# How do I know if my goats have Chlmydia?



## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

I have Nigerians. This year three of my doe's aborted within two months.  One I can write off because of stress due to our moving. The other two aborted before the move though.  I have read that Chlmydia is the most common form of abortion.  I own a buck, but he has never been exposed to any other does other than my own. I keep him pinned up but, I put him back with the does when he went into rut. He is still running with them.
I had three mature bred does that I sold and they all delivered fine after sold. And I never had a problem with them the year before. I purchased them bred that year.  I kept only one of the mature does and she also delivered with no problems. She was sold after delivery with kid. My problem is with my 5 young show does that have never freshened.  The first, a yearling misscarried early, she was just showing. She started passing clean red blood. I saw nothing else.  No discharge before.  The second doe delievered a hairless kid. I found it frozed in the snow the next morning.  I don't know why she had it out of her barn.  There was no mess, but the kid still had part of her sack on her.  It was normal looking other than no hair.  It's hooves were white and rubbery.  I didn't know she was that far along. She never bagged up before or after. She became real thin after. It has taken two months to get her looking normal again. These two I purchased together at three months old from the same farm.  The third doe seemed to be doing fine, but we moved.  It was a seven hour move and the next day she started stringing blood and weird cord looking stuff.  She was a daughter of one of the mature does.
I don't know what to think. I need to get these girls bred. They all have and have had clear eyes, good appetites and are active.  No fever, or runny noses. One coughs occationaly but she always has. It is a dry cough.  I have a two year old doe that I purchased in November that is starting to show.  She also has never freshened. I know she is bred because she is real poochy in the vaginal area, and has started putting on a small bag. It is no longer flush. She always has a dark dried thing hanging down from her opening. I also purchased with the two year old a doeling that will be a year old this month.  The buck has shown no intrest in her. I havent even noticed a heat. 
 I gave them all a bose shot. I just wish I new if something was wrong with them. Does any of this sound familar to anyone that has dealt with Chlmydia? I am afraid to give them a LA 200 shot. I read it was dangerous for bred does. I bought some, but I don't know what I should do.  And does this cure it? 
The only other thing I can imagion is maybe timing with the introduction of the two new does? Pecking order fighting? The buck was rough with the new yearlings.  He didn't bother the new two year old, or the mature does he previously ran with the year before.  His pen is divided with theirs.  He is nice to all now, but I seperate him at night. This have weighed on me for months. My new vet blew me off saying sometimes abortion storms happen and you never known what it was.  My old vet wanted to test the fetus.  He acted like all out lives were in danger, really freaked me out!  I had wrapped the fetus in a towel and left it outside while calling the vet.  My dog ate it. I have read testing the fetus is the only way to know. Also, how soon can Nigerians go back in heat after an abortion?


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## cmjust0 (Mar 4, 2011)

Testing is the only way to know, that I'm aware of at least.  As for how you may have gotten Chlamydia on the farm, it can be transmitted by birds.  Bird poops in water, goat drinks water, goat gets Chlamydia.  At least, that's my understanding.  Either way, it's not necessarily strictly an STD in the goat world.

Sorry you're having so much trouble.


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 4, 2011)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Testing is the only way to know, that I'm aware of at least.  As for how you may have gotten Chlamydia on the farm, it can be transmitted by birds.  Bird poops in water, goat drinks water, goat gets Chlamydia.  At least, that's my understanding.  Either way, it's not necessarily strictly an STD in the goat world.
> 
> Sorry you're having so much trouble.


Even in people it is not strictly an STD... it can be "picked up" as easily as a Y.I. from a toilet seat... this is why I look & act like a germaphobe at public restrooms... better to be safe than sorry.


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

I read you have to have the fetus to test or an aborting doe.  I have neither at present.  Do I just wait until another loss? I'd like to prevent it if possible. Do they always have pink-eye or leak fluid? Mine did not. Do they fun fever or ooze funky stuff? I am hoping that it was a lack of selenium or rough housing. But if Chlmydia, I want to treat. Has anyone treated a bred doe? What are your experinces with Chlmydia?


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

It sounds like chlamydia to me. There is also a disease that you can get from cats that causes abortions. 

Oxytetracyclene is the treatment course for any abortions on the farm. I would especially treat the remaining pregnant doe. but I would treat all of them.  LA-200 or another brand.

The kids will have pink eye, not the moms.


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

We have cats too. They sleep one the hay somtimes. Is the treatment the same for both? Is this an on going treatment or a one shot cure? What kind of birth defects are we talking about? And how likely are they to occur?


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

Iluvnigees said:
			
		

> We have cats too. They sleep one the hay somtimes. Is the treatment the same for both? Is this an on going treatment or a one shot cure? What kind of birth defects are we talking about? And how likely are they to occur?


This is what my husband says about diseases, "Yup, they happen."


