HELP!!! Baby goat weak..

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

A runt I had a few weeks ago was acting like you describe for a few days. Acting very hungry but wouldn't really eat and just play with the bottle, his butt looked very tight too like he wasn't able to poo but a qtip with lube on it proved me otherwise.. His stomach felt really full like an air filled balloon with a little water in it so I'm wondering if he was starting to bloat from the formula. I actually skipped the PM feeding and stopped the formula all together. We started with small meals of whole milk the next day and he improved really fast. My neighbor now has him and he is a cow!

I'm not really sure whats going on with your little one but good luck! How long has it been going on for and does he just feel completely empty all the time? Has he been on a bottle for the last 2 weeks or is this a recent change?

He might not like the milk, or it could be too hot/too cold. Does he like to suck on your finger? I also recommend taking his temp and not going by feel. Can he get up and get off of the pad and out of the heat if he gets warm?

 

[EggsForIHOP]

I also recommend taking his temp and not going by feel. Can he get up and get off of the pad and out of the heat if he gets warm?

We made that mistake with our first bottle baby - I ASSumed she was cold and provided a heating pad - where she laid like a lump and began the teeth grinding which had me RUNNING to the vet within a few days of bringing her home and per my vet when I got worried about her catching chill I was "cooking that baby and her belly of milk into yogurt"

Try taking away the heating pad and providing cozy room temp house and maybe a nice NON heated blankie spot only for an hour or 2...then take his temp...if he's normal temperature...keep an eye for a few more hours to settle yourself....and like my vet said "quit cooking goat flavored pudding in there!" If he's not holding his own body temp at this point, then you have another symptom/sign and if he is holding his body temp then you know you were "over worrying".

Also, really need to be looking into the B shots and BoSe 20kidsonhill first mentioned - those are so small in their dosage but do SO much towards perking up a goat sometimes it's just plain nuts!

And another thing my vet yelled at me for "over thinking"....it is not normal for a baby goat to eat only 3 large meals a day...they are "dine-n-dash" by nature when they are born. Small sips...off they go...back again when they remember that teat is there for them...and repeat. Not all goats are easy to get on 3 full bottles a day as they aren't "wired" for that. We have a 6 week old boer doe that still prefers to drink half a bottle...run off to do something ADHD can't focus long enough to eat (so I feed the other kids) then she comes back for the last half of her bottle when she realizes I mean it and she ain't getting no more til next time. She was a 4lb weakly runt with scours from poor formula when she came home a month again and is now 13lb runt with normal vitals and a short attention span - she prefers to play "dine-n-dash" at meal times like I'm a real mama goat nursing in the field and not a busy human with other things to do! and I thought she couldn't be getting enough...but she's gained 9lbs in 4 weeks...she's GOT to be getting enough

If you have the time, and can do so, allow little "dine-n-dash moments" until he has perked up - keep little bottles available. Like small people kid type you can easily warm quickly in running hot water with just an ounce or 2 in there. And, the vet also told me to go easy on the electrolytes - per her: "Don't worry so much and allow her to be hungry for milk instead of filling her with pedialyte - if she's peeing she's got fluids in her"

 

[Queen Mum]

You can also try a small animal baby bottle. That might work.

 

[honeyb12]

Well he stood up for a few minutes and eagerly took some of the electrolyte solution out of a syringe( granted a few drops at a time, but he took it and swallowed it)...i will start the milk again the next time I feed him..I also gave him a little baking soda earlier..I figured what could it hurt and it might help..hes just so listless..hes peeing and pooping (alot it seems) but the poop is really thick and mustard colored and smells a little fishy..he also has a little blood (frank blood)..i suspect from having an irritated bum from having loose poo. What does grinding their teeth mean?