# Goat's rear end trembling?



## Fainting goats (Dec 4, 2011)

This morning when I went out to feed, I noticed my buck's back end shaking. It wasn't shaking violently, but it was definitely trembling and seemed to get worse when he stepped. His front end is just fine, and he is eating fine, too. He is a myotonic goat, but I do not think this has anything to do with myotonia, as he has never stiffened in his life. All the other goats seem fine. The does aren't in heat, so it wasn't that he was getting excited about that. And it's in the mid-forties right now, so he shouldn't be shaking from cold. Any ideas??


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## Queen Mum (Dec 4, 2011)

Selenium, copper,  minerals?  Check gums and eyelids for anemia.   Check his temperature to see if he is running a fever.  Start him on a drench.  What does his tail look like?


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## elevan (Dec 4, 2011)

Just throwing this out there...for those who have experience with it...Could this be the beginning of a Meningeal worm infection?

Definitely do the checks that Queen Mum suggested and let us know what his temp is and how his eyelids look.

Is he scouring (diarrhea)?

What are you feeding?

Are there loose minerals available?

Is he on pasture or dry lotted?

We definitely need a little bit more information to try to help.


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## doxiemoxie (Dec 4, 2011)

As Queen mum said.  Also, check for rumen activity: at least a good roll every 30 seconds (someone correct me if you know better than I on the frequency).  And, if he'll let you, run your hands along his back, belly, and down each leg and around his scrotum to see if he reacts painfully or if you feel any inflammation.  Check his hooves for cracks, rot or a stone or sticker causing problems.  It's possible the shaking is a pain reaction.  

That he's still happy to eat is a good sign, but goats can turn very quickly.  Keep us posted on how he's doing.


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## Fainting goats (Dec 4, 2011)

I just checked in on him- he was not shaking when I went out. His tail was down at first, and he was either gritting his teeth or chewing cud. I was waiting to see if he would swallow and bring up more cud, when he decided to pee on his face, so I still don't know if it was cud or not. He pooped twice, they were both normal. At this point, his tail came back up. His upper lip was a little purple, but he yawned and the inside of his mouth was light pink. His lower eyelid was a pinkish-red, too. I have yet to get out there with a thermometer. I'll check his hooves too- he's been in rut so I've tried not to touch him much, so I haven't trimmed his hooves for a few months. Now that I already smell wonderful to all does in the area, I'll do buck care today. 
I feed bermuda grass hay, a little alfalfa chaffhaye, and some chicken scratch grains (the last bag of goat grain had cottonseed meal in it, which will make a buck infertile, so I cannot feed it to him). He has a mineral block that he has free access to, but I have not seen him lick it recently - he likes to use it as a climbing structure instead. Elevan- what is pasture and dry lotted? We keep him in a small pen with his whether friend (who he usually shoves away from his feeder at dinner time, but has been more relaxed about sharing his food for the past few days), and we let the two out to run around the yard every so often, if that is what you mean. Thank you!


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## elevan (Dec 4, 2011)

Dry lotted = no grass, weeds, browse.  Just a dirt pen and you provide all feed sources.  They cannot find any on their own.

Pasture = grass, weeds, browse.  They can find some food on their own even if you provide the majority.


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## Fainting goats (Dec 4, 2011)

Yes, we are dry lotted. There isn't any browse to be found on the property anyway, we didn't get our monsoons this year.


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## cmjust0 (Dec 5, 2011)

Here's a crazy thought...was he _cold_?


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## elevan (Dec 5, 2011)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Here's a crazy thought...was he _cold_?


In mid 40* temps?  I suppose so but my goats don't shiver until we hit the teens.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 5, 2011)

I have had cold shaking goats on cold rainy days that are shivering so I would think that it could be possible.


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## elevan (Dec 5, 2011)

Fainting goats said:
			
		

> I feed bermuda grass hay, a little alfalfa chaffhaye, and some chicken scratch grains (the last bag of goat grain had cottonseed meal in it, which will make a buck infertile, so I cannot feed it to him).


Use caution with the scratch grains that you don't develop a problem with urinary calculi.  There are plenty of threads here on the subject to research for more information.




> He has a mineral block that he has free access to, but I have not seen him lick it recently - he likes to use it as a climbing structure instead.


