# Goat off feed, weak, poops and pees normal?



## dianneS (Apr 7, 2015)

I discovered one of my myotonic goats has lost weight and was weak yesterday and not eating much.  His butt looked like he may have had diarrhea, but he's pooping normally now.

I've separated him from the herd an he won't eat anymore.  He had some alfalfa pellets yesterday and choked on them.  The choke cleared, and I'm trying to give him soaked pellets and he won't eat.  He's nibbled a little hay but that's all.

He's drinking water okay and peeing too.  Any ideas?


----------



## Hens and Roos (Apr 7, 2015)

sorry to hear, have you checked his temp? have you checked to make sure no mites?  have you checked fecal for internal parasites?

Hopefully others @OneFineAcre, @Southern by choice, will have some more thoughts for you


----------



## OneFineAcre (Apr 7, 2015)

Hens and Roos said:


> sorry to hear, have you checked his temp? have you checked to make sure no mites?  have you checked fecal for internal parasites?
> 
> Hopefully others @OneFineAcre, @Southern by choice, will have some more thoughts for you



That's the best advice I could give.


----------



## Southern by choice (Apr 7, 2015)

Is it possible the goat ate something new or unusual?
Is he current on CD&T
Has he suddenly had new fresh spring grass?

Check the eyelids (inner) are they pale?
Take a temp
Collect a fecal sample and take to your vet.
I suspect high worm load but there is still possibility of other issues.

These are all places to start.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 7, 2015)

Is there a reason for the pellets?  Was this a new change?

Grab a temp on him and then get a fecal in.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 7, 2015)

Weight loss, lack of appetite, scouring sounds very much like parasites could be the issue.


----------



## dianneS (Apr 7, 2015)

He's a little better today.  More alert, wanted out of his stall this morning.  I had given him a big dose of red cell last night. He's drinking very frequently.  Not a large _quantity _of water but visiting his water bucket a lot.  I treated his water with Corid just in case of coccidia, but this is an adult goat.

His poops range from normal pellets to clumpy, but no runs anymore. 

He's utd on CD&T, he gets wormed regularly and I copper bolus my goats once a year as well.  He hasn't had his copper this year yet.  No fever either, temperature normal.  Gums and eyelids a little pale, so maybe parasites?  

The alfalfa pellets are not new.  The grass is just now beginning to come in a tiny bit so my animals are still getting alfalfa and hay.  No lush grass yet.

I offered him some calf manna pellets today since no one can resist calf manna, and he started to gobble them right down.  Then all of a sudden he stopped, grunted a little and moaned and started frothing at the mouth again like he might choke!  I know that calf manna dissolves super easy, so I wasn't concerned of another choke episode and it passed quickly.  However he seems to want to eat, but its like he can't or perhaps it hurts to eat?  He nibbles hay and calf manna, but sometimes just lets some of it drop out of his mouth?  He's very very careful about how he chews and swallows.  He also makes some strange gulping sounds when he swallows?  I heard some gut gurgles too after he had eaten a little.  His belly is sunken, not at all bloated.

Oh, I also offered him some baking soda and he ate that willingly.  He seemed to object to the taste of it, but continued to eat until he had enough (about a teaspoon or so).  I thought maybe it was a simple case of acidosis?  But he's still not much better.

I want to hit him with some heavy duty wormer next.  What should I use in a case like this?  

I've got CDT antitoxin on hand, as well as injectible iron and some injectable B complex.  I'm thinking of giving him a dose of those as soon as I have someone to hold him still for me.  He's still spry enough to give me a fight.

He seems to be improving gradually.  I don't fear I'm in danger of losing him or anything, at least not at this point.


----------



## norseofcourse (Apr 7, 2015)

What you're describing, to me, almost sounds like either a tooth problem, or something stuck back in his throat or his esophagus.  Any chance you can get a real good look in there, as far as possible?

I wouldn't keep throwing treatments at him without a better idea of what's going on with him.  I'd run a fecal to see if he does have coccidia and/or parasites, and probably have the vet out if he continues having a problem eating normally.  Good luck with him!


----------



## Southern by choice (Apr 7, 2015)

I agree. The choking and swallowing seems odd to me. 
Sometimes the best thing is to see a vet. Definitely look if you can (not easy on a goat) down the throat, check, teeth, feel externally for any masses.


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 7, 2015)

Agree with the above.  And you probably know it but Corid is not the best choice for coccidiosis.  Before offering additional treatments, give him a good look over like the other's suggested, and get a fecal test---way better than guessing and wasting money on the wrong/unnneeded med.


