# Another coughing goat question....



## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Hi everyone.  I know there have been several posts about coughing goats but I haven't seen anything like my situation and was wondering if anyone had any insight. My 4 month old doeling has a cough.....no temp, eating fine and playing like normal. She coughs mostly in the evening and morning. During the day she only coughs maybe once an hour if that. It sounds loose and for the past 5 days I have been giving her 1.8 - 2 cc's of robitussin morning and night. Now, I'll give you some background. About 2 months ago when I got her she started coughing. I told the breeder I got her from and she said that she found out some of her does have lungworm. So, I treated her for that with forbid - 1.5cc's 3 times 10 days apart. My vet also gave her an antibiotic. One of those two seemed to help. Well, about 2 weeks ago she started coughing again just like before. I do have VetRx coming in the mail today or tomorrow to see if that helps. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!! 

This is my Lu Lu....she is the sweetest baby girl! 
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z41 ... 0_0712.jpg


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

onder: 
Wet cough or dry? Any other symptoms?
Have never used robotesum on a goat. 
Not familiar with the wormer you used. Was it a dose for goats?
What antibiotic did the vet use? WHat dose for how long?


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Her cough sounds loose and wet to me....I'm judging from when my kids were little. No other symptoms. The wormer is Prohibit (not forbid-No idea where that came from :roll: ) which is Levamisole. The dose was for her weight but for cattle.... The Vet used Nuflor Gold. 1cc for 3 days. 
I went home today and checked on her. She seems fine.....temp was 102.4, coughed once. Still eating and playing. Weird!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

The regular Nuflor was what just finally got rid of the dry coughs on a few of my purchased kids. I had tried LA-200 on the onw who coughed the most first and no improvement. I also had wormed them with Ivermec + 3 rounds in case it was lungworm. 
Could it be allergies? Try some benedryl and see. 
With the wet sound I might think phenomena but then no temp and already being treated with a good antibiotic I think not. 
Sorry I can't be of more help. Maybe someone else will have a idea.


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Thank you for your insite and experience.  I noticed last night that her cough was getting worse - more congestion and rattley (sp). This morning she is acting fine but she sounds pretty congested - still seems to breath ok. I don't know if this matters but I keep here locked in a dog crate at night out side in our barn because she is so small I am afraid of other animals. This may be why she sounds really congested this morning - no activity yet....wishful thinking. :question: I called my vet and she is going in tomorrow morning at 9:10. My vet is almost 2 hours away but that is the price you pay for a good goat vet. No one around my town will even touch them.  I'll let you know what happens. She is such a sweet little thing...hate to see her like this. 
Thank you for your help!


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Ok, she may have shipping fever. The vet is treating her for that. Found out some bad news though....looks like she has caseous lymphadenitis. There was a soft lump on her left back hip that I thought was just a fat deposit...(wishful thinking). I had no idea that CL even existed. I'm heart broken. We have 3 wethers that are her brothers too. I'm just getting started to investigate this disease so any input anyone may have would be appreciated. From what I've read this means she automatically has CAE too? I am going to have all 4 goats tested soon for everything I can. At what age is best for these tests? I plan on cleaning the abcess and letting it heal before i let her back in with her brothers and watch her like a hawk for more. I thought owning goats would be a piece of cake...how hard could it be, right?? :veryangry: :sigh: Oh well, they have my heart now and I'll keep them happy & healthy as long as I can.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Glad you are getting vet treatment. 
CL is highly contagious when open leisions be careful what she touches and what you handle her with. It does not mean she has CAE; they are 2 completely different diseases.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Did the lump appear overnight? From what i've read, it takes awhile to form an abscess and it will eventually bald and burst. I also don't think that's a common CL location. And no CAE is a different disease as Logan was saying. 

If you get fluid from the abscess you can send it into the lab for testing. She is to young to blood test...for that you'd have to wait til she's 6-8 months old. 

Wish I could help further! :hug: I hope it's not CL.


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Thank you both for your input.  The vet did take a sample of the pus from the abcess and is sending into Michigan State University for analysis. Should know in a week or so. It appeared as if over night about 2 weeks ago. Its not that big and still soft/mooshy (sp) - only as big around as a large grape and flat feeling, not round. I contacted a Dr/Vet/Professor from Michigan State and asked him about it. He was extremely nice and helpful.  He has doubts that it is CL because of her age and the location of the abcess. Not impossible though. ray: I've kept her seperate from her bothers because of the abcess being accessable from taking the pus out. Will let her back in maybe Tuesday. She looks so small and lonely by herself....  And the boys have been soooooo noisy! LOL 
God sure is trying my patience with these little sweeties. 3 of the 4 wethers we got ended up with urinary calculli - one died and the other 2 had surgery to re-route their plumbing. They are doing great thank goodness! We've added top dressing to their feed of ammonium chloride and check their ph once a week. So far so good! :leap: The breeder I got them from neutered them at 2 weeks which I thought was great. I have since found out that's a big mistake! 
Anyway, enough of my rambling.....I'll let you know when I get the results.
Thank you for your help and compasion.


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

Here are a few pics of her. The lump is on the side of her back leg....keeping my fingers crossed!

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z41 ... 0002-1.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z41 ... 1_0001.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z41 ... 0003-1.jpg


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm wondering if it is an injection abscess. Could you find out from the original owner if they got injections for anything and where the injections were done?

Very cute little one. I'm glad you are finding good info to help your goats.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

So sorry that the goats have been so trying. I wether my goats young and have never had a problem. The Urinary Calci are a genetic issue and a feed issue. Vets now understand that castration on young goats does not cause UC. Many bucks can get it also and they are not weathered.
I hope your girls results come back negative.


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

I will check on the injections! Great idea! Sure hope that is it. I've read a couple of other people have had this same issue and it has come up negative for CL so my fingers are crossed. I should know in about a week. 
Good to know about the UC. I thought that we were doing right in the way we were feeding the boys - the feed had a 2:1 ratio of calcium to ph. We had to change the feed and since we have their ph has been right where it should be. I'm wondering if the feed was miss marked or not mixed as stated. Anyway, thank you for all your input and wisdom. I really do appreciate it. I never thought that goats could steal my heart like they have. But I do love it!! They bring so much joy to our lives. :lovey:


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

IT'S NOT CL!!!!!! :leap: Just talked to the vets office, the test came back and they said it's not CL. I didn't talk to the vet himself - he was out on emergancies. He will call me and fill me in more tomorrow. Lu Lu can go back with her brothers thank Goodness!  I'm sooooo happy! Thanks for all your support and kindness.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

:dance: Congrats on the great news!!


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## rgdlljames (Sep 8, 2011)

UPDATE: 
Lu Lu is doing great. :leap: Her abcess is starting to disolve on its own. It never got real hard and there was no hair loss so I left it alone. She still has a cough but no other symptoms so I'm just keeping an eye on her. Don't hear her everyday so it's not persistant. She can run and play with her brothers just fine.
Thank you all again for helping me through this scarry time. Now I've got to get the CAE test done around the first of the year when she is over 6 months.


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Sorry that I didn't comment sooner. I had the same problem this year with my herd that had shipping fever. Long story short, I finally after much trial and error treated with Nuflor and that seemed to clear up the problem. I only wish I hadn't waited so long to treat the problem. I notice that there is still the occasional cough but I contribute that to possible residual scar tissue in the lungs. I'm glad your girl is getting better. It feels good when they are on the mend.


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