Can you get loose minerals?  It's really hard for them to get the amount of minerals that they need from the block alone.




> Yes, we are dry lotted. There isn't any browse to be found on the property anyway, we didn't get our monsoons this year.


Makes it even more important imo that he get good minerals (loose minerals).


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## Chickie2378 (Dec 5, 2011)

Did you scare him coming up on him?   

nothing shakes without a reason.  Cold and more can easily induce shakes.   40 might be mild or 'very' chilly considering where you live?

Watch and see if it continues.  If it does then there is obviously something happening.  But your seeing one time shake doesn't mean there is a problem at all.    


what is his status as of today?


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## Fainting goats (Dec 5, 2011)

Yesterday, he was at 102.2*F, so that's good. What kind of loose minerals do I get, how do I give it to them (in a bucket/feeder?), and if fed free-choice,  will they consume too much? Can I give it to my possibly pregnant does, too? 
Tonight will be colder (low is 20 with snow) so we'll see if he shakes again and more if it's colder.


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## Chickie2378 (Dec 5, 2011)

they comsume what they need.  (not like people who over-consume on a daily basis )

when you took his temp today was he shaking at all?  maybe it was 'one of those things' and it is passed.


I give everything free choice.  I have a PVC pipe in a J shape.  Open one end for licking, other end is capped where I pour in loose minerals.  I put it head high so usually they can't poop in it and it self feeds itself.

I also have one for baking soda etc.


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## elevan (Dec 5, 2011)

Fainting goats said:
			
		

> Yesterday, he was at 102.2*F, so that's good. What kind of loose minerals do I get, how do I give it to them (in a bucket/feeder?), and if fed free-choice,  will they consume too much? Can I give it to my possibly pregnant does, too?
> Tonight will be colder (low is 20 with snow) so we'll see if he shakes again and more if it's colder.


I feed free choice and they take what they need as they need it.  I use open top mineral feeders...like this one .  And put one cup of mineral in it and refill as needed.  If it gets hard then I'll break it up and add a little bit of fresh to fake them out that it's all fresh.  

Where to get it and what:  Feed store.  Tractor Supply sells Manna Pro which is good but is only a small bag.  I used to use it.  Now I get Sweetlix 16:8 from the feed store.


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## Chickie2378 (Dec 5, 2011)

I used those 'more open types' of feeders.  The bigger to opening no matter how high, poop finds a way.  Which always amazed me.



I realized I must make tongue section smaller and put higher, like let them stand on a concrete block to access and times are better for me on use, contamination and waste.

of course depending on goat herd size.

When I had 120 boer goats in rotation it was imperative to keep it simple and contamination free.


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## Fainting goats (Dec 5, 2011)

Okay, we have a mineral feeder. We'll have to get one more. I have not seen him shake since the first time, and he acts fine now too. I will still get after his hooves as soon as most of the snow melts (Wednesday - Friday?) and see what happens. Right now we have an inch or two of snow, but he and his wether friend seem fine. They just lie down next to each other, happy as clams. My doe was eating snow - her waterer had a thin, weak  layer of ice on it, but it wasn't too much. Will the snow hurt her? Thank you!


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## elevan (Dec 6, 2011)

The snow won't hurt her.  But you should remove the ice layer on her water for her...they won't do it themselves.


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## Fainting goats (Dec 19, 2011)

Okay...Here's an update:
I have not seen anymore shaking, but his tail has been down the past few days. He is still acting healthy, but he also does not stand up straight. (See pic). Normally, his tail is more down than in the picture, but he is always looking like he's hunched up or crouching. What could this be about? Would letting him out to run around help the situation? We separated him from his wether friend (Anakin) because he kept butting him over for his food (Anakin has a myotonic degree of 6 and faints at everything, and the buck (Nick) has one of about 0 and never stiffens, so Anakin didn't have a chance against Nick). Nick also has not grown in any cashmere. All the other goats have thick cashmere coats. His mother didn't have much cashmere in the winter either, so it might just be hereditary. The snow is all gone, and we aren't really freezing here, even at night.
We're off to the feed store, and will look at loose minerals there.






This is Nick last week.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 19, 2011)

What are you feeding? What kind of hay do you use? What mineral are you buying? Are vaccinations up to date? Has he had a BoSe shot? When was the last time a fecal was done?


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