# Goat Down!



## LBFarms (Aug 8, 2013)

I got a call from a lady I sold a goat to, she is 60 miles away and I have no vehicle to get to her until this afternoon. I told her to call the vet but I'm not sure if she will because of $.  Sounds like the doe is at deaths door, I might not make it in time. She 1 1/2 year old Alpine / Saanen, in milk, goat she was apparently healthy until yesterday. Yesterday morn she was found leaning against the goat shed, not moving.  Mainly described as seeming like she was "on something" (like she was drugged).  She had hardly any milk in her udder, and had diarrhea all over her. She was very fussy about being touched and seemed very irritable. This morning, she was down, they thought she was dead, said she is "wimpering." They got her up for a while and said she was staggering. Now she is just laying there. She is not bloated. The lady thinks she got into something, but not sure what. They opened up a little more pasture a few days ago so it's possible it was a plant, but none of the other goats are sick. I told her to call he vet, but like I said, don't know if she can afford it She is in a very very small town with one vet and said he does not make house calls. If she's still alive when I get to her,  here is my plan, also open to suggestions. 1) C&D Antitoxin  2) Electrolytes 3)  check temp & give Penicillin if temp is up 4 ) Charcoal Gel (I have some but have never used it, I don't know if it would be too late to give it at this point in the game.)  I don't have a Ranch store anywhere near, so I have to work with what I have or can get from the pharmacy / grocery store.  Open to suggestion, please advise.

UPDATE:  Ok, just found out that 3 days ago the goats got into the chicken feed, so that tells me a lot, although I would have thought there would be bloating?  Also, she did call the vet and is picking something up from the vet (who is 30 miles away from her I guess).  It was no C&D Anti Tox, but something else (she didn't know the name) that the vet said would stop the fermentation in her gut. The vet said to give it to her & get her walking. I'm just worried it's gonna be to little too late.


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## DonnaBelle (Aug 8, 2013)

Why oh why oh why don't people keep their feed in a place goats can't get to it.

It seems like at least once a week someone posts about goats getting into chicken feed, etc. and bloating up and dying.

We keep our feed in the garage in big garbage cans with lids.  We use buckets and fill them with feed for the morning chore and do the same at night.

The goats have no way to get into the garage.  

People think!!  

Sorry for the little rant, but sometimes I wish there was a test people had to take before they could own goats.

Jeeze.

DonnaBelle


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Aug 8, 2013)

Please let us know how things go, LB.  Really hoping she pulls through!


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## elevan (Aug 8, 2013)

It sounds like you have a good plan.  I'd definitely reach for the CD antitoxin in this case.  Please keep us updated.


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## LBFarms (Aug 8, 2013)

The vet gave her Diarsayn ,(not sure what that is), an electrolyte and Pro Bios. Not sure what he was thinking not giving the Anti-toxin, maybe he did not have any, but I am hitting the road and heading there with the C&D Anti-Toxin and Penn.  Update on the goat is she is very cold and still down. I told her not to do the Pro-Bios yet but she already had. The vet is apparently only treating her for the diarrhea.


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## babsbag (Aug 8, 2013)

elevan said:
			
		

> It sounds like you have a good plan.  I'd definitely reach for the CD antitoxin in this case.  Please keep us updated.


x2. And the pen. Good luck, hope you make it there in time.


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## babsbag (Aug 8, 2013)

DonnaBelle said:
			
		

> Why oh why oh why don't people keep their feed in a place goats can't get to it.
> 
> It seems like at least once a week someone posts about goats getting into chicken feed, etc. and bloating up and dying.
> 
> ...


I totally agree. My chicken feed is inside a garbage can inside a shed and the chickens get fed inside thier coop or in the chicken yard behind the hot wire. The goats will run for the scratch when I throw it, but they only get the little bit that might land outside of the hotwire. The hotwire went up when I found 4 month old kids on thier knees crawling through the coop pop door to get to the chicken feed. They were determined little buggers.


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## LBFarms (Aug 8, 2013)

I went down there. She's was not good. She was down, wheezing, temp was 92f. Gave her the Antitoxin, & the Penn.  I tubed her with a quart of hot electrolyte solution and covered her with an electric blanket and put a hot water bottle under it. Before I left her temp was up almost a degree. I left them the Penn & the Antitoxin.   I got ahold of my vet and he said we were doing everything right, but he said that with a temp that low she was not going to make it without intensive care and IV therapy. Just got that call that she passed. 
Please Please keep your grain and you chicken feed out of reach of your goats. And have antitoxin on hand & give it right away if you suspect they have gotten into grain and over eaten.  It's heartbreaking watching them die & there is nothing you can do that will help


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## elevan (Aug 8, 2013)




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## bonbean01 (Aug 8, 2013)

Sorry to hear that 

Whether it is goats or sheep...this happens way too often!!!!  Even if our sheep ever did get out...they would have to know where the key is hidden up high and learn to unlock the shed door to get to the closed chicken feed bin.  Just so not worth taking the risk of having an accident like that EVER!!!!


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Aug 9, 2013)

Really sorry to hear that LB.   Sad when something as simply as properly storing feed can cause a tragedy like that. 

For the less seasoned farmers like myself, does any one know if there's a particular Antitoxin that works best in these types of situations?  We keep our chicken feed in sealed garbage cans in the barn away from the goats, but it sounds like something I should have on hand for emergencies.  Does anyone know if it's a problem for chickens if they get into goat feed, and if so what the treatment is for that?


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## LBFarms (Aug 10, 2013)

HoneyDreameMomma said:
			
		

> Really sorry to hear that LB.   Sad when something as simply as properly storing feed can cause a tragedy like that.
> 
> For the less seasoned farmers like myself, does any one know if there's a particular Antitoxin that works best in these types of situations?  We keep our chicken feed in sealed garbage cans in the barn away from the goats, but it sounds like something I should have on hand for emergencies.  Does anyone know if it's a problem for chickens if they get into goat feed, and if so what the treatment is for that?


I think anything labeled "C&D ANTITOXIN" would be fine.  Mine is made by Colorado Serum Company. Make sure it is ANTITOXIN , not the TOXOID, that is the vaccine.  For some reason vets around where I live don't carry it, neither do the feed stores. I get it from Jeffers.Keep it on hand (refrigerated) and give it at the first indication of over eating  of grain or chicken feed, & again in 12 hours. Keep giving every 12 hours, until symptoms are gone. One dose is about 10 ml for a goat, so have some 12 ml syringes on hand. Do not wait for symptoms. You want to treat withing the first 12 hours, if you do , you have a good chance that the goat will be fine.  My vet said after 12 hours, it is harder to reverse the problem.  Mine is made by Colorado Serum Company.  I don't think that chickens would be harmed by goat feed, mine are always cleaning up any goat feed they find, never a problem.


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Aug 10, 2013)

Thanks so much for the info!  I'll be sure to pick some up.  Sounds like a must have for a goat owner.


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## bj taylor (Aug 16, 2013)

just trying to learn here.  why give cd-antitoxin?  what does that do in cases like this?


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## LBFarms (Aug 16, 2013)

bj taylor said:
			
		

> just trying to learn here.  why give cd-antitoxin?  what does that do in cases like this?


Look up "Enterotoxemia."   The anti-toxin neutralizes the toxins that are in the goat, but it needs to be given earl  on, within the first 12 hours according to my vet.  Here is a good article   http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/enterotoxemiaaka.html


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