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

I'm taking a fecal to the vet this morning.  Will wait in the office for the results and discuss with them etc.  Will have the vet out possibly today if needed.

I felt no masses in his throat, couldn't see or feel any blockages.  I can get liquids down his throat just fine.  He has been drinking A LOT of water!  If he eats anything at all, even the tiniest bit, he immediately goes for the water afterwards???

Still pooping large clumps.


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

Back from the vet.

Barber pole worms and slightly elevated coccidia count!

Albon and injectable Dectomax.  

I'm thinking this guy may not have gotten his copper bolus last year.  He's tough to catch and/or he may have spit it out.

Any advice on treating/preventing this in the rest of the herd?


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 8, 2015)

Some animals are more resistant than others, so might not need to treat them all.  But, Albon is much more effective than Corid for treating the coccidia.  Did he give you enough for the whole herd or just your buck?  If you need more, you can order the same thing for much cheaper on Jeffers.com (liquid or powdered DiMethox).

Copper bolusing is tricky with a feisty goat.  When we do it, one person holds the goat, one person pries their mouth open, and a third pops the capsule to the back of their throat and squirts water in at the pill using a syringe.  They always swallow once that water hits their throat.


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

I don't have enough albon to treat the whole herd, just this guy.  I will order more.  Everyone else is healthy, but I will treat to be on the safe side.

Thanks for the tip on the bolusing.  It _is _tough!  I tried using a cattle sized balling gun.  Did not work!  Does anyone make a balling gun for goats?

I gave this goat his injection of dectomax and I gave him some b-complex, and a shot of iron.  His eyelids are pretty pale.

He's much better today.  Eating hay and still drinking lots of water.  He was very eager when I entered his stall this morning to collect his fecal sample.  He thought the baggie I had in my hand was food and was excited for a treat, so I think he's feeling better.

I'm so grateful for my vet.  No more guessing games!  What a relief.  I'm sure this guy is on the mend now.

Thanks everyone for the advice!


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

Since treating him with the Albon and dectomax, he pooped one big cow flopper soft, but not runny poo. This is the loosest stool I have observed yet.  Could it be a side effect of the meds?


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 8, 2015)

I would not think so.  The meds should kill off parasites which are causing the loose stools.  Since he was only treated this morning, he will probably need more time to see improvement.  Maybe by tomorrow evening things will "firm up".


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

I hope so.  He is eating his hay, and that's a relief!  He looks brighter all around.


----------



## Hens and Roos (Apr 8, 2015)

for both of you that he gets better soon!


----------



## dianneS (Apr 8, 2015)

Poos firming up.  Actually had some pellets tonight!  Still just nibbling hay, not eating a whole lot yet.

I'm really hoping this is just parasites we're dealing with and not something else...


----------



## dianneS (Apr 10, 2015)

Well my goatie is doing better, but just slightly.  His appetite is improving but he's far from eating like a normal goat.  Still giving Albon daily.  Poos range from clumps to pellets and back again.  Eyelids still pale but some pink is returning.  Still not chewing a cud, but his belly is less sunken now.

He nibbles his hay, throughout the day and I replenish his supply even if he hasn't eaten what I've given him, just to keep it palatable to him.  I am giving him his choice of Noble Goat pellets and calf manna.  He ate nearly all I gave him yesterday throughout the course of the day/night, which is improvement.  But it still wasn't a great deal of food.  Today I gave him some alfalfa pellets in addition to the other stuff today.  He ate some of everything this morning, better than I've seen him eat yet, and then he was done.  No interest in any pellets anymore and he went for the hay instead.

I gave him a big dose of red cell this morning too and he has very good quality loose minerals in front of him right now.  I want to give him another shot of B-complex soon but have to pick up some more goat sized needles.

I was going to give him some lamb and kid paste, but my local TSC was sold out.  Maybe probios or something else?

I'm considering letting him out on grass today to see if that entices him to eat.  I know it could cause more runny poos, but he would at least be getting some nutrition into him?


----------



## Pearce Pastures (Apr 10, 2015)

Glad to hear of the improvement.    Probios are always good.


----------



## jodief100 (Apr 13, 2015)

I am glad to hear he is doing better.  You seemed to be surprised about the worms because you gave all the goats copper bolus's last year.  A copper bolus is a short term treatment for worms.  It is only effective for a few weeks at most. 

I have a bolus gun for goats, I think I go it at Valley Vet.  I modified it a little bit and it works great.


----------

