Coughing... Lung worms OR Virus?

[Sara1226]

I do need to reassess the situation tomorrow and see who is coughing. I wasn't home hardly at all today. I had to travel out of town for a doctors appointment. I truly do appreciate all the help. I'm someone who lacks patience and is easily frustrated, so when I have a sick animal I want to fix the problem ASAP and move on. This is pretty tricky and I didn't know where to turn. The advice on here has been great!!

 

[Southern by choice]

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.

I repeat Ivermectin IS NOT GIVEN 3 days in a row.
The Safegaurd WOULD BE given 3 days in a row.

Definitely check them all and see who is doing what.
I suspect you have 2 things going on.

The traveling in the rain in a pick up- UGH - set that poor lil goat up for pneumonia.

More than likely his travel issues has caused respiratory.
BUT remember travel stress also causes a bloom. I would still get the fecal checked. The coat condition and lack of gain is generally indicative of cocci, parasites, and or mineral issues like @babsbag said.

Very surprised the breeder let the goat be transported in those conditions. YIKES!

 

[babsbag]

I had a couple of kids this year that a friend gave me and one them had a horrible coat. Very rough,dull, and thin. Being that Selenium is very deficient here I figured that that was the problem and just made sure that they got some good minerals without having to fight the big goats for them. Took about a month but the coat looks 100% better. MInerals are critical for healthy goats.

Considering the way your little guy was transported I would say pneumonia and treat with antibiotics and I wouldn't wait. As great as it is to have a definitive diagnosis it doesn't always work that way. I have been guilty of treating what I "think" it is more than once.

 

[Sara1226]

I'm sorry if I didn't answer every question, I was traveling 6 hours for a doctors appointment yesterday and it was hectic so I admit I didn't have a lot of time to be on here.

Yes, I am currently using safeguard and today is the last day. The vet had said another sign of pneumonia is nasal discharge, so I've definelty been watching out for that. Gosh I hope I don't see that next!

I have been giving them all a little probios, and two tsp of goat nutri drench in their water hoping to boost their immune systems.

 

[Southern by choice]

Yes, I am currently using safeguard and today is the last day. The vet had said another sign of pneumonia is nasal discharge, so I've definelty been watching out for that. Gosh I hope I don't see that next!

I am thoroughly confused as you said you were giving ivermection.

As far as pneumonia- There are several different kinds of pneumonia and nasal discharge may or may not be present.

A goat kid we cared for this year for a month or so developed pneumonia.(We co-owned the kid) Brought on by a cocci bloom. He was weaned, transported. Because of the sudden abrupt change of weaning and transport and them 3 weeks later castrated it just proved to be too much... a week later cocci bloom and pneumonia. This kid was on a cocci preventative.There was NO nasal discharge, NO coughing. He developed HIGH temp and could not stand. He was so weak and really on deaths door. He ended up having an immediate treatment of Nuflor and Banamine but still ended up on Penicillin at a pretty high dosage for a week.

 

[babsbag]

Honestly I have seldom seen a nasal discharge with pneumonia.

When I got my first buck the vet told me "goats cough". After a month of this I convinced her to let me try an antibiotic and it went away. Two years ago a had kids with coughs and after a month of listening to it I treated with antibiotics and the cough went away.

I started thinking more this morning about his age and lung worm and I just don't buy it. I know that kids can get it, but to be coughing from it already makes it a pretty severe infestation and he is just young. My gut tells me it isn't lung worm.

Another thing my vet tells me is this..."when you hear hoof beats don't look for a zebra".

There are so many things that can cause underweight and poor coats that personally I wouldn't be looking for that zebra.

 

[Southern by choice]

Honestly I have seldom seen a nasal discharge with pneumonia.

When I got my first buck the vet told me "goats cough". After a month of this I convinced her to let me try an antibiotic and it went away. Two years ago a had kids with coughs and after a month of listening to it I treated with antibiotics and the cough went away.

I started thinking more this morning about his age and lung worm and I just don't buy it. I know that kids can get it, but to be coughing from it already makes it a pretty severe infestation and he is just young. My gut tells me it isn't lung worm.

Another thing my vet tells me is this..."when you hear hoof beats don't look for a zebra".

There are so many things that can cause underweight and poor coats that personally I wouldn't be looking for that zebra.

I can't believe you said that! I was thinking that last night. Zebra in the horse pasture!
Like you I'd be looking at the what would be the highest probability.
Respiratory, Cocci and or parasitic bloom, minerals.
Simple easy fixes that eithet will bringg results or not. If not then go look to see if the zebra snuck in.

 

[Sara1226]

I'm trying to do the best I can. I am new at this.

I DID start with ivermectin and then I tried safegaurd. This was before someone on here said to not use two wormers back to back. I already started the safegaurd... It was too late. I wish I had a magical instant remedy. I didn't know which wormer to use quite honestly because I keep reading conflicting things about which one works and which doesn't. I just have bad luck. When I first started with chickens I had seen Mareks disease (confirmed by state lab necropsies), sour crop, injuries, egg binding, lice, mites, and respiratory viruses..all within the first year! I love my animals but I have so many problems! I can say that my little goat guy is eating a lot has energy and looks like he might be gaining weight. No coughs heard yet today. Going back out to check again...

 

[OneFineAcre]

I've never given a goat an antibiotic in a pill.
Always an injection.
In this case, I would be treating with antibiotics.

 

[Southern by choice]

I'm trying to do the best I can. I am new at this.

I DID start with ivermectin and then I tried safegaurd. This was before someone on here said to not use two wormers back to back. I already started the safegaurd... It was too late. I wish I had a magical instant remedy. I didn't know which wormer to use quite honestly because I keep reading conflicting things about which one works and which doesn't. I just have bad luck. When I first started with chickens I had seen Mareks disease (confirmed by state lab necropsies), sour crop, injuries, egg binding, lice, mites, and respiratory viruses..all within the first year! I love my animals but I have so many problems! I can say that my little goat guy is eating a lot has energy and looks like he might be gaining weight. No coughs heard yet today. Going back out to check again...

As far as dewormers -
I do not pay attention when people say such and such doesn't work anymore. Now there are dewormers that will NOT work on certain parasites but that is a different story. As far as dewormers many will preach all day long how Safeguard doesn't work yet the majority of the people that say this were NOT using the dewormers in the way it is suppose to be used. Same for ivermectin.

There are 3 ways dewormers work... some KILL, some stun and are pooped out, some interfere with glucose uptake. The protocol for repeat deworming depends on dewormer. Most dewormers work only on 4th stage. Repeating is necessary and time between varies.
Then there is the refugia and reduction test.
Many people underdose.
Many have no clue of the weight of their animal.
Many use dewormer and still don't understand that dewormers don't do anything for cocci.

Same with antibiotics... so many people have no understanding of how to effectively use them... and many don't know the course for individual anti-biotics, but they will run to the feedstore and pick up something. This is what leads to resistance of dewormers, anti biotics.

What region are you in?