COCCIDIOSIS! New baby boy is not doing so well

[taylorm17]

I just got two new boys. They are both buckling, even though one is supposed to be a wether. We have only had them for one week and one of them is sick already. I believe he may have coccidiosis. They gave him Corid to prevent it, but I have heard Corid is not very effective. He is due for another treatment on the 14th, but 2 days ago started acting weird. He is a very active boy. They had videos of him and he was the one who was always playing and jumping. He started getting diarrhea and we got worried, but said we'll wait a day and see how he is. We just changed his their milk from their mom's milk to a replacer. I have also heard that rain causes a lot of stress on goats. It has rained pretty much all week. Yesterday and the day before were the worst and they weren't really able to go outside and play much it was so bad. Then this morning he only drank about 3/4 of his milk. When we first got him, he was the first to drink all of his milk and stood waiting for more. My mom went to two stores looking for coccidiosis and could ONLY find the Corid and it was for cattle in both stores. Then since we didn't have any medicine I gave him the correct dosage of Probiotics for the stress with a little bit of water for the move into a new home, change of milk, all the rain and weather changes....Then tonight he didn't drink any of his milk at all. I waited a while and offered again. Then I waited a little longer and didn't want any, but I put some into his mouth any way so he would have a little something in him. He has been laying down most of today. I also took his temperature earlier and it was 101.3. Should I do anything else? He has also had a little bit of hay today that he nibbled on. Thanks for any advice!

 

[elevan]

How old is he?

Milk replacer often causes diarrhea. I would recommend using regular whole cow's milk from the grocery store instead of the replacer.

Sometimes you can find DiMethox powder at feed stores to treat coccidia. Otherwise I would order what you need from an online supply house like Jeffers Livestock Supply or some other resource right away.

If the diarrhea continues, I would hold off on the milk for the next 24-48 hours and give electrolytes (pedialyte or gatorade if not other form of electrolyte is available) instead. You need to get the electrolytes into him 2 to 3 times per day.

If he didn't drink today (except this morning), then tomorrow is CRITICAL - he MUST receive fluid intake. If he will not do it himself then you have two options available to you (besides the vet), you can either tube him or you can give subcutaneous fluids using an IV set and Lactated Ringers solution. There are certain supplies you need to have in order to do either of these tasks. If you don't have them, you would have to get them from your vet's office or just take your kid to the vet.

He must receive fluid intake tomorrow - it is critical that he receive intake 2 to 3 times per day tomorrow (a close to normal serving).

 

[alsea1]

If you are new to goats and caring for them I urge you to call your vet asap.
You do not have time to wait and see.
They can fade fast.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

x2 on the advise from Elevan and Alsea1.

Milk replacer is probably not helping and we use whole cow milk when we don't have goat milk available for that very reason.

Dimethox is a much better treatment that CoRid but TSC does not carry it so if you have any other farm stores near you, make some calls. If nobody has it, call a vet. Actually calling a vet at this point might be warranted anyway. Going off a bottle is not a good sign.

 

[taylorm17]

He passed away really quick last night. I was reading all this and went to check on him. He was laying on his side and couldn't stand. I brought him in the house and he died around 1:30 this morning. His brother is fine and has no diarrhea. We have looked at a couple stores for the dimethox and can still only find it for cows or chickens. I even looked at online stores and can't find it. We are calling our vet today to see if they sell it. Is this contagious or could any of the symptoms he showed be something contagious. He is 7 1/2 weeks old. My mom is getting some whole cows milk today from the store and we will slowly switch him over. Should I put some probiotics in his milk tonight? They both were from the same litter. The one still alive is acting like he should, jumping, running, getting into stuff, eating all his food, begs for the bottle... Could it be any thing else? Right now we have a pen inside of our does pasture so they can get used to each other. My one doe is not nice at all to newcomers, should I keep him separated in the other pen? Also should I clean out everything the one who passed away has used or whatnot, hay water buckets, bottle... Thank you so much for the information. We have done everything we possibly could. Our older does have lived for a year with no health problems at all and we lost him in a week. Also if you didn't know he was treated once for CDT and twice for Coccidiosis with corid, so?...?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I am so sorry.

Cocci are everywhere and all goats have a few floating around in them. it is just when they are little (or when they are being stressed) that their immune system can't fight them off.

Clean up the environment might help at least reduce the number. But go get the Dimethox and treat the others (cow or chicken matter not---it is the same chemical. If it is in a powder form, let me know and I will do the math to help you mix it to the right concentration).

 

[Pearce Pastures]

also I am betting on coccidiosis at that age and given the symptoms. You can order DiMethox online from Jeffers.com in powder form or liquid. Probios are always good and making the switch to whole milk over the next three or four feedings is a smart move.

Do you meant that now he is by himself but he can still see the other goats and interact with them?

 

[taylorm17]

yes he is in a smaller fenced in area inside of the girls pasture so they can touch and see each other.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

yes he is in a smaller fenced in area inside of the girls pasture so they can touch and see each other.

He should be just fine. Do a five day course of Dimethox, and maybe make him a creep door into a pen so he can start to venture out but still get away from the big goats if he needs to.

We made a little opening at the bottom of our kidding pens (a little less then a one foot opening), and then installed a removable doors on them. When kids are starting to get big enough to scoot out of the way fast enough when a cranky goat goes at them, we open the doors so the can come and go as they please.