well. It often takes some detective work to figure out the problem


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Choke can also cause circling/brain swelling when the lung spasms are bad enough that the brain is not getting oxygen enough to function properly. This case really could be anything from Rhodie poisoning, to Listerosis, to persistent foamy bloat, to choke, to stomach cancer. 
Trying to eat tells me it's not Rhodie poisoning, I have no experience with foamy bloat.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

How she dong?


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## hippygoatherder (Nov 26, 2013)

I was up half the night with her. Had to wait for our local Tractor Supply to open this morning at 9 am. They had nutra drench which has Thiamine. I have managed to get her take some of that and pro bios. She is still down. Planning on giving her more probios throughout today. Thanks to everyone for their advice. I hope we get her up and going but at the moment it looks bleak.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Start giving high doses of Pen G and straight thiamine RX shots IM, or get fortified vit B complex, give SQ, has thiamine in it, purchase at the feed store. Thiamine must be injected for it to do any good, do this every 4 to 6 hours around the clock. Getting banamine or Dex from the vet will help with brain swelling associated with Polio/listeria. She will get worse and may die if treatment is not started ASAP.

Look up Polio/ listeria and the dosages should be there. Search feature is at the top area of TGS screen.


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## hippygoatherder (Nov 26, 2013)

they didn't have injectable thiamine at Tractor Supply which is my only option on a Sunday. We do have B complex.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Is she improving at all, with the b complex? I didn't have antibiotics when treating my goat for this, but massive amounts of b complex (injected and oral) helped her recover. I also put an ice pack on her head periodically to help reduce brain swelling.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Give the B complex...if it has 100 mg. thiamine in it give 4-5 cc every 4 hours, if it has 25 mg thiamine you will need to give four times the amount...I knows its over whelming but needs to be done...always sub Q...

Best wishes!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.

Always treat for listeria and Polio, in case.

If it is Listeria, and we only give thiamine it won't help, it has to be Pen G and thiamine or fortified vit b complex shot every 6 hours.

Is the temp high or low?

Yes, the fortified vit b complex has thiamine in it. Read on the back it should say how much is in it.


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