# Goat can't stand



## denimeggs (Jan 22, 2014)

A couple of years ago one of my experienced does just wouldn't get up one day. I put her in the barn and propped her up. FAMACHA was medium pink. Wormed her anyway. Gave her High thiamin B complex injection and red cell. She ate and drank and pooped and peed. She was alert, breathing nl, and always happy to see us. She just couldn't get up. We shifted her around, side to side, and onto clean hay, etc. After about two weeks we finally decided to put her down because her limbs were becoming stiff and it was clear that they would never function again. 
A couple of weeks ago it happened with another doe! (One that had been extremely healthy for several years. I made the mistake of commenting on that recently.) She did most of the same things except that she had been on the cold ground for a while and we had to get her warmed up. She died after just a few days, and I think it was because of that additional cold stress. 
We keep a herd of about 50-60 Kiko/Boer cross goats. They've had plenty of issues, but nothing like this. 
I have no idea what this was. I just don't want it to happen again. Any thoughts?


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Jan 22, 2014)

Did you take a temp on the goats? Do they have hay available? Have any of the goats had a CD&T? Any change in diet? 

It may be Meningeal worm..... here is a link. Please tell us what you think.

If it happens again please consider a necropsy. That is probably the only way you will know for sure. 

So sorry for your loss. I hope it doesn't happen again


----------



## denimeggs (Jan 22, 2014)

No change in diet. No hay this time, I don't remember last time. No tetanus. I considered the meningeal worm and injected Ivermectin. Of course they were already down, but neither showed any of the early symptoms. Thx


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 22, 2014)

Sounds like meningeal worm. The course of treatment usually requires more than just giving a dose of ivermectin.
It is also very easy to bloat when they do go down.

The FAMACHA is only good for the Barberpole worm, no others.
Pink eyelids can still be seen with high counts. Dehydration will also cause pink eyelids.
Unless you have access to a FAMACHA card and use it when you check the system is not very good. I say this because we do farm visits and teach the McMasters method for fecals showing EPG counts and FAMACHA scores.... just about everyone that looks at the eyelids thinks pink... ok... Then we put the card up and run the fecals.... Most people are pretty mortified to see how off they are. We have found people can see white and pink... LOL not the 4 shades of varying pink.

I would do a random sampling (fecal) get counts and go from there. I agree if you have a goat go down and just drop dead... get a necropsy from the state lab. It is usually inexpensive and much more thorough than a farm vet can do.

I hope you do not ever have to go through this again! 
I love your avatar!


----------

