# First UnFun Real Goat Experience (LONG)



## scrambledmess (Apr 24, 2011)

Advice needed at end, if you make it that far.

We had a tarp up over the inside part of the goat pen to block any drafts that might have come through when the garage door was opened this winter.  As we were doing "spring" cleaning, I took it off yesterday to give more light into the pen when we open doors to clean it.

Enter this morning.  I go out this morning and only see 4 of our 5 nubian kids in the outside pen.  I heard the other in the garage.  I figured she was in the pen.  I never went to check. I was just out taking pictures, enjoying the quiet spring morning, and waking the outside critters up before the inside family woke up.

I come back in the house.  The little human kids were up and excited they found their baskets.  Our great dane is whining and wants to go out.  Mind you, I don't ever let her outside out of the fence without us being with her.  But the door to the backyard was blocked with little human kids and I wanted to watch my girls play Easter, so I let the GD out the front door by herself.  

GD is not out very long, but she is panting when she comes back in.    She was out in the yard with us most of the day yesterday.  I figured she was just really tired and didn't think much of it.

We finish up Easter.  I make deviled eggs.  Kids throw their easter candy papers all over the house.  Older boys go out to feed and water.  They come running back in to let me know that one of the goats is missing.

I don't panic yet.  I did hear her in the garage after all.  I said, "Go check the garage.  I heard her in there.  Maybe she panicked and got trapped under/behind something.

Nope, nothing.  I go out to help look.  Still nothing.  DH gets in the truck.  Boys get on bikes.  I start searching the yard.  

I started to doubt that I even heard her in the garage.  I couldn't find where she could have gotten out.  And if she was out, why didn't she go to our pygmy pen, up on the porch, under the porch of the garage, in the chicken coop that I had left open after gathering eggs on my first outing.  I started to think someone might have stolen her.  I started making plans for at least a GSD if not a LGD.

Boys come back on their bikes.  Nothing.

I tell them that IF our GD did chase her, the boys needed to head to the woods north and south of us.  Even though both were easily a half mile away (we are surrounded by open fields.)   

As they were putting boots on, DH comes flying back in the truck.  She was almost 2 miles away in a woods further then those close to us.  I know my GD didn't chase her quite that far.  The GD wasn't gone that long or muddy at all. But the poor doeling must have been so spooked she just ran and ran and ran.

We have reinforced their pen inside and out.  We have secured the garage door better.  It isn't hard to push up and that is what she would have had to do to get out.

What do I do with this doeling now?  I couldn't find any injuries on her.  No scraps.  No bite marks or drool like she had been grabbed.  She was crying when they found her.  I know she is exhausted.  Do I need to do anything to relief stress?  Do I need to watch for anything specific?  

Why do we always leave our guard down on the holidays?


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## elevan (Apr 24, 2011)

First off    what a morning you've had!

Her crying could simply have been that she was scared and alone.

What breed is she? How big is she?

I would imagine that if she had be attacked / grabbed by a dog or any other animal that you would find at least slobbered up hair.  Having found none, I would guess that she just escaped, got spooked by something and ran her little legs off.

Vitamin B is said to be a stress reliever.  You might try that to see if it helps.

I'm sure after a little rest she'll be back to her old self.


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## scrambledmess (Apr 24, 2011)

She is a nubian about 4 months old.  What kind of Vit B can I get at TSC or Rural King?  I don't want to call a vet out on Easter if it isn't really necessary.  Thanks.

You know I am just glad this happened on a day we were all home and during the day.  We have a pretty active coyote family in this area.  She would have been easy pickings out there in the dark.  Poor thing.  It just ....  I don't know.  I felt nauseous through the whole ordeal.  I can't imagine how she felt.


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## elevan (Apr 24, 2011)

You should be able to get a Vitamin B complex (injectible) at TSC.  You don't need the rx stuff for stress.


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## scrambledmess (Apr 24, 2011)

Thanks again!


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## elevan (Apr 24, 2011)

I had one escape once...I know how sickened it can make you feel.



At this point she's back home and probably feeling better for that alone.  Try not to beat yourself up too much.  Things happen and you found her safe.


