# Black Goat Kid turning orange



## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Well I am very perplexed.

I have a 4 month old Nigerian Dwarf/Myotonic cross Doe.  She is Black & white.

About a month ago I noticed a small abscess where she received her CDT shot.  I cleaned it flushed it with a small amount of peroxide & filled with antibiotic cream.  Well it healed up quickly (still missing fur at that spot though).

After a few days I noticed the fur around that spot turned orange.  Was not worried, figured it was from the peroxide.  About a week passed and I noticed more and more orange showing up on her.  So I gave her a bath with baby shampoo. Here we are 4 weeks past the peroxide cleaning and she is getting orange spots everywhere. The tips of her hair are turning orange and the tips of her ears are turning orange.  Just in the last 2 weeks the amount of orange has doubled.

I used VERY little peroxide and I administered it right into the abscess with a VERY Tiny 1 ml syringe (no needle).  So i used NO MORE then 1 ml of peroxide.   I just don't see how that little could get ALL over her plus it's been 4 weeks and it's getting more noticeable.

I'm new to goats and was wondering if this could be a mineral deficiency?  We are in a TERRIBLE drought here and I worry about the goats.

I have 2 adult does in milk & 2 4 month old does.

The 2 goat kids receive:

A small scoop of Purinia Goat Chow mixed with a handful of fine loose alfalfa hay twice a day.
1 very small handful of BOSS daily as a treat.
12 hours a day free range on 6 acres (there is lots of brush but everything is dry from the drought) 
Free access to Mana Pro Loose Goat Minerals
Free access to Sudan Hay

I offer fresh fruits and veggies but the wont touch them.  I have offered watermelon, cantaloupe, bell peppers, bananas, strawberries, peaches, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, ripe tomato, cucumber, squash apples & carrots.  They occasionally will take a nibble, shake there head & walk away.

Any ideas?  Am I worried for nothing?  I will upload photos as soon as I  can find my camera


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## Our7Wonders (Jul 22, 2011)

I know it's been said that dark goats with hair that starts turning copper can be a sign of copper defficiency - maybe that's a possibility?


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Here are photos from today

This was the abscess site







This is her OTHER side





*Don't mind the grain all over the ground.. I normally feed them in a dish but a VERY bad adult goat knocked over the food container while I was inside getting the camera.*


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Our7Wonders said:
			
		

> I know it's been said that dark goats with hair that starts turning copper can be a sign of copper defficiency - maybe that's a possibility?


If it is a copper deficiency how do I increase there copper intake?  Besides drastically increasing the amount of food & minerals that they eat?


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 22, 2011)

That's really weird.  We had this goat a while back who after we got her, I noticed her skin started to get a blue tint to it.  It looked really weird.  About a month or so later, she died.  Reason unknown.  That was the same year we lost a ton of goats to coccidiosis.


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

A few more things:

I did recently treat both goat kids for possible coccidia because of sudden onset of diarrhea.  Cleared right up after a treatment of Sulmet.

This kid has also had a limp since I got her.  I was told her back leg was injured right after birth.  When I  got her it was a barely noticeable limp.  It has started getting a little worse at times.  Some days it sees fine. Other days its really noticeable. 

I was told her sister (I don't owner her) had something not quiet right with her at birth.  She seemed a little odd the few times I met her.  She would walk in circles and seemed to be partially blind.  The breeder said she was born backwards and was probably that way because of lack of oxygen due to the slow & backwards birth.

Those are just a few more things I can think of that might help.  Not sure if they are relevant?

The fact that the orange color is becoming more noticeable has me really worried.


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## currycomb (Jul 22, 2011)

not being judgemental here, but your goat looks thin and the rough coat suggests she is carrying a heavy parasite load. just not a healthy looking goat. maybe a trip to the vet, at least a fecal check to see what kind of dewormer you will need.


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Well her is coat is different from her sister & her mom.  I was told she has the same coat as the Myotonic buck her mom was bred to.  Her coat is VERY thick/dense and longer then the other goats.  She is almost shaggy in a way.

This is going to sound stupid but how do I know she is too thin?  None of them feel "boney"?

I wish I could run to a vet every time I wanted but I'm not in an area that had "goat vets".  The nearest livestock vets I have found are 2 hours away... One is a house call only vet and laughed when I told him my location. The other one is a dog/cat vet who occasionally sees livestock... I can go there but I would rather not drive 4+ hours each way unless it is totally necessary.  My own dog/cat vet said she would rather not do a fecal for me because she does not want to be responsible for how I "treat" her "diagnosis".  

Everyone has recently been wormed and vaccinated.

