Coughing... Lung worms OR Virus?

[Green Acres Farm]

Amen to that!

I find it quite fascinating though! I really like the study of parasites so I read as much as I can.

@Southern by choice, what are some helpful goat parasite reads you recommend?

I find it very fascinating, too, although I do wish it were more simple...

 

[babsbag]

@Southern by choice now I KNOW you are a geek.

 

[Sara1226]

I do have the powder form. It came in a packet I got at fleet farm. The levamisole (sp?) that is.

Anyone know the dosing on that?

There is so much info it's confusing. All I know for sure is I want my little guys to stop coughing. Tried to clean the shed out yesterday and this guy kept jumping in my cart!!

 

[Latestarter]

They are such helpful creatures aye?

 

[Southern by choice]

@Sara1226 What did your vet give you? Did you finish the protocol?

I ask because you have consulted with your vet, I would give a call back and let him/her know the status and go from there.
Also always write down or have vet write down what is being given and what is being sent home. Keep this in your records as well.

Switching drugs around and giving more dewormer etc can actually cause MORE harm to your goat.
Not all dewormers can be given this close together or you could seriously damage the rumin and even cause death. This is a goat kid with somewhat already suppressed immunity.

Little guy is really adorable.

They are such helpful creatures aye?

@Southern by choice now I KNOW you are a geek.

You know what I'd be doing if I could start a whole new career. Parasitology and Pathology. Yes. I. am. a. geek.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes. I. am. a. geek.

There is a special place in the world for geeks, lol!

 

[Sara1226]

If I'm not saposed to give different wormers close together than what do I do? Let him cough for awhile? I don't mean that in a rude sarcastic way. I'm seriously asking. The vet hasn't been much help after my first visit. Hence me seeking advice on here.

 

[babsbag]

Finish the Ivermectin if that is what you are giving him, I think you said you had one more day ??? @Southern by choice says that they successfully treated lung worm with ivermectin and she is one that I trust.
Do you live in an area where it even could be lung worm? Was the kid living on a wet pasture where there is standing water? Are you in an area where lung worm are prevalent?

The vet wanted him to take an antibiotic...did he say why?

Did you have a fecal done on him when you took him in? If not, I would collect some goat berries and get one done but since he is on medicated feed probably not cocci but it never hurts and it should be relatively cheap.

Sometimes goat get a respiratory ailment when they are weaned and when they are transported...stress related really. I don't have lung worm where I live but I do have goats that cough; they go on an antibiotic if it doesn't clear up in about a week.

 

[Southern by choice]

If I'm not saposed to give different wormers close together than what do I do? Let him cough for awhile? I don't mean that in a rude sarcastic way. I'm seriously asking. The vet hasn't been much help after my first visit. Hence me seeking advice on here.

Finish the Ivermectin if that is what you are giving him, I think you said you had one more day ??? @Southern by choice says that they successfully treated lung worm with ivermectin and she is one that I trust.
Do you live in an area where it even could be lung worm? Was the kid living on a wet pasture where there is standing water? Are you in an area where lung worm are prevalent?

The vet wanted him to take an antibiotic...did he say why?

Did you have a fecal done on him when you took him in? If not, I would collect some goat berries and get one done but since he is on medicated feed probably not cocci but it never hurts and it should be relatively cheap.

Sometimes goat get a respiratory ailment when they are weaned and when they are transported...stress related really. I don't have lung worm where I live but I do have goats that cough; they go on an antibiotic if it doesn't clear up in about a week.

Do you know the meds the vet gave you? If not then you should call. It will be in your chart.

I know it can get confusing. We are all wanting to be helpful.
Sometimes that can be difficult when we don't have all the info.

Doctor gave me an antibiotic pill, and told me to also worm with safeguard. A fellow goat owner told me to use Ivermectin instead. *Now forgive me... I'm terrible at math and measurements. I can't figure it out to save my life.* I wormed for 3 days with 1/2 inch squirt out of an ivermectin paste tube.

Ivermectin isn't given 3 days in a row. Paste is not a good source if dosage isn't precise.
So how much ivermectin have you given?

I noticed one of my previous two goats (they HAVE been wormed twice) started a dry cough. So I checked back in with the vet and he said to give up on the antibiotic (I requested more) and try the safeguard.

Are the other goats coughing as well? Did that stop and it is still just the one?
If the other goats have started coughing then I would as you do suspect a virus or bacterial infection.

 

[Sara1226]

Yes, he has one more dose of wormer left. The vet said to do an antibiotic to help prevent the cough from turning into pneumonia. But it was in pill form and no matter what I did he spit it out. He was not successfully given an antibiotic.

To be honest, I met the previous owner through the reputable breeder I got my first two guys from, so I never saw what kind of pasture he was in. But the state I live in (Northern Wisconsin) has had above average rainfall. I was concerned because she admitted he had never been wormed AND I was concerned about how he was transported. It was only in the 40's and it was an extremely windy day with a cold rain. She travelled with him in the back of her pick up truck all the way from Illinois. This meant he was going down the freeway for hundreds of miles in the cold wet rain. Again... I noticed the cough 2 days after I brought him home. BUT.. a respiratory infection or virus from that wouldn't explain his thin hair or being underweight, so when the doctor said worms I thought well.. He MUST be right.