# Goat kid dark green diarrhea diagnosing



## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Hi! One of the goat kids I'm taking care of has diarrhea. I was hoping for some help diagnosing. She had the diarrhea for 2 days last week before it disappeared. I kept an eye on it but wasn't too concerned because she was acting normal, keeping up with the heard and grazing. I figured she got into something and left it at that, but it came back yesterday evening and she looks a little bloated. The diarrhea is dark green and the consistency of pudding- I included a pic. She is still acting the same.

For some background, she is a 3 month old Saanen/Alpine mix and about 30lbs. Her diet consists of pasture and nursing. She is the shyist of the goats and won't take any grain/bread/sourdough starter treats offered. She prefers pasture and seems cautious about what she eats.

Her sister is also nursing and on pasture. She's more of a glutton, but doesn't have diarrhea.

Also, her mom was attacked by a dog last month and was on a few medications. Banamine, execede, baytril. She's been off them for about 1-2 weeks, but I'm not sure if it affected her little one.

Is this something I should be concerned about? A parasite, frothy bloat, or is she eating something she shouldn't be? Should I give her some probios or baking soda?

I'm getting a microscope to do fecals, but I won't have it until next week.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

She might be eating something poisonous in their pasture. I'd give her a dose of activated charcoal.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> She might be eating something poisonous in their pasture. I'd give her a dose of activated charcoal.


How much do you think for a 30lb goat?

Now wondering how to prevent this. Is her rumen healthy enough? Should I try to eliminate all the offending plants? Is this something she will out grow?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Green usually means dietary; too much alfalfa when not accustomed to it, what was she getting at her former home?
I would try a few cc pepto bismol to help firm it up, then determine the cause from there. Follow up with probiotics/probios gel for a few days..


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

nancy d said:


> Green usually means dietary; too much alfalfa when not accustomed to it, what was she getting at her former home?
> I would try a few cc pepto bismol to help firm it up, then determine the cause from there. Follow up with probiotics/probios gel for a few days..


She was born here and is still with her momma so her diet hasn't changed. Maybe her mom is giving her milk less? Idk. Another thought is changing seasons. It's going from wet to dry season right now, so it's raining less and a bit cooler.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Less milk won't cause scours. I'd probably give 30-40 ml activated charcoal.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Lush pasture grasses can cause green scours. 
Eating too much and not enough roughage hay.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

So I waited it out and the diarrhea firmed up, stopped for 2 days and then today she was acting way off. Not keeping up with the heard and laying down a lot. She is so timid and I've been having a hard time catching her. Someone helped me grab her today and her lids are so pale. The vet was in an emergency so I never got ahold of her. Now I have some more questions!

I'm thinking barber pole worms because of the area we are in but I'm not certain. Hopefully we can do a fecal soon but I need to start treating her asap. This evening I gave her 3 cc red cell, 5x Safegaurd and nutri drench. I'm wondering if I should continue Safegaurd and buy some ivomec or just go for Cydectin? We have some but it's expired.

Also, should I give her copper boules? Anything else?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If Ivomec still works for you, use Ivomec but not the expired bottle. It is 1cc per 33 lbs orally. Do Safeguard for 3 days in a row. Give her the copper bolus. Give probiotics and a B complex shot. Red cell is 6 cc per 100lbs for 5 days in a row then once a week till normal.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> If Ivomec still works for you, use Ivomec but not the expired bottle. It is 1cc per 33 lbs orally. Do Safeguard for 3 days in a row. Give her the copper bolus. Give probiotics and a B complex shot. Red cell is 6 cc per 100lbs for 5 days in a row then once a week till normal.


Thank you! I've never tried Ivomec so I'm not sure if it works. Do I dose it for one day? We had a doe with anemia in September and Safegaurd worked but she wasn't as white as this kid. I was kind of thrown into taking care of the goats on this farm because no one else was and I'm still learning.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do it one day but do it 3 times,10 days apart.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good advice. 