The tetra-cyclene is more damaging early in a pregnancy, the first month or two. The later into the pregnancy the less likely it will cause problems. With that said, if you wait too long to give the oxy your doe will abort before you treat her. 

How many months pregnant do you beleive you does were when they aborted?
How mony months is the one that is still pregnant?

I did send you an e-mail. Did you get it?


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

With Toxoplasmosis abortion you are going to see animals aborting at different stages of pregnancy, and not just your yearlings. I beleive because it is your yearlings you are dealing with Chlamydia. . 




"Toxoplasmosis is a common intestinal, protozoal infection in cats. It can cause abortion in sheep at any stage of pregnancy, depending upon the stage during which the ewe was infected. It is generally accepted that ewes become infected when they ingest feed or water which has been contaminated with infected cat feces. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available in the U.S. to prevent toxoplasmosis. The best prevention is to control cat populations by keeping cats away from pregnant ewes/does and/or maintain a healthy adult cat population and to prevent contamination of feed and water by nesting cats."


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

Abortions are treated the same, but I beleive chlamydia is more likely to cause future abortions in the next breedings from your buck know being infected.  

It is 1 cc(ML) per 40lbs and there is debate if you should give it every-other day or every day for 5 days in a row of treatments. I have read people doing it both ways on here. I wouldn't guess on the weight of my goat, I would try and weigh them or use a weighing tape. 

Oxy-tetra hurts when you give the shots. Some goats will act like it is no big deal and others will act like you are cutting off a leg.

Give it sub-Q in the neck.


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

Yes I got it and sent a reply. I didn't know that was you. Thanks.
The first doe that aborted was 10 months old, and aborted at about two months or less. There was no kid. The second doe was the same age and by appearance of the kid I would guess she was 4 months along. The known bred doe is two years old and never freshened. She has been exposed since mid November. She has been showing for a month on her sides, udder and vulva. I'm guessing she's about 3-3 1/2 months.
My buck isn't interested in the does anymore so maybe they are all rebred.


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> With Toxoplasmosis abortion you are going to see animals aborting at different stages of pregnancy, and not just your yearlings. I beleive because it is your yearlings you are dealing with Chlamydia. .
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> Why just my yearlings?
> 
> ...


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> Abortions are treated the same, but I beleive chlamydia is more likely to cause future abortions in the next breedings from your buck know being infected.
> 
> It is 1 cc(ML) per 40lbs and there is debate if you should give it every-other day or every day for 5 days in a row of treatments. I have read people doing it both ways on here. I wouldn't guess on the weight of my goat, I would try and weigh them or use a weighing tape.
> 
> ...


Funny, I have a couple that act like that with anything I do! One just lays down on me, little stinker! She's my fav. I started working with her for leading and she is laying down and rolling over on her back!


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

Iluvnigees said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
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Our kids show whethers and it is very funny halter breaking them.

Here is a another thread about chlamydia.
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6310


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> With Toxoplasmosis abortion you are going to see animals aborting at different stages of pregnancy, and not just your yearlings. I beleive because it is your yearlings you are dealing with Chlamydia. .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I messed up my first attempt at this post so I'm trying again.  Why do you lean toward Chlamydia because of the yearling only effect? 

Thanks, for the link. I feel better about treatment.  I wonder how long I should wait before giving the shot.  She may be safe now.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2011)

Iluvnigees said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
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It wont only effect yearlings, It will cause all of them to abort, once your buck is exposed, even your older does will abort. All the doelings that were bred at the same time or after those two new doelings will be exposed via the bucks. Doesn't matter if they are first freshners, it matters when it enters your herd.  Once a herd has it and all the goats are exposed and abort one time, then only your yearlings or new does you add to the herd will abort. 

Ofcourse there are always exceptions, some may not abort, some does may abort twice. 

I beleive since it is your new doelings that have aborted, they brought it into your herd and it probably wasn't cats. too much coincidence that the two new does got it and not your older does, since you have probably had cats all along.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Mar 4, 2011)

Just skimmed the thread so someone may have already suggested this, but I wouldn't write off your doe that aborted as strictly stress in induced from the move.  I've transported bred does without concern.  I would tend to think that unless she was already somehow compromised that she wouldn't have aborted from stress alone.  It seems more likely that there was already an issue (the same issue causing the other abortions) and the stress is what pushed her over the edge.


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## Iluvnigees (Mar 4, 2011)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> Just skimmed the thread so someone may have already suggested this, but I wouldn't write off your doe that aborted as strictly stress in induced from the move.  I've transported bred does without concern.  I would tend to think that unless she was already somehow compromised that she wouldn't have aborted from stress alone.  It seems more likely that there was already an issue (the same issue causing the other abortions) and the stress is what pushed her over the edge.


Very true, I guess I was just hoping that it could have been the buck butting the new ones and stress with the other.  He did hit one so hard he rolled her. I am leaning to the LA 200 shot.  Now I have to figure out how to eliminate this.


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