# Goat screaming in pain and can't stand - EMERGENCY!



## Bird Whisperer (Aug 5, 2020)

I need help, my female nigerian dwarf goat (about 5 years old) just started screaming and cannot stand. I have no idea what's going on nor what to do!!!!
Any advice is appreciated!!!


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 5, 2020)

Our neighbor says it may be bloat and told us to give her some olive oil. I squirted about 1/4 cup down her throat but I'm worried she ate something bad. I'm so scared for her plz help


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## farmerjan (Aug 5, 2020)

Call a vet, there is no way anyone can help, from on here,  if she is in that much pain.  Or at least talk to someone you know that is close enough to come look at her that knows goats.


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 5, 2020)

There are no vets open where I am. SHe just did a big burp, but still in a lot of pain.
Does it sound like endotoxemia? is there anything I could do for that?


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

Of course we can make suggestions but nothing more and we would all be guessing. You need someone in person to help.


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## farmerjan (Aug 5, 2020)

If you have a large animal vet practice, they will have an emergency number.... many will share duties for after hours.... taking turns to cover areas.... because large animals don't just get sick during "office hours"... 
I am not a goat person, but could she have twisted a gut?  Cows will get twisted guts (called DA's) and the right side can kill them, but the left is not quite as critical.... they don't scream with pain though. Simple surgery to correct....
Maybe the olive oil is coating the stomach and helping her pass gas.... Really, we are just making a stab in the dark without in person actual inspection.  
Enterotoxemia is caused by the clostridial bacterias.... calves get blackleg and will often be found dead for no reason....
the olive oil may help to flush the "bloom" of clostridials out of the system.... but again...... we ARE GUESSING.  The oil WILL NOT hurt her, nor will trying to get her to take in more fluid to keep her hydrated.... 
If you don't have a regular "large animal vet" then you need to find one for the future.... but again, is there anyone else with goats in the area you can call to come look at her?????


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

Does she appear bloated?


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 5, 2020)

@farmerjan @MuldrowHomeFarm she was definitely bloating. I gave her some olive oil and baking soda and massaged her tummy for a while but she became kinda paralytic and stopped making any sound. Unfortunately she just passed 
Near by are only cat and dog vets. I'm trying to find the nearest large animal vet to see if they can do a necropsy on her since this was so sudden.

My mom was giving some plant trimmings to them (we have a total of 6 goats - thankfully, none of the others have any issues) when she just started screaming at the top of her lungs and collapsed. We always make sure the plants are non-toxic before we give it to them. We do have some sago palms and oleander but they're on the opposite side of the yard (we're on an acre), but if there was a little one sprouting where my mom was gardening maybe it slipped into the mix unnoticed  

Does it sound like poisoning to you? I've never really had any issues with our goats before so this was super out of the blue


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 5, 2020)

I'm so sorry you lost her. I don't know if poisoning would have been that fast but I guess it is possible. It doesn't sound like a vet would have been able to save her. I hate that when goats go down, it can happen so fast. I wish we could have been more helpful.


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## farmerjan (Aug 5, 2020)

So sorry for you to have lost her.  I just don't know about the possibility of poisoning.  Maybe could have been that fast acting....I do know that a cow can die QUICKLY from wilted wild cherry leaves and they don't have to eat very many.  They can eat them green off the tree, or dried/brown.  Just not wilted. 
If you can find someone to do a necropsy, that would definitely be helpful because you don't know what you are dealing with.  I would not feed them anything trimmed just to be on the safe side, until you can hopefully figure it out.  Sounds like even a fast trip to a knowledgeable vet probably wouldn't have helped either.  Sure hope that you can find someone there to use for the goats.


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 5, 2020)

@MuldrowHomeFarm @farmerjan Thank you for the kind words. 
I don't know if there was anything anyone could've done; it all went down less than 30 minutes...