Praying she will be OK.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Thanks guys. The 2 feed stores nearby didn't have probios, copper bolus or vitamin b complex. I got the Ivomec (so expensive!) and some manna pro minerals.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Do you have a tractor supply?
They would have probios, vitamin b complex, unless that is where you went?

Copper bolus has to be ordered. 

Ivomec is expensive, I know.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

She looks like she still has scours. It's thick though. We have some SMZ and baytril. Any they about those? Or should the scours clear up with the dewormer? 

Should I also dose Safegaurd again in 10 days at the 5x amount for 3 days in a row?


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

I


toth boer goats said:


> Do you have a tractor supply?
> They would have probios, vitamin b complex, unless that is where you went?
> 
> Copper bolus has to be ordered.
> ...


It doesn't look like there is a tractor supply in Hawaii. I might call around to other parts of the island but I probably won't make it over there until next week. I've been giving her sourdough starter so I hope that helps with probiotics for now. For the b complex I'm wondering if pills from the drugstore would work? Idk


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

yogurt or keifer make good probiotics subs..there are some herbs that may help support her system while you get wormer for her..gi soother blend of 1/2 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, ACV and molasses in enough water to make 10 cc and drench 1-2 times a day..I would also add a teaspoon cinnamon as well..Also feed her a garlic and ginger paste...blend fresh garlic and ginger root in enough ex. virgin olive oil to make a paste..feed her a teaspoon or so 4 times a day..


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I do agree.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Thanks! I have all those ingredients so I'll start her on that today.



happybleats said:


> yogurt or keifer make good probiotics subs..there are some herbs that may help support her system while you get wormer for her..gi soother blend of 1/2 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, ACV and molasses in enough water to make 10 cc and drench 1-2 times a day..I would also add a teaspoon cinnamon as well..Also feed her a garlic and ginger paste...blend fresh garlic and ginger root in enough ex. virgin olive oil to make a paste..feed her a teaspoon or so 4 times a day..[/QUOTE


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Da Goat Nanny said:


> I
> 
> It doesn't look like there is a tractor supply in Hawaii. I might call around to other parts of the island but I probably won't make it over there until next week. I've been giving her sourdough starter so I hope that helps with probiotics for now. For the b complex I'm wondering if pills from the drugstore would work? Idk


@Dayna lives somewhere on Hawaii, maybe she can be of assistance?


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

You might be able to find human copper supplement at Whole Foods or a health food store, until you can order boluses on line. I don't know what the goat dosage would be though.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

catharina said:


> You might be able to find human copper supplement at Whole Foods or a health food store, until you can order boluses on line. I don't know what the goat dosage would be though.


Ha, I was just look at some iconic copper today at the health food store and wondering the same thing! One of the girls has a fish tail so I'd like to get them on something soonish.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

The goat product has Copper Oxide, which is a slow release.

iconic copper isn't a slow release. And it isn't rods.
I would not use it.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

toth boer goats said:


> The goat product has Copper Oxide, which is a slow release.
> 
> iconic copper isn't a slow release. And it isn't rods.
> I would not use it.


Sounds good. I was able to get some copper bolus on Amazon prime, which doesn't happen often! I'm really hoping it will help get these goats into shape so they won't get sick so often. I'm also going to get a microscope so I can do fecals to monitor the parasite loads. The annual rainfall here is about 53 in and average temp is 64 F which is the perfect environment for barber pole worms.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck, hope it works for your goaties. 

Being really wet doesn't help, I know.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Thanks everyone! I really think she's going to make it. She had pellet poops today and is slowly keeping up with everyone. I was freaking out at first because her lids were/are so white and she had scours for about a week before treatment. I guess she's just as tough as her momma that survived the dog attack last month. Her moms lids are also light and she's losing weight so I'm treating her too. 

