# Crusty Noses on New Goats



## RonHarvey

Hello,

I have 3 new goats. Two of them have developed blockage of the nose. It is dry and crusty and they have having trouble breathing through their noses.
2 photos attached (I hope). Any suggestions as to what this is, how serious it is, and what I can do for them.

In case I cant find my way back to this forum, please respond to rharvey@jaspercompliance.com also.

Thank you

By the way - I am very new to goats.  Just a couple weeks ago I was given charge of the goats at my family farm.  
It is my hope that this forum will be helpful.

Darn - Cant figure out how to insert photos.


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## RonHarvey

Well, I figured out how to post the photos, but "brand new members" cant post them due to spammers.

If you would like to look at the photos I guess I will have to email them to you for now.

Thanks.


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## ksalvagno

Do they have a temp? Do they sound congested? Have you cleaned their nose and then it was back?


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## RonHarvey

I do not have a way to take their temp, so I am not sure about that.
Generally they seem active and they are eating.

They do sound congested because they are breathing through their mouths mostly.  When they try to breath through the nose, it sounds "Wheezy".

I have not tried to clean their noses.  They are new here and are still nervous about me getting close.  I will try to do that and let you know.
Q-tips and a little water would do the trick I assume.

Thanks.



Still cant post the photo


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## greenfamilyfarms

It could be something as simple as hay mold allergies, but it could be worse. See if you can get a digital thermometer and check some temps. You'll have to do this rectally. It will be much easier if you have a helper to hold the goat while you take the temp.

I would recommend getting some VetRx, and maybe some broad spectrum antibiotic that treats respiratory illnesses. Clean their noses off with a damp papertowel, then drop some VetRx into their noses. Give the recommended dose of the antibiotic, in shot form preferably. Don't skip any doses.


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## Emmetts Dairy

ksalvagno said:
			
		

> Do they have a temp? Do they sound congested? Have you cleaned their nose and then it was back?


?????????????  Are they coughing, congested, what color is discharge???
A little more info would help.  

I would go get a temp.  You want to use a digital themo.  Avail anywhere drug stores, dept store..for a few bucks (dollars) LOL Dont give em your bucks!!!   

I dont recomend  Q Tips...I would stick anything up thier noses unless absolutley neccessary..they could jump and seriouly injure themselves.  I would use a warm paper towel..and clean them off.

But it could be new hay...new straw...many differant issues.  New enviroment will sometimes makes them sneezy. And it dos'nt nesscessarily mean illness which needs antibiotics.   

I would be pretty sure that its an illness (infection) before giving antibiotics..IMO.

So get a temp...and try to get more info on here about symtoms...that might help!!!

PS After 10 post you will be able to post pics FYI!  And please do!

Good luck!!!  

And Welcome to BYH!!


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## The Old Ram-Australia

Hi RH,I have lots of "sympathy " for you with the photo thing,I almost tore out what little hair I have left when I first joined the site....................Are the goats housed,all the time ,part of the time?............Do YOU consider the sheds "dusty",if so this could just be a reaction to their environment........................Sometimes "lungworm" can cause a nasal discharge.......................T.O.R.


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## RonHarvey

I am glad to hear from you all.

They are not coughing or having trouble breathing.
They are housed in partly closed shelter at night but roam a pretty large area during the day.
I used the Q tip on the outside of the nose and I used the towel also.

What I did was this:
1. Wiped their noses (after I managed to catch them in their very large 
field) with a solution of Grapefruit Seed Extract in water.  The crusty 
material seemed to be very hard and I did not try to removed it for concern 
that it would tear the flesh and cause bleeding.
2.  Applied a mixture of essential oils with a swab to the nasal area.  I 
used basil, pepper and lemon oil (just a couple drops of each in 10 ml of 
olive oil).  Just applied it to the outside of the nose.  

There is no discharge.  Just a hard crusty material that resembles a scab around the opening of the nose.  This material could not be easily wiped off so I left it in place.

Overall, they are active, eating and generally looking OK.  The condition has not worsened over the past couple days so I do not think it is very serious.

Ron  (thank you for all the input)

I have never had goats before.  After a few weeks, i really like them.  More important, it seems they like me.


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## Our7Wonders

New to goats, but I'm thinking it might be sore mouth.  Maybe someone with more experience will post their thoughts.  From what I understand there isn't much that can be done about it - it has to run it's course.  It is contageous - but it sounds like all your goats already have it.  I think I remember reading it takes about 3 weeks to run the full course.  

