# Lisperiosis



## jsteph3919 (Jan 16, 2018)

I had one of my female goats doing circling pacing. Called vet out and he said she had Listeria and gave her 6cc of Gentamicin. I need to repeat dose 2 more times. He check her hay for mold, but said it was good. He noted that they usually get it from moldy feed. This was a new one on me.


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## babsbag (Jan 16, 2018)

That is true that it can be in moldy feed but it is also found in the environment naturally. It is really hard to avoid and surprising that more animal don't contract it.  Hope that your goat is recovering. 

This is from the Merck Manual. 

_There is a high incidence of intestinal carriers._

_...lives in a plant-soil environment and has been isolated from ~42 species of domestic and wild mammals and 22 species of birds, as well as fish, crustaceans, insects, sewage, water, silage and other feedstuffs, milk, cheese, meconium, feces, and soil._

_The natural reservoirs of L monocytogenes appear to be soil and mammalian GI tracts, both of which contaminate vegetation. Grazing animals ingest the organism and further contaminate vegetation and soil. Animal-to-animal transmission occurs via the fecal-oral route.

It as_


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## kuwaiti-90 (Jan 17, 2018)

Listeria ..

All this is based on what I know about it and what I have encountered in livestock in general

Lestria monocytogenes
Routes of transmission
1 / Taking the oral microbial with food, which burns the mucous membranes of the intestines
2 / by the eye and upper respiratory tract
3 / External parasites
4 / by blood

For prevention and treatment: -
1 / giving chlorotetracycline
2 / penicillin
3 / Treatment is not useful in case of delay and the appearance of symptoms clearly
4 / Give the appropriate vaccine

Symptoms of the disease:

1 * Separation from the herd in addition to lethargy and camber condition
2 * Rapid death
3 * Walking in a circular way
4 * fever in addition to anorexia
5 * conjunctivitis and blindness
6 * muscle twitching
7 * Shake the back menus
8 * Abortion


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## Girlies' Mum (Jan 17, 2018)

We get it quite commonly from silage/haylage bales which have not been packaged completely airtight, or have been opened too long. Neurological signs including going to one side (which could  be circular walking, i guess)


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 17, 2018)

My vet said to give her 6 cc of Gentamicin and 5 cc of fortified vitamin B complex for 3 days, twice a day.


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## Girlies' Mum (Jan 17, 2018)

jsteph3919 said:


> My vet said to give her 6 cc of Gentamicin and 5 cc of fortified vitamin B complex for 3 days, twice a day.



I think this may be a bit unusual.I have checked the "MSD Veterinary Manual" on line and it says:-

"_Recovery depends on early, aggressive antibiotic treatment. If signs of encephalitis are severe, death usually occurs despite treatment. L monocytogenes is susceptible to penicillin (the drug of choice), ceftiofur, erythromycin, and trimethoprim/sulfonamide. High doses are required because of the difficulty in achieving minimum bactericidal concentrations in the brain.

Penicillin G should be given at 44,000 U/kg body wt, IM, daily for 1–2 wk; the first injection should be accompanied by the same dose given IV. Supportive therapy, including fluids and electrolytes, is required for animals having difficulty eating and drinking. High-dose dexamethasone (1 mg/kg, IV) at first examination is considered beneficial by some but is controversial and will cause abortion during the last two trimesters in cattle and after day 135 in sheep."_

I am NOT a vet, but I am a human physician and I am familiar with these antibiotics. These antibiotics are not the same "family" as Gentamicin. However - very important - your vet should/will know what antibiotics are best for the particular bacteria in your area, so I wouldn't panic. It might be worth calling him/her and gently/politely asking why they are using Gentamicin when the books say other antibiotics are indicated. That's what I'd do,for peace of mind. 

Vitamins are an animal thing I don't know much about, but I know vets say help - my sheep have had them when ill.

Hope this helps and your little one gets better


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 17, 2018)

Girlies' Mum said:


> I think this may be a bit unusual.I have checked the "MSD Veterinary Manual" on line and it says:-
> 
> "_Recovery depends on early, aggressive antibiotic treatment. If signs of encephalitis are severe, death usually occurs despite treatment. L monocytogenes is susceptible to penicillin (the drug of choice), ceftiofur, erythromycin, and trimethoprim/sulfonamide. High doses are required because of the difficulty in achieving minimum bactericidal concentrations in the brain.
> 
> ...


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 17, 2018)

Girlies' Mum said:


> I think this may be a bit unusual.I have checked the "MSD Veterinary Manual" on line and it says:-
> 
> "_Recovery depends on early, aggressive antibiotic treatment. If signs of encephalitis are severe, death usually occurs despite treatment. L monocytogenes is susceptible to penicillin (the drug of choice), ceftiofur, erythromycin, and trimethoprim/sulfonamide. High doses are required because of the difficulty in achieving minimum bactericidal concentrations in the brain.
> 
> ...


