goat barely eats, please help

[Lulu]

Hello everyone! Brand new here and loving all the info already!
JenVall, I was wondering if wrapping the leg would make him feel better? A little apple cider vinegar (taken orally) helps with tight muscles, or potassium or glucosamine...not sure, I never had that problem (thankfully) when I had pygmy goats. My health went south so I had to part company. I had one neubeian (sorry for the spelling), sweetheart personality, one day he just laid down and wouldn't get up, so I put him in the back of my car and off to the vet we went. We lost him, but the vet told me something I have never read or heard...I thought I share it, because I see so many goats tied up to eat brush (mainly blackberries around here), when the males are 'cut' the urethra shrinks, the sugar in the blackberries crystalizes and blocks the urethra, they can't urinate. The vet couldn't do anything for him but I learned (later) from my bff that used to own an herb shop, absorbate acid would have dissolved the crystals in about 2-3 days, (works with cats also) but, just a variety of diet would have saved him. We have 45 acres and all the goats just roamed around in the field, my husband, not knowing, fenced them in, in sections to help with the blackberries. Broke ours hearts to see him die from something we did just out of 'not knowing'.
I hope this info helps someone if they ever need it and I hope your little guy is better soon.

 

[SheepGirl]

Lulu, what you are talking about is urinary calculi. It is caused by an imbalance in the diet. The whole diet should have at least two times as much calcium as phosphorus. Ruminants can tolerate up to seven times as much calcium as phosphorus. Too much phosphorus in relation to calcium will likely give your male animals urinary calculi.