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## scrambledmess (Apr 24, 2011)

Ran to TSC.  They are closed today.  So I went to Rural King.  They didn't have it.  I could have tried the TSC in the town over.  But I have to be at work by 3.  So we will watch her through the day.  If she appears distressed tomorrow, I will go get some of the Vit B.  

I did find some turkey poults at Rural King!  I bought 4.  Off topic, I know.  But, I have been looking and looking and looking.  Super excited about that!


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## helmstead (Apr 24, 2011)

You're not going to be able to find B Complex, the FDA pulled it.


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## Roll farms (Apr 24, 2011)

I'm glad she made it back home, and I'm sure you were petrified.


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## freemotion (Apr 24, 2011)

Find a pharmacy or grocery that is open and see if you can get some thiamine (B1) for people, or at least a B-complex.  Or call your vitamin-taking friends and neighbors and see if someone has it.  You can crush it up and give it to her.

Why did the FDA pull it, Helmstead?


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## elevan (Apr 24, 2011)

Yeah, why did the FDA pull the VitB complex helmstead?

Should I be worried about my bottle of it?


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## helmstead (Apr 24, 2011)

I would say it was something stupid...but I'm not sure.  All I've HEARD is there was some kind of 'problem' with the manufacturing of it.  

In a pinch, certainly use human B vitamins, either the gels cut open or crushed up tablets.  You cannot overdose a goat on vitamin B, the excess is excreted through the urine.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Apr 24, 2011)

Yeah, it's not even available to the clinic I work for.  BUT thiamine is available still, or at least it was last month when we checked with the vendor.  Just not b-complex.  The only hitch is that it's way more expensive.  But in a pinch...

And it's Rx.


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## Roll farms (Apr 24, 2011)

NONE of the manufacturers / distributors have any.  

I'm figuring it's not so much a 'recall / safety' issue as much as the FDA is making them change the formulation somehow.


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## julieq (Apr 24, 2011)

helmstead said:
			
		

> You're not going to be able to find B Complex, the FDA pulled it.


Why did they pull it?  We bought a second bottle awhile back, but I thought it was just getting tough to find due to a supply problem.


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## scrambledmess (Apr 25, 2011)

She is doing fine this morning!  Doesn't seem like anything at all was a miss yesterday.  I am holding their feed for one more day.  I just gave them extra hay in place.  I will start back up tomorrow with a smaller portion.


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 25, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> Yeah, why did the FDA pull the VitB complex helmstead?
> 
> Should I be worried about my bottle of it?


I just purchased a bottle of Maxi-B 1000, there was 1 more left and then she had 6 bottles of another brand they just got in, she said it was way more expensive because most of the B's were no longer available, but she was still getting that one in (250Ml) bottles.   

So check around there is some out there.


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## Kaitie09 (Apr 25, 2011)

Glad to hear she is doing better. We had 3 month old Boer get chased off by our older pygmy the day we brought the babies home. She was out in 10 acres of woods by herself for 3 days before we could catch her. We had to sprint back and forth for about an hour before she got so wore out that she just gave up. All we did was put her in a quiet place for about a week. Fast forward a year, she is the nicest, sweetest, and friendliest goat we have ever had.


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## Okie Amazon (Apr 25, 2011)

I'm sure the B-Complex problem is somebody's check to FDA didn't clear......   Or somebody elses' check was bigger and DID clear!


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## Roll farms (Apr 25, 2011)

So glad to hear she's feeling better.


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## elevan (Apr 25, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> elevan said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No I meant should I be worried about giving it to my goats?

I just got a bottle of it a couple of months back after searching everywhere and finding 1 lonely bottle on a far away TSC shelf.


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## Roll farms (Apr 25, 2011)

I'm still giving it to mine....Like I said, I don't think it was so much a recall / safety issue as a 'everyone ran out while we wait for the FDA to change the formulation' thing...


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## elevan (Apr 25, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I'm still giving it to mine....Like I said, I don't think it was so much a recall / safety issue as a 'everyone ran out while we wait for the FDA to change the formulation' thing...


Thanks!


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