Help! Goats kids ate a couple bites of a yew!

Cooperkeeper

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Omg! I was walking my 4 12-week old kids around our large yard when they all made a dash to a yew planted by the house. They have always stayed along our tree line where is endless tasty browse. It was chaos trying to pull them each back and having one dash back and grab a bite. They probably each got about three bites.
What do I do? (Besides never walking them off leads)
 

elevan

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How are they acting? Symptoms?...Bloat, frothing at mouth, fever, vomiting, difficulty breathing, constipation, diarrhea, rapid / weak pulse, convulsions?

If none of those are present then don't worry too much over a few bites. If any are present call your vet.

The thing about poisonous plants is that there are several variables...how much was eaten...what stage of growth or decay...what part of the plant?
 

Cooperkeeper

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Thanