# Update: We put her down



## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 25, 2010)

I've decided to break down and see if the BYHers could help me out with this doe.

18-month-old bottle fed Boer doe, bred in August, aborted normal twin kids in November. She then became very depressed and anemic (white eyelids, gums). I wormed her several times with three types of wormers and she was still anemic. 

Then, this past week, she has greenish, foul-smelling diarrhea. I gave her some Probios because it's what I had on hand. I found an article on Fias about Cocci that fit her symptoms. She is in quarantine.

She's weak, has lost her appetite, and is down to 95 pounds. I gave her a 1 mL/5 lb dose of Sulmet today per our Ag Extension Service person who deals with meat goats. She advised that I should give 1 mL/10 lb for the next 4 days and if it did not clear up, she didn't know what to tell me.

Do you think this is Cocci or something more serious? What should my next course of action be?


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## cmjust0 (Jan 25, 2010)

greenfamilyfarms said:
			
		

> I wormed her several times with three types of wormers and she was still anemic.


Coming down at 18 months doesn't really fit the profile for coccidiosis per se, but that doesn't rule it out.  Have you had a fecal run for coccidiosis?  You can most likely grab a sample of the poo and run it to your vet to have it checked..  If you haven't done that, running a fecal is _step one_.

Just out of curiosity, what wormers did you use and how did you use them?  Names, dosages, durations, methods of administration, etc..


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## greenfamilyfarms (Jan 25, 2010)

Safeguard for Goats at Recommended dosage, 1.5 dosage, and double dosage 2 weeks apart.

Then, Ivermectin injectable given at recommended dosage, then double dosage 2 weeks apart.

Then, Zimerection paste at 3 times the horse dose (per instructions of ag service agent). She recommended this in case she had a bad case of tapeworms. 

No change. Nearest Vet is 4 hours away. I'll call and see if I can mail a sample, but there's really no way I can go up there within the next few days... or week.


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## mavrick (Jan 25, 2010)

I wrote down a recipe for giving a goat energy when there down Its in the watering goats section wrote by mylilchich its on the second page I think, Hope this helps its saved a lot of goats for me that was down


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## mavrick (Jan 25, 2010)

sorry its in feeding goats but under watering by mylilchick


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 25, 2010)

I'd suggest taking a fecal to the vet and having them test for it.  I lost a 8 month old lamb to it so I don't like to play guessing games, especially if the animal didn't respond to dewormers.

ETA: I just saw where you said the nearest vet is 4 hours away. Seriously there are NO other vets near you?  I'd think a small animal vet can do the test.  I'd call and ask anyways.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 25, 2010)

I agree with everyone else that a fecal should be done. Make sure they test for all the regular parasites and also cocci. Any vet should be able to do this. Just call around and see who does their own fecals.

I would also get some B-complex in her and buy some Nutridrench for goats and get that into her. I would continue the Probios daily. Maybe even get some redcell into her.

To be honest, at this point, I would get her to the vet. It could be a number of things and she may need some bloodwork as well as the fecal tested.


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## ()relics (Jan 25, 2010)

I'm not a vet but anytime a goat loses alot of weight and appears to be very anemic;  Johnes disease should be considered  a cause, especially after numerous wormings.   The usual symptom can include: weight loss, loss of appetite, anemia, depression, wasting, and diarrhea....Hopefully you aren't dealing with this...No treatment or "cure"...but a blood test should be step 2 after a fecal...again I'm not a vet...others can/should comment about my "diagnosis"...the quarentine is a good thing too....search the disease and see what you can find out about it...Langston University will have some information that you can trust to be accurate.....again JMO...good luck


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## mavrick (Jan 26, 2010)

I hope you made some syrup and fed it yesterday, I wasn't saying getting a sample from the vet was a bad Idea, Its really a very good one , But if you live in the sticks like me and the vet is a long way off, or its the week end or a holiday and the vet don't do house calls, If you don't get some strength in your goat and get it eating and drinking somthing, I am saying you will lose it, quickly, once they get weak there immune system starts shutting down,


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## Roll farms (Jan 26, 2010)

Cocci usually won't make a healthy adult goat sick, but it is an opportunistic parasite...when they're already down, it will make them sicker.  So she may well have a cocci issue, but I'd 'bout guarantee that she has something else wrong w/her as well.