I just scared of overfeeding.  Maybe I'm not feeding enough?  I was told to only do a little grain and a little alfalfa because too much is bad for them.  I have increased there food since I got them mainly because of the drought.  Do they all look skinny?  

Here are some more photos.













Her sister:






Here mom:


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Jul 22, 2011)

I would definitely get more copper into her. Most folks copper bolus, but I use an herbal copper/selenium formula from www.firmeadow.com


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 22, 2011)

I agree with currycomb.  You have more than one thing going on there... Sounds like you might be new to goats so here are a couple things you should research: 1) body condition scoring/nutrition 2) parasite management 3) copper bolusing.  I highly recommend you get a fecal at your vet without delay.  At 4 months coccidiosis can take them from slightly off to no longer living in a scary short amount of time.  Then I'd body clip her so that you have a better idea of what's going on under all that hair.  She is really thin and I'd be willing to bet that the rough hair coat is largely a result of nutritional deficiencies.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 22, 2011)

Your doe with horns is the healthiest looking in terms of body condition.  It's basically impossible to overfeed alfalfa when it comes to a 4 month old kid- she needs the extra protein and calcium while she's growing.  Our kids get free choice alfalfa.  I understand your reticence to overfeed grain- but growing kids need the extra nutrition.  As long as you maintain the proper cah ratios and work her up gradually there shouldn't be an issue.  At our farm alfalfa is really the cornerstone of our feeding program- everyone gets plenty of it.  The amount of grain we feed depends on the individual's needs.

And no- the rough hair coat isn't a breed thing.  While her coat may always be different that the others it should still be healthy looking.  The easiest way to judge body condition is to clip her and to get your hands on her.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Jul 22, 2011)

The long coat is a genetic thing but the rough coat isn't.  The golden one looks better, but in the photo I can see the hip bone outlines of the black and white one. 

Remember you can't judge goat fatness by their stomach.  A skinny goat can have a "fat" stomach.  


They are both super cute though and I think you'll be able to get them turned around pretty quickly.  Do get a fecal done though to make sure you aren't dealing with worms or cocci.


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Well now I feel bad.  I didn't think they looked so sickly. 

The black one has always been a little thin in the hip on one side.  I kind of contributed that to her not using her leg fully and the chronic limp she has always had.  (lack of muscle)  I was told the mom steps on her back leg right after birth.

I knew the coat color change had to be something. Although at first I was sure it was from the peroxide..until it started spreading. 

I just assumed that the goat kids were going through a "lanky" growing stage that the drought wasn't helping.

I already called to have the house call vet come out at his unreasonable fee .  I could freakin fix my car problems for the fee he is charging us :/.  I just don't think it's fair to crate up the kids and drive them over 4+ hours in our 100+ degree weather.  Plus this way I can get everyone looked at.  

I'm not entirely sure what everyone is calling "rough coat"? Her coat is actually soft and fluffy.  Especially after a bath she is super fluffy.  Her coat is just so "thick" all the dirt & dust sticks in it.  Everything is so dusty here even my dogs look dull after 5 minutes running outside.  

I guess I have a lot to learn.  Where can I learn more about body conditioning/scoring?


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 22, 2011)

Notice how the hairs look crimped and overall the coat is dull?  That's what is meant by a rough coat.

Why not just take the fecal to the vet?  They shouldn't charge more than $20 at the MOST to run a fecal and then you'll know exactly where you stand on her parasite burden.  The dewormers and cocci meds are over the counter.

Owning goats is a learning experience whether you've have them for 10 days or 10 years.  Don't feel bad- just learn from your mistakes, correct them, and then onward and upward.


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## Reptigirl (Jul 22, 2011)

Hum.. I can see the dullness mainly because of the strange color change..... The wavy hair has always been there.  When she is wet she looks like a poodle.  Has always seemed like her coat type. It drizzled a little this morning and she got damp.  That made the waves come out.   Would feel better about a livestock specific vet looking at them.  I must be overlooking something and I can't risk  losing these kids.  My son is really attached to them.  He would be devastated!!!!!

When I posted I thought it might be something simple...like additional minerals.  I really didn't think it could be something serious.  I definitely didn't realize all my goats were in bad shape.  I thought I was doing well with them.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jul 22, 2011)

From a body condition stand point your older, horned doe does look like she's in good health.  Her coat looks normal- no scruffiness.  I wouldn't say she's in bad shape.  The younger gold doe isn't in what I would consider bad shape either, but she could use a little weight.  Kids need more in terms of nutrition and parasite management, so that may be why you're seeing more of an issue with your two younger does than the adult.  Any management issues you have are going to be magnified in the kids because they are far more at risk of parasite burdens and because they need a lot of calories to fuel growth.  Again, just a learning experience for you.  Hopefully your livestock vet can give you some good advice!


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