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 17, 2018)

This is good information. I might drive over to the other town and get another opinion about all of this. I think your right about the Vitamins. Thanks for your input


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## Girlies' Mum (Jan 17, 2018)

jsteph3919 said:


> This is good information. I might drive over to the other town and get another opinion about all of this. I think your right about the Vitamins. Thanks for your input


I think that might be a good thing to do. Good luck. Do let us know how she does.


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 17, 2018)

Girlies' Mum said:


> I think that might be a good thing to do. Good luck. Do let us know how she does.


yep, the other vet wants to put her on IV


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2018)

Fortified Vitamin B (thiamine is what you really need) is used for treating Goat Polio  and the diseases look very similar.  Quite often they treat for both since they may not know for sure which one it is. 

Not sure about the Gentimicin. I do know that it has an 18 month with holding time for meat. That was pointed out to me when my buckling was on it when he had a septic joint.


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## Wehner Homestead (Jan 18, 2018)

How is your girl doing? I know she's been on gent and now an IV and getting vitamins. I pray she's improving.


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## Baymule (Jan 18, 2018)

Update on your girl?


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 18, 2018)

babsbag said:


> Fortified Vitamin B (thiamine is what you really need) is used for treating Goat Polio  and the diseases look very similar.  Quite often they treat for both since they may not know for sure which one it is.
> 
> Not sure about the Gentimicin. I do know that it has an 18 month with holding time for meat. That was pointed out to me when my buckling was on it when he had a septic joint.



Yes, I have been giving her 5 cc of fortified vitamin B daily. Thanks


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 18, 2018)

Wehner Homestead said:


> How is your girl doing? I know she's been on gent and now an IV and getting vitamins. I pray she's improving.


She isnt on IV yet, vet is out of town so she is still with me. I am concern about lack of bowl movement and she has been eating and drinking a lot. I decided on my own to give her warm water with electrolyte call "bounce back" she is drinking a lot of that. Along with the daily 5 cc of fortified vitamin B with Thiamin I am giving her Omega 3 plus for goats, its a energy drench high calorie liquid which also has Thiamin, and Probios max. I have cut her feed intake for now. She will not eat any alfalfa hay that I have for her.


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## jsteph3919 (Jan 18, 2018)

jsteph3919 said:


> She isnt on IV yet, vet is out of town so she is still with me. I am concern about lack of bowl movement and she has been eating and drinking a lot. I decided on my own to give her warm water with electrolyte call "bounce back" she is drinking a lot of that. Along with the daily 5 cc of fortified vitamin B with Thiamin I am giving her Omega 3 plus for goats, its a energy drench high calorie liquid which also has Thiamin, and Probios max. I have cut her feed intake for now. She will not eat any alfalfa hay that I have for her.


I am also wondering if anyone has given Miralax for constipation to the goats?


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## Girlies' Mum (Jan 18, 2018)

jsteph3919 said:


> She isnt on IV yet, vet is out of town so she is still with me. I am concern about lack of bowl movement and she has been eating and drinking a lot. I decided on my own to give her warm water with electrolyte call "bounce back" she is drinking a lot of that. Along with the daily 5 cc of fortified vitamin B with Thiamin I am giving her Omega 3 plus for goats, its a energy drench high calorie liquid which also has Thiamin, and Probios max. I have cut her feed intake for now. She will not eat any alfalfa hay that I have for her.


Glad you seem happier with the new vet. If your goat has listeria, it is essential she gets the correct antibiotic as well, in a big enough dose. Hopefully your vet has been able to advise whether the first advice (of 3 days Gentamicin IM) is enough.  i am a bit concerned about this. I confess.


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2018)

I am concerned as well about the choice of drugs. Depending on how long the vet is going to be out of town I would probably switch her to Penicillin. Sometimes goats require us make hard and fast decisions on our own. But I am not a vet so I can't really say what you should do for your goat, there is a reason they get paid the big bucks. 

Can you hear her rumen working? Listen to her left side and you should hear it rumble about every 30 seconds.


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## Girlies' Mum (Jan 18, 2018)

babsbag said:


> I am concerned as well about the choice of drugs. Depending on how long the vet is going to be out of town I would probably switch her to Penicillin. Sometimes goats require us make hard and fast decisions on our own. But I am not a vet so I can't really say what you should do for your goat, there is a reason they get paid the big bucks.
> 
> Can you hear her rumen working? Listen to her left side and you should hear it rumble about every 30 seconds.


I agree with babsbag. I know nothing about goats, but in humans and some other species I would have no worries about adding in Penicillin. (I am  "sheeple" really, but they get listeria too, as do humans)


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