Google "goats, sore mouth" and see if that's what it looks like.






edited for typo.


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## RonHarvey

I looked at photos of sore mouth and there is a similarity, but I did not see many images that indicated it affects the nose.  
It did say that there is nothing to do when the infection comes, just wait it out (3 to 4 weeks).  
I am already taking care not to affect other goats.

Thanks.


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## 20kidsonhill

RonHarvey said:
			
		

> I looked at photos of sore mouth and there is a similarity, but I did not see many images that indicated it affects the nose.
> It did say that there is nothing to do when the infection comes, just wait it out (3 to 4 weeks).
> I am already taking care not to affect other goats.
> 
> Thanks.


As far as I now sore mouth is on their lips, We had show sheep that had it bad. It was very crusty on their lips. I was soo thankful we had them in a washable seperated pen from the pasture and main barn yard.  

It is contagious to people, and it is contagious to other species.

I don't think this is what you have if it is on their noses,only.


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## Emmetts Dairy

Sore mouth can also affect other areas as well.  Udders and lips and the outter nasal openings.  Its a viral infection.  

Important to note. If it is soremouth it is highly contanious to humans as well.  So if you think it is soremouth...wear gloves when tending to them. Change clothing and clean, clean, clean.   

But soremouth are litterly sores, showing redness, and raised spots and dry scabbing.  So if its just a crustly nasal discharge...I would tend to think its not soremouth.  But I dont know?  A pic would help if you can post it.  You will need to have 10 post to post pics.  

I would not vaccinate for soremouth unless you are certain via vet that it exsist cuz it is a live vaccine. Which means..if its not in the herd..you will introduce it to the herd.  So beware about that. 

But it could be many factors...Irritants in the barn, heavy dust..etc.  

I would keep a watch on them.  I would suggest just using warm water on thier noses and be careful with applying pepper and lemon oils on them.  Since your unsure what it is..I would stick with plain old warm water.

Good luck with them!  Keep us posted on changes???  Id be curious to see what happens.


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## 20kidsonhill

But would the  nose have soremouth with out the lips showing any signs of soremouth? 

 I know the udder can get soremouth from milking kids, but I don't beleive they would just get it on their udder without it being from the kids.

Anyone know the answer to this?

And soremouth is very very scabby.  Would you say when you scrapped off the crust it bled? Like scrapping off a scab.  

I do know there are different strains, some can be very very nasty, some not so bad.


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## jodief100

I have had goats get soremouth on the noses.  They have crusty, scabby looking things on thier noses. 

I wouldn't worry about it if it is.  Soremouth is usually not a problem unless it becomes too painful for them to eat or drink.  Or if it is on the udder, too painful for mom to nurse.   

Just watch the food and water intake to make sure they are getting enough.


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## 20kidsonhill

jodief100 said:
			
		

> I have had goats get soremouth on the noses.  They have crusty, scabby looking things on thier noses.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about it if it is.  Soremouth is usually not a problem unless it becomes too painful for them to eat or drink.  Or if it is on the udder, too painful for mom to nurse.
> 
> Just watch the food and water intake to make sure they are getting enough.


We had a friend loose over 50% of their kid crop from a soremouth outbreak.    I have heard there are some strains going around here that if it breaks out in your lambs and goats at the wrong time it is horrible. 

I freaked out when our show lambs broke out with it. Their mouths looked disgusting, they were our children's 4H projects and they weren't able to handle or work the animals or even go in the pen by them. They had to feed them from the outside of the pen, they weren't allowed to carry the water bucket around to the water faucet, They weren't allowed to shear them, It was a rough summer to have sheep. 2 weeks before show we were able to  shear them in their pens, we used plastic boot covers, throwaway coveralls, Then we washed the lambs, down hill away from our fields and put them in clean pens. The kids were finally able to touch the sheep and train them for the fair. 

Jodie has a way more relaxed approach about it than I do. Just different experiences.


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## Roll farms

We've had soremouth outbreaks here twice.  The first time I completely freaked out until I figured out what it was.  That was with our 'pet' herd years ago.  It just sort of ran its course / went away.

4 or 5 yrs ago I let my dh talk me into pygmies and I got a newborn kid from a friend.  I noticed she had a funky "rash" on her bum after a week...turned out it was soremouth.  
It showed up on her rear first, then her lips / face.