It could be something like 'silent' pnuemonia (lung infection that doesn't cause coughing, therefore called "silent"...) or it could be that some worm has taken over....could be JUST worms.

None of the dewormers you listed will kill liver fluke, for example.  Barberpole worm (the deadliest, IMHO) will also be hard to kill w/ safeguard and ivomec, it's become fairly resistant to both.

If it were my goat, I would make a 4 hr trip to a vet, because it could be a lot of things, and the suggestion of Johnes isn't a bad one, either....The "not knowing" would make me crazy.

And I agree that a 'pet' vet should still be able to do a fecal float for cocci for you...dogs and cats can get sick from it, too...(different strain per species).

Sometimes too much damage is done to the stomach and intestines for them to ever recover / be thrifty again...Good luck w/ her.


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## houndit (Jan 26, 2010)

Could it be Pregnancy toxemia?  I have not experienced that with goats.  Only rabbits.  But I have heard about it from other people.


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## samplekasi (Jan 27, 2010)

greenfamilyfarms said:
			
		

> I've decided to break down and see if the BYHers could help me out with this doe.
> 
> 18-month-old bottle fed Boer doe, bred in August, aborted normal twin kids in November. She then became very depressed and anemic (white eyelids, gums). I wormed her several times with three types of wormers and she was still anemic.
> 
> ...


Could it possibly be something left from when she aborted causing this was she flushed how far along was she  ( ok I went back up and saw she was 3 months) etc.  Does she had a temp?


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## greenfamilyfarms (Feb 7, 2010)

Well, we have some sad news. Friday we made the decision to put her down. She was in her house and was not moving and I actually thought she had died during the night. I went out and prepared her grave and went out to get her. When I got closer, she was still breathing and would lift her head a little bit and just look at me with the saddest eyes I've ever seen. It broke my heart. I went in the house and got the pistol because I knew what I had to do. When I went back out, I had to talk to her for an hour. My husband came out and saw what I was doing and went ahead and ended her suffering for me. What bothered me was that he didn't shoot her the correct way (head) but through her heart. When I looked and saw that, I broke down.

That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. She was my first goat and a very, very sweet bottle fed doe.

I did have some cultures and fecal samples sent to the vet a little over a week ago and they came back for ketosis, cocci, and lung worms. We had started treatment, but I think she was just too weak.

It's so quiet out in the pasture now she's gone. But, I know we did the right thing and ended her suffering.


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## freemotion (Feb 7, 2010)

You did the right thing.  Smooches and hugs.....


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## Roll farms (Feb 7, 2010)

Sorry you lost her.


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## lilhill (Feb 8, 2010)

So sorry for your loss.


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## ohiofarmgirl (Feb 8, 2010)

sorry for the loss - i'm sure it was very difficult. hang in there.


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## ksalvagno (Feb 8, 2010)

Sorry for your loss.


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## aggieterpkatie (Feb 8, 2010)

So sorry to hear that.


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## Ariel301 (Feb 13, 2010)

Oh that is horrible! It's always so sad to lose an animal. We had a doe abort triplets a week ago and thought we were going to lose her too, but she recovered. I can understand your issue with vets...we've got several nearby, but none will treat goats. When our doe aborted, we asked about having a necropsy on the kids, and getting her checked out because she was very weak and bleeding a lot, but the vet just told us it would be cheaper to shoot her and get a new goat! If we had decided to see a vet and treat her, find out what made her abort, and get the necropsy, they would have charged us several hundred dollars! So we just had to give her some penicillin and hope she pulled through. You did the right thing, and she is not suffering now. Hopefully you will not have to deal with anything like this again for a very long time.


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