# 2wk kid, bottle fed, sudden fever grinding teeth shaking



## Brae Robertson (Aug 17, 2019)

She’s the runt of surprise twins. Rejected by mama. Currently 12lbs. Feed her 14oz milked from mama 2x a day and a last one before bed for 6oz. Doing great and growing though she’s the bottom of the pecking order.

Went to give her bottle this morning (yeah, three hours behind schedule, I know! it was unavoidable) and she didn’t come running, isolates herself, only had 8oz, now lays down and won’t get up unless I make her, has a 106 temp and rapid breathing. Pee and poop are normal. Grinding teeth. Normal gums and eyes. No sores on body or at old cord site. No discharge from back or front side. Gave her selenium and e paste about an hour ago and no change. Now have her isolated in the laundry room.

Ideas?


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 17, 2019)

With a temperature of 106 and rapid breathing - my advice is you need veterinary intervention and very likely antibiotics.   Hope she gets better!


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## Brae Robertson (Aug 17, 2019)

Turns out her mom wasn’t vaccinated. Did so five minutes ago to everyone. Also started LA200. Gave her nutri drench and actually got the selenium vitamin E down her throat instead of her lips. Still won’t drink milk but I forced an ounce into her. Pee and poop is still normal. 

If she’s laying down she doesn’t want to get up. If she’s standing up she doesn’t want to lay down. 

I hope I’m doing it right and I intervened in time. Maybe her mama was right to reject her, maybe she didn’t get enough colostrum the first day (highly doubt she did), maybe I should have vaccinated the mama when I got her two months ago when she could have passed some antibodies to the kids. 

I’ll call the vet. Why do things have to happen on a weekend or at night?


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 17, 2019)

MonicaMonicaMonica said:


> Why do things have to happen on a weekend or at night?


Because they want to make us crazy....

Just noticed you are new.  Sorry about the reason behind you joining - but WELCOME!   Hope you'll stick around and please let us know how it turns out.


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## Brae Robertson (Aug 17, 2019)

Yeah, I’m on here all the time but never had a reason to post until now. 

Vet said she has pneumonia. Doing what we can for her, guess next 12 hours will be awful for everyone. If she’s fighting than I’m fighting. Thank you for responding!


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 17, 2019)

MonicaMonicaMonica said:


> Vet said she has pneumonia.


I was afraid that might be the case.   I'm not sure where you're located, but it's really hot where I am.  I've had a lot more babies get pneumonia in the heat than in the cold.  



MonicaMonicaMonica said:


> If she’s fighting than I’m fighting.


That's my motto also.  Really wish you (and her) the best of luck!

Does she have a name?


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## Brae Robertson (Aug 17, 2019)

Blaze. 

I’m in western Oregon. Pretty normal 85 August heat, but I’ve heard of it happening more in the summer because of the dramatic changes in temp. Pretty sure on this case it’s the lack of adequate amounts of colostrum in the first 24.

Just gave her 8oz bottle and had to cut her off so we didn’t have a whole new set of problems. Temp is down to 102.9. Will do another few ounces in a few hours. She was walking around outside and went straight to the goat pen and laid down outside (I was hoping she’d do her business out there). Think she misses her twin. They’ll visit tomorrow if all goes well tonight. Fingers crossed we caught it in time. 

Vet did a higher dose antibiotic (can’t remember name), anti inflammatory (Banimine), probiotic orally, subQ fluids, and a selenium & E shot. We’ve had quite the day! I’ll do more Banimine and probiotics tomorrow that I was given. 

Hopefully someone else will see this and find it helpful. I was crazy reading, ignoring my human kids, and searching everything all day and felt very unprepared for something like this. Vitamin B, corid, dewormer and probiotics for sure—but goat pneumonia?! Jeez!


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## Brae Robertson (Aug 17, 2019)

frustratedearthmother said:


> you need veterinary intervention


Thank you so much for your help! Sometimes you need someone to tell you to bite the bullet and get help. Probably (hopefully) saved her life.


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## Sheepshape (Aug 18, 2019)

Try not to beat yourself up, Monica. I always expect folk would have vaccinated, wormed and generally cared for their livestock, but it often isn't the case.I hope Blaze pulls through.They're tougher than you think at times. Mums sometimes instinctively know the ones which are going to have problems, though the health issue usually declares itself within a few days of birth. The lack of colostrum antibodies is definitely going to have contributed.

Do let us know how things pan out....and however things go, most of us have been there.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 18, 2019)

MonicaMonicaMonica said:


> Thank you so much for your help! Sometimes you need someone to tell you to bite the bullet and get help. Probably (hopefully) saved her life.


You are so welcome!  That's why we all come here - hoping to glean a bit of knowledge that we don't already have.  I've been raising goats for close to 30 years and I still learn something new.

Unfortunately, with your baby's symptoms it was a "been there done that" situation for me. 

I am so glad you got her some professional help - sometimes it's just necessary.  Sounds like your vet is on top of it  and hopefully she will pull through with flying colors!

Like Sheepshape said - don't beat yourself up.  You noticed something was wrong with  her and you acted on it.  And, you learned something that will stay with you.   Give Blaze a hug from me!


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## Brae Robertson (Aug 19, 2019)

She seemed to be doing better today. Visited her sister, nibbled on various things, drank about 24oz total. 

Fever came back at 7pm. Shaking, teeth grinding. By 8:40 she was drowning. At 8:59 I prayed that my hand be true and that her suffering end quickly. At 9:00 she cried out, released her last breath, and at that exact moment a cricket started its song next to us. At 9:20 she was buried beneath a tall tree on the hill overlooking our house and the pasture.

I never intended to have baby goats, or even to bottle feed one. But four times a day I would set her in my lap and we would look in each other’s eyes, make little noises to each other, and she would wag her tail. 

Growing up on a farm I was never this attached or affected by a death. She entered and left this world in my arms—it is all so very brief. 

And we get up and do it the next day.


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## Sheepshape (Aug 19, 2019)

I'm SO sorry....you did your very best.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 20, 2019)

I am so sorry you lost her.  You did right by her in her short life and gave her a chance.  It is so very hard to put your heart into one of them and have to let a little piece of it go when they go.  



MonicaMonicaMonica said:


> And we get up and do it the next day.


We do.  We all go through the hard times, but the good times make it bearable.


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