golf ball size lump in Nubians neck

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

So yours is actually the thyroid?

My girls is actually the lymph node itself but it's NOT an abscess.

She was tested clean for CAE and CL 5 months ago when I first got her, and I have a closed herd, but I am resending out blood tests tomorrow just to make sure.

I guess the next step is an ultrasound for me. The vet is stumped too. :/

Pictures of my girl:

 

[ksalvagno]

This is from another forum:

I just went thru this with my nubians.. The lump developed overnight. In fact 4 of my goats got it in a 24 hour period. So.. If u have iodine from kidding and dipping the navels. Paint the iodine on their hairless part of their tail. If in 24 hrs it disappears your girls are deficient. Then if u can get the kelp it is a good choice. Mine went thru 10 lbs fast. The goiter should go.down in a couple of days. Now one of mine did develope an abscess that we just had lance d and tested at the Vets. It was a staph infection. Thankfully! Oh if u dont get the kelp paint the tailweb for a week. Commercial feed doesn't have iodized salt in it which is why the deficiencies.

 

[byardbabe]

Thanks everybody for the responses. They were all very helpful. I have stopped feeding the alfalfa pellets. They do have free choice kelp, along with loose minerals. I think I will try putting iodine on her tail though. I do have one queston with this though, if she is not iodine deficient will this hurt her? Also WhiteMountainsRanch keep me posted on your situation, I am really interested in what is going on with your Nubian. I will keep on eye on the lump to make sure if it is an abscess, I will get it cleaned out ect. One very good point I didn't know was that CL can be internal or external. I understand about the external causing an abscess, but how do goats get it internally? Does the blood test tell if it is internal or external?
Thanks again everyone I'll keep you posted.

 

[byardbabe]

Hi again,
One thing I did forget to mention is I have been adding apple cider vinegar to their water for about a year(they are suppose to like the taste better and drink more water). Well I did a little research and found out that apple cider vinegar over long term use can actually deplete iodine supply. So out goes the apple cider vinegar, and back to just plain water for the girls!

 

[Chris]

If you find out that it is indeed a Iodine Deficiency then what I would do is offer a good Iodized Salt free choice.
Cargill has a good one that you should be able to get at any good feed mill,
http://www.cargill.com/salt/products/agriculture/champions-choice/cc-iodized-block-brick/index.jsp


Chris

 

[Chris]

Hi again,
One thing I did forget to mention is I have been adding apple cider vinegar to their water for about a year(they are suppose to like the taste better and drink more water). Well I did a little research and found out that apple cider vinegar over long term use can actually deplete iodine supply. So out goes the apple cider vinegar, and back to just plain water for the girls!

I have found that ACV can do more harm than good to any animal.
Offering ACV can/will lowering potassium levels, decreased bone density, can damage the throat cause stomach problems, and can lower calcium levels in the body.

There are also cons in increasing acid levels of any type with in the body, decreased bone density, can decreases calcium levels in the body and can cause over all poor health.

Chris

 

[byardbabe]

Thanks Chris,
Sometimes I think I try to do all the right things and end up doing all the wrong. I think I read to much. Anyway we are done with the ACV. I will try painting the tail with iodine that I use to dip the navel's. Thanks again to everyone. You have all been great!

 

[babsbag]

Does the blood test tell if it is internal or external?

It will not tell you if it is internal or external. The results are called a titer and they will be a in ratio type format 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 etc.

Here is a article from UC Davis that talks about CL testing.


"Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) diagnostics
Caseous Lymphadenitis, CL, caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, can present a diagnostic
challenge in sheep and goats. Abscess material collected via syringe or surgical drainage
(external abscesses) or at necropsy (internal abscesses) can be submitted for bacterial culture.
Serum samples are tested for CL antibodies with a synergistic hemolysin inhibition (SHI) test. CL
abscesses, particularly external ones, can be very effectively protected from the animals immune
system, resulting in low SHI titers. A 2-fold rise in paired serum samples taken 3-4 weeks apart
indicates recent infection. Titers ≥1:256 are rarely seen in animals without internal abscess. Titers
1:8 to 1:128 can be found in both infected and uninfected animals; however, the higher the
titer, the more likely an animal is infected. For diagnosis of internal abscess, the SHI test has a sensitivity
of about 87% and a specificity of about 80%."

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Sent in the blood today for CAE and CL testing on 2 of my girls. I sure pray to god it isn't CL.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Try looking up Milk Goiter. I think that is what you may be looking at. Seems like the nubians with a lot of milk in their lines are more susceptible. I read another post about some folks having that in their Nubs.