# New goat has diarrhea



## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Apr 18, 2015)

So our new goat, Flora, has diarrhea. I know you're supposed to give liquids, but I'm fairly sure it's due to stress of a new home and handling (she's not used to humans). And I'm afraid forcing liquids down will only make it worse.

To make it worse, she's pregnant. So I'm concerned about the kids.

Any idea what to do? Force her liquids anyways? She's been eating rabbit food too, argh. Took it away now, but still. Haven't given her any grain today, just the rabbit food she ate. She got some yesterday, which might be part of her issue.


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## Goat Whisperer (Apr 18, 2015)

After all the stress, it is probably a parasite bloom. 

Its not the best method, but what do her eyelids look like? Do you know anyone that can run a fecal?


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Apr 18, 2015)

@Goat Whisperer I checked and hers look like the Dangerous, and the other goat looks like Borderline though she's acting healthy.

Flora is still eating and drinking as far as I can tell.

I have Epsom salts, I could do one at home. But I wouldn't be able to look at it under a microscope until Monday.


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## babsbag (Apr 18, 2015)

I would worm her, I always worm goats when they come to my farm. Just make sure you use a wormer that is safe for pregnant goats.  I can't tell you which ones NOT to use as I always use Ivermectin and it still works for me.


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Apr 18, 2015)

@babsbag so ivermeticin works? Even pregnant ones?


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## Ridgetop (Apr 18, 2015)

If her eyelids look like anemia, you should probably worm her like babsbag & goatwhisperer said.  Anytime you bring a new animal in there is a chance they bring something with them.  I have used Ivermectin too although not on pregnant goats.  I have not had much in the way of parasites.  It is very dry here and the goats won't eat anything that falls to the ground. Picky!  you can also get some paste electrolytes at the feed store if she is getting dehydrated.  It comes in a tube like horse wormer, doses are marked by weight, and since it is salty, the goat will drink after getting some of it.  Also, I used to know people that put gatorade powder in the water bucket when they went to fairs.  They thought it helped with the stress.  I never did because I didn't want sticky water in the stall.  Our goats didn't stress much but that was probably because they were brought up around 4 rambunctious children.  They seemed to like fairs because we were always in the barn with them.  If she isn't used to people that could be stressing her.  Vitamin B injections can also help a severely stressed or depressed goat.  I would not force feed her or tube her.  She will eventually eat and drink if she is just nervous.


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## Pearce Pastures (Apr 18, 2015)

Given she is pregnant, your choices are limited so I would give the ivermectin a chance.  In addition, give her vitamin B complex ad probios.  Is she not drinking?  Eating?  What is her temp?


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Apr 18, 2015)

@Ridgetop I was just questioning the technique / color because like I said, the normal goat looks like a pretty light color too but she's healthy in every way I can tell.

Is safeguard safe for milking or pregnant goats? I can deworm them all with it, but it's all I have on hand. She is eating hay, I know that much. I haven't seen any of the goats drink, but the water is at a lower level and they're all eating hay. I've stopped giving any other food, appearantly they've never had grain before, and of course Flora (scour goat) was the one who was gulping it down yesterday /: at this point I think it's just the food change, and will keep her solely on hay until it clears up, and introduce grain slowly.


@Pearce Pastures she is eating hay and acting normal, haven't seen her drink but also haven't seen any of them drink. Will take her temp.


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## CochinBrahmaLover=) (Apr 18, 2015)

Her temp is 103.0F


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## babsbag (Apr 18, 2015)

Safeguard is OK for pregnant, not sure about withdrawal for milk, it is probably on the bottle. But Safeguard can also not work, where we live it is "safe the worm and safe for the goat"   I only use if the goats have tape worm.

There is a table here for withholding times for Ivemectin.

http://www.farad.org/publications/digests/092000ExtralabelIvermectinMoxidectin.pdf

Ivermectin is ok for pregnant goats, I always worm about a month before kidding. Worms are not a problem on my dry land so I only worm once a year but new goats get wormed upon arrival and then a fecal done a few weeks later.


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## babsbag (Apr 18, 2015)

Looks like a normal temp to me


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## Ridgetop (Apr 18, 2015)

Is the normal goat new too?  It won't hurt to worm both with Ivermectin either way.  Vitamin B is a safe standby for any goat a little off.  Probiotics are easily obtainable from the feed store and will restore rumen health if a change in water or diet has thrown her off.


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## elevan (Apr 21, 2015)

FAMACHA (the eye chart) only works for one type of parasite - the barberpole worm, be clear about that first off.  Barberpoles do not typically cause scouring.  They cause anemia, which is why the eye chart is helpful.

There are other internal parasites that tend to bloom along with barberpoles though, especially when a goat is stressed that do cause scouring.  In addition, you said your goat got into rabbit feed which is another thing that can cause scouring on it's own.

When bringing home a new goat, I would always do a quarantine de-worming drench to deal with any stress related parasite blooms.
*Quarantine Drench - to help avoid introducing drug resistant worms
--isolate animals to barn, dry lot or a sacrifice pasture not used for other sheep
--use more than one dewormer class, one of which should be cydectin and the other probably levamisole (Prohibit).

You do, however, need to know what de-womers work (and don't work) in your area.  In much of the US Safeguard is ineffective, Ivermectin is losing effectiveness and Cydectin is being misused.  If you use the wrong dose, too low of a dose, the wrong product...then you're only hurting the situation, not only for your goat but for every goat owner out there by helping to create even more drug resistant strains of parasites.  So, what's a goat owner to do?  Err on the side of caution and use the strongest dewormer you can and use the highest safe dose on your animal.  Get fecal tests done as much as possible before you chose to de-worm and do not de-worm indiscriminately.

I agree that Vitamin B is a good option for a stressed goat.

Another product to keep on hand when dealing with parasite issues (anemia related parasite issues) is injectible iron or redcell.


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