# GOATS AND AZALEAS - NO NO NO



## cindyg (Mar 24, 2013)

Well, have had a time today, for sure.  This morning two of my does were very lethargic, standing with heads down, and what I thought was diarrhea all over, called the vet immediately, but it was a few hours before he got here.  No way they could have gotten into grain or chicken feed, but last night when I came home they had gotten themselves out of their large yard into our back yard, and today when my husband walked his garden searching for anything missing, he figured they had nibbled the tops off a few azalea plants he was wintering over.  Just our luck, a day ago they were covered by snow, and wouldn't have been found but the one time they get out, what do they head for?  Anyway, the larger doe is doing ok, but the smaller is still so sick.  It wasn't scours, but instead she had been throwing up, watery green mess all over.  Vet tubed her with antiacid and she is laying out there burping and grinding her teeth.  Also gave her a shot for pain.  I keep checking to see if she is showing signs of dehydration, so far so good, but will have to get him back to do IV fluids if necessary.  She was doing so well on the milk stand, the best of them all, such a sweet gentle girl, hope she pulls through.  Told DH, we won't grow azaleas anymore!!  It's not all fun and games for sure.


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## poorboys (Mar 25, 2013)

hoping they get better...


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## Pearce Pastures (Mar 25, 2013)

Hope your goats are on the mend.  Love the looks of azaleas but they are on my list of plants that aren't going into the landscaping either.


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## animalmom (Mar 25, 2013)

How are your goats doing?  Please let us know.


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## cindyg (Mar 28, 2013)

It took a few days but they are both doing fine now.  More throwing up on the Monday, then by Tuesday am they were marginally better and by that evening were eating a bit of hay.  Wednesday morning it was like nothing had happened, they were both bright eyed again, but boy, I was afraid that I was going to lose them!  No antidote for this, just a wait and see thing.  They may have had a nibble or two of the plant, no blooms or anything of course, so we were lucky.  They were in such pain, you could almost see their insides cramping on them.  So, no azaleas in our landscaping either.


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## Pearce Pastures (Mar 28, 2013)

Glad they are okay.


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## Queen Mum (Mar 29, 2013)

You know you really LOVE your goats when you are cleaning up goat vomit and are more worried  about if your babies are going to survive than the smell getting in your hair.  

Mine chronically ate azaleas and rhodies when I was in WA state.   YES, they do survive once you get over the vomiting part.  Just give lots of fluids.  An irrigation syringe in the mouth.   I gave mine  a mix of probios, warm water, molasses, vitamin B (liquid), vitamin E and a little brandy.   It really helped them once the vomiting stopped.  I gave them about a cup of it every hour till they were chewing cud.  The brandy was maybe 2 oz per quart, but seemed to settle them down enough to relieve the stress...

NO GRAIN for several days... Just good hay and alfalfa.  

Another thing to ask the vet for is some Valium.   Very small doses will calm them down and give them time to get settled.   

YES, goats can have valium.  It gets them eating the hay.


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