# Do my goats have enterotoxemia and how should I treat them?



## Lizzisky (Jun 16, 2016)

I have triplet Boer goats that are 2 weeks old today. They were orphaned and are bottle babies. One of them went off of his bottle 2 days ago, (they were all getting 11-12 ounces 4 times a day) he only drank about half at 3 of his feedings that day. 4 hours after we went back outside and he was cold and laying on the ground. He couldnt stand up and died a few hours later. His siblings went off their bottles this morning. What do you think is wrong and what should I do?
Have given them .5cc penicillin, some probiotics, and milk of magnesia. Ordered C&D antitoxin. Has anyone been in this position and what have you tried that was successful?


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## Latestarter (Jun 16, 2016)

Greetings and welcome to BYH. Sorry you lost one and that the others now seem sick with the same issue. Hopefully some of the great goat folks we have will see your post and have some recommendations for you.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jun 16, 2016)

Have you contacted a vet? Honestly, with something like this It can be hard to tell especially when I cannot see them in person. Does their poop look normal?

Take their temp. 

@babsbag I believe has dealt with enterotoxemia before. 

@frustratedearthmother any ideas?


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 16, 2016)

My questions would be the same as GW.  Do they have diarrhea?  What's their temp?  What type of milk are they getting?  Is it replacer or goat milk, or cow milk?


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## Lizzisky (Jun 16, 2016)

We had called the vet and he called back shortly after I posted this!
He said to basically continue what we were doing. However, since treatment for it os variable I was just wondering what had worked for other people out there


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## Lizzisky (Jun 16, 2016)

frustratedearthmother said:


> My questions would be the same as GW.  Do they have diarrhea?  What's their temp?  What type of milk are they getting?  Is it replacer or goat milk, or cow milk?


Havent seen any diarrhea, what I have seen has been a little loose and yellow but not liquid. The little boy has been 103.3 and the girl has ranges from 103.4-103.6 the last couple times. They are on nutri start kid milk replacer. I know it isnt the milk though because there are 2 other kids on the same milk and they are fine.
They also just got some banamine and each took ~4 ounces tonight, a lot less than they have been taking but better than this morning and afternoon when they didnt touch it at all!


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## babsbag (Jun 16, 2016)

If you think it is entero you have to hit this hard and hit it fast. If you have to order the antitoxin and don't have it on hand you may not stand a chance. I have only dealt with it once, but I did save the kid. She was a two week old Boer being raised on cow's milk. She was running a fever. 

It is hard to get the baking soda in them, I mixed it with water and just drenched them, but go slow and careful and aim for the left cheek pocket. 

treatment:
10 cc C&D antitoxin orally
10 cc C&D antitoxin sub q
5 cc Pen G orally
5 cc Pen G sub q
repeat oral dose every 2 hours for 6 hours
6 cc pepto-mismal over 6 hours
baking soda
.5 cc banamine


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## babsbag (Jun 16, 2016)

I would gradually transition all of the goats to whole cow's milk from the grocery store.Milk replacers are a common cause of entero. 

Did they get colostrum?


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## babsbag (Jun 16, 2016)

And one other thing, a goat with entero will be in severe pain and screaming; a lot of screaming.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jun 19, 2016)

@Lizzisky how is it going?


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