Our daughter caught soremouth from playing w/ that kid (she just wouldn't listen when I told her to 'leave them be' and didn't wash her hands).  
Humans don't get it in the mouth / nose area like goats...she broke out in blister-like bumps on her hands.  It cleared up about the same time it took for the goats.
Not saying it wasn't awful, it hurt / itched a lot.  But...she got over it fairly quickly.

Ended up having only the 2 pygmies get it, and recover.  They were living away from my 'big goats'.
I bought the vaccine and was going to treat the entire herd...then for some reason decided not to (I think I was afraid to expose the preggo mamas who were close to kidding).  

But...neither one of the pygmy kids (or the 1st batch years ago) got "just" crusty noses.  All of them had it on their lips or other areas as well.

As a side note, I have two related does who get crusty scabby areas on/in their noses every winter, and they clear up just fine come spring.  
I think it's just 'them'...allergies or something.  They never go off feed or act sick, so I don't fret much over it.


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## jodief100

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> We had a friend loose over 50% of their kid crop from a soremouth outbreak.    I have heard there are some strains going around here that if it breaks out in your lambs and goats at the wrong time it is horrible.


I have never heard of a strain that serious.  It is a little disconcerting.  Do you know if it was the virus itself causing mortality or inability to eat?  When you say wrong time do you mean because the conditions cause it to be worse or just bad timing for the fair?  

I have dealt with it twice, once got the entire herd and once only two new babies and their mamma got it.  Poor mamma had a crusty udder for weeks.  I never lost any due to it but those two babies didnt grow as big as they should have.  I have no idea if it was the soremouth or something else.  

Yes, personal experience dictates that I do not worry about it.  I would feel differently if I had lost half my herd.  Thank you for sharing that information, I would like to know more.


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## 20kidsonhill

jodief100 said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We had a friend loose over 50% of their kid crop from a soremouth outbreak.    I have heard there are some strains going around here that if it breaks out in your lambs and goats at the wrong time it is horrible.
> 
> 
> 
> I have never heard of a strain that serious.  It is a little disconcerting.  Do you know if it was the virus itself causing mortality or inability to eat?  When you say wrong time do you mean because the conditions cause it to be worse or just bad timing for the fair?
> 
> I have dealt with it twice, once got the entire herd and once only two new babies and their mamma got it.  Poor mamma had a crusty udder for weeks.  I never lost any due to it but those two babies didnt grow as big as they should have.  I have no idea if it was the soremouth or something else.
> 
> Yes, personal experience dictates that I do not worry about it.  I would feel differently if I had lost half my herd.  Thank you for sharing that information, I would like to know more.
Click to expand...

Because they were just on mom a couple weeks, never bottle fed, but not old enough to wean, they starved to death from inablility to eat and then the carry over to mom's teats, mom's stopped letting the babies nurse. It was very ugly.  Ever try bottle feeding 40 or 50 sick kids that have never been bottle fed, hardly ever been handled?  

Then a couple years later our show sheep broke out with very bad sore mouth 2 weeks after they arrived, luckily we have always kept new animals in isolation pens that can be easily cleaned out. The sheep grew and ate okay, just was hard to spend any time training them and they went the summer with way too much wool on them.   This was a few years ago. 

Our goats have never broke with it. 

My best advice to anyone is all new animals should be in a pen area that can be power washed and cleaned, not in your pasture, fields or main barn until they have had a couple months to adjust to the stress of a new home. the stress will cause them to break with a disease that has been sitting dormant.


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## The Old Ram-Australia

G,day to you all, Down here its called "Scabby Mouth"...We had it 'years ago',we had brought in some lambs for our 'animal nursery' and after a couple of days it was really bad.....I got a recipe out of an old book of Pat Colbys.....Its Copper Sulphate and Apple Cider Vinegar.(I get the book and look it up)...................Here it is .....1 part copper to 10 parts vinegar......We found an open mouthed jar was good ,just push the animals head into it the full length of the mouth............I think it would work on the nose one as well.......This complaint is very distressing to both animal and flockmaster  as the animal losses condition rapidly ,so the quicker you can clear it up the better.

  Hope the above is of some value,regards ,T.O.R.

Quote:" Knowledge only increases in value when it is shared"........T.O.R..


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