 I do plan on getting a trocar/cannula and some some other suggested first aid gear for goats incase we encounter some (bloat) issues in the future. (Silver lining is that I'll be more prepared should something happen to the others).

All I've found in my googling are equine vets or cat/dog vets.I'll be going to the vets office tomorrow for my dog so maybe they can refer me to someone.  I also have a neighbor that raised dairy goats so I'll ask her tomorrow if she knows someone. We had a good vet back in Colorado since goats and other livestock were everywhere, but since we've moved to southern Cali, I've mostly seen dogs, cats, and horses.

I'll keep y'all updated on my finds


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 5, 2020)

I would ask the horse vet more then the cat and dog vet. They probaly have some experience with other live stock however that being said they might not have experience with goats they tend to be a hard animal to find a vet for. I will say that i would be shocked if it was just bloat considering how quick she went down but could have been. Personally I agree with Jan as to not feed. Trimmings of tree if you do not know if they are safe. Most of the time goats will not eat to much something that is toxic they tend to browse. I have goats eating oaks and other poisonous plants not out of me trying to feed them it but out of them beating me to it or me not knowing its there. They haven't had an issue. The biggest problem with goats is sudden changes in diet. And a large amount of grain or any feed other then hay and plant matter. Now it they had been on a dry lot and then turned loose into green field that would cause issues along with a large amount of trimming give if they aren't use to them. When changing there diet with anything gradually do it. I am sorry you lost her some times they show no signs until its to late unforantly for us to do anything. Finding a good mentor and a vet would be the best thing for you. Also reading all you can on them helps. Most of my knowledge comes from reading and asking others. We all start somewhere and some toads are harder then others. Our first year kidding we lost a kid that was hard. Second near i had already learned about all the minerals and viatimens they need and start giving supplements earlier and we got two sets of very healthy twins. Take your time and give yourself some grace even when you get the results back as you can't go back and change anything but you can change and be ready for the same thing in the future and acquire more knowledge as to you continue in your journey.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 6, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> will say that i would be shocked if it was just bloat considering how quick she went down but could have been.


Totally agree with this statement!


I'm sorry you lost your goat.  I wonder about a diagnosis of bloat.  Generally speaking a severely bloated goat isn't screaming in pain - it is working hard to just breathe.  And for the goat to actually drop dead also isn't generally a bloat issue - they would die rather slowly from respiratory distress.  Without seeing your goat I can't say any of these things as certainty, but I would certainly try to think of other causes - just to keep your other goats safe.


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## chickens really (Aug 6, 2020)

That's scary..
I'm not familiar with California but could she have been bitten by a poisonous snake? I don't know how quickly they would pass from that though? I hope you can find a Vet that can help you..


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 6, 2020)

@chickens really That's another thing I've been thinking about. We've been told there are rattle snakes out here. I have yet to see one, but maybe she got bit


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## B&B Happy goats (Aug 6, 2020)

So very sorry about your loss, please  let us know if you find out what the cause of death was


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 6, 2020)

On snake bites it depends on the location of the bite. Most of the time it takes a while before you expire from that you become sick first. We had dogs bitten  by a venomous snakes and they survived the ordeal with very little issue outside of localized tissue problems such as the muscle death and threat of infection.


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 6, 2020)

@Jesusfreak101 @B&B Happy goats 

I went to our vet's office this morning for a follow up on our pug (she just got spayed) and I asked if they knew any large animal vet that would be able to help. I explained our situation and the vet tech/receptionist I spoke to was suspecting she got bit or ate something toxic. 

I called the number she gave me and they forwarded me to a lab that's a couple hours away from where I am. I'm still debating if I should drive up there or not. 

There is a somewhat large goat farm not too far from here - I'm thinking to stop by and just talk to them. Maybe they know someone or have had a similar experience.

The more I look into our situation the more I think some kind of toxin was involved. After she collapsed, she started convulsing and having seizures. Her belly was definitely bloating and she was burping a lot but I think that may just be a side effect of what ever was happening. 