The treatment I'm following is:
-5x Safegaurd for 3 days
-1cc per 33 lbs Ivomec for 1 day and Ill repeat in 10 days
-6cc per 100 lbs red cell for 5 days, then once a week

She also has been getting garlic cloves and sourdough starter (she won't eat the yogurt!) daily. For the herbs (garlic, cayenne, cinnamon) I'm just giving her what she'll eat for now because she already doesn't trust me from the other drenches (Ivomec and nutri drench). She is so hard to catch. I'm hoping she'll be friendly after all this.

One more kid, the wether, has borderline lids but is acting normal. Do you think I should give him Safegaurd? Or should I do a herbal dewormer, copper bolus (when I get them in a week), red cell and keep an eye on him? I'm afraid of over using Safegaurd and creating parasite resistance, but I really don't want another anemic goat. He is very friendly so I will have no trouble checking him often.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Safeguard paste doesn't work in our area, so I hope it does in yours. 
The Ivomec takes care of a lot of worms types. But giving the Ivomec orally isn't safe for anemic goats, it should of been injected the first time, at least, but if the goat was given it orally and still with us, she should be OK. 

I honestly would get a fecal for worms and cocci to know for sure. 

I would bu y a tube of probiotics for cattle or goats it is made for ruminants.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

Is it dangerous to give Ivomec orally to an anemic goat? Or does it work better when injected? I gave it to the kid and her mom orally. The kid seems great today, eating/drinking, keeping with the herd. Her mom seems the same as the last few days, kinda lazy, but alert and eating/drinking. 

I used Safegaurd on the last anemic doe in September and her lids are nice and dark pink now, so I guess it still works. I am paranoid of creating a parasite resistance though. I'm working on getting a microscope so I can do fecals on all the goats to make sure we are treating for the right parasites and the treatment is working.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Da Goat Nanny said:


> Is it dangerous to give Ivomec orally to an anemic goat? Or does it work better when injected?
> ..


When a goat is given a wormer orally, it is absorbed very quickly and the parasites die off like crazy. When a goat is injected with the wormer, it absorbs into their systems more slowly and thus the parasites don't die off quite as fast.

When parasites die, they release from the intestinal wall. So the intestinal wall has to repair, and until it does, there is a small amount of internal bleeding. If a goat is extremely anemic, and a lot of parasites die off quickly, sometimes the goat will bleed to death.

Sometimes they can be anemic without having parasites, either from copper deficiency, or from a previous case of parasites they haven't fully recovered from.

Just to be on the safe side, I'd probably go for injections over oral application for anemic goats.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very well said Suzanne_Tyler.


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## rambo cookie (Oct 11, 2017)

Da Goat Nanny said:


> Is it dangerous to give Ivomec orally to an anemic goat? Or does it work better when injected? I gave it to the kid and her mom orally. The kid seems great today, eating/drinking, keeping with the herd. Her mom seems the same as the last few days, kinda lazy, but alert and eating/drinking.
> 
> I used Safegaurd on the last anemic doe in September and her lids are nice and dark pink now, so I guess it still works. I am paranoid of creating a parasite resistance though. I'm working on getting a microscope so I can do fecals on all the goats to make sure we are treating for the right parasites and the treatment is working.


did you get a microscope? i have been thinking about that.


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## Da Goat Nanny (Sep 8, 2017)

rambo cookie said:


> did you get a microscope? i have been thinking about that.


I did not. I got busy and haven't found the time to look into it. I still would like to for fun when I have time.

I guess I dont feel like it's necessary for me right now. I look after a small closed heard and I've found a pattern for when they get worms. It always happens about 3-4 weeks after one goes through something traumatic- for me that's a dog attack. I'm also fairly certain both times it was barber pole worms and I was able to successfully treat both times.

After that last bout of worms I've been working on getting them healthy to prevent worms. I've started giving them daily minerals, garlic, and BOSS, and an herbal wormer every 3 months. I was also able to fix the fence and there have been no dog attacks since! So far so good!


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