Anyway, I'll keep y'all updated and probably won't be throwing so many clippings over the fence to the rest of our boys.

Thanks everyone for all the thoughts and advice


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## farmerjan (Aug 6, 2020)

I am really sorry about the goat and not being more help.... and I do think that it was something toxic/poisonous that  affected her.  
Going  to the goat farm sounds like the best lead on a possible large animal/goat vet .   As I mentioned, wild cherry is not toxic if they eat the green leaves right off the branch, or the dried ones..... but wilted (limp)  they will kill a cow quickly.  So maybe something they ate was at the wrong stage.....
Sad lesson learned.  Now, here's hoping you can connect with the people at the goat farm and find someone (a vet) you can rely on in an emergency that they trust.... and even to be able to call them as  "neighbors" for advise.  
Hey I've been doing cattle for a few decades, and I still call people for some things....
Better reinforced thoughts than to not do things the best that they could be done.   And sometimes it is just better to ask the "same dumb question a dozen times" than to not ask because it was the "same dumb question" and you get it wrong.


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 6, 2020)

@farmerjan I think there was some bad plant in the mix (my mom said she was pulling the overgrown daisies and tossed them over the fence). Or since the pen is along side the street, someone may have tossed something into their pen without knowing it was bad (I hope not, but it's possible).
It'd be great if I could get a hold of the goat farm for advice in the future like you said.

Another quick question - we're now left with 5 wethers and they all seem confused. We took her out of the pen and brought her to the garage to assess her and since we haven't brought her back, they boys are all crying toward the garage. I feel so sorry for them but I don't really know what to do


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## MuldrowHomeFarm (Aug 6, 2020)

Only time will help them adjust to life without her.....sorry....it is so sad


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## Jesusfreak101 (Aug 7, 2020)

Second they habe to adjust. Give them time.


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## farmerjan (Aug 7, 2020)

Agree, they will just have to go through the adjustment.  With cows, takes a day to a week for some to get over having things changed around. Don't lose sleep over it.  Part of the herd dynamics.


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## rachels.haven (Aug 7, 2020)

This sounds like she was bit by something. If that winds up being the case, I'm glad the person feeding them and moving the brush didn't get bit. You may have had a good, brave girl that took the hit for your mom. 

I advise you find a large animal vet soon though. They are VERY useful. Emergencies they can help with come up every once in a while and I like to sleep not worrying about not being prepared when they come.


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 13, 2020)

Thanks everyone for the responses. Our boys are doing much better now 
Our neighbor has a friend trying to get rid of some Nigerian Dwarf does so we may get a couple more girls in the near future! I'm going to have to get rid of our 2 fainting goats first though - they have horns and tend to bully our disbudded Nigerians. And I don't want any issues if and when I bring in babies.

@rachels.haven I think either something poisonous bit her or she ate some toxic plant (the drive to the lab for a necropsy was too far for me so I'm just going off what I've researched). The nearest large animal vet is about an hour away so hopefully we won't have any emergencies in the future!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Aug 13, 2020)

I just read this whole thread...a dear smart friend of mine from this forum once told me...if it is bloat, to keep a bottle of peanut oil on hand...I realize that’s not what happened.  But, you might want to get some, for the future.  I have two bottles.  I think I have two of everything...I live in the sticks.

im very very sorry for your beloved goat.  I can’t imagine that loss.❤️🙏


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## Bird Whisperer (Aug 13, 2020)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> I just read this whole thread...a dear smart friend of mine from this forum once told me...if it is bloat, to keep a bottle of peanut oil on hand...I realize that’s not what happened.  But, you might want to get some, for the future.  I have two bottles.  I think I have two of everything...I live in the sticks.
> 
> im very very sorry for your beloved goat.  I can’t imagine that loss.❤🙏


Thank you, I'll get some peanut oil just incase I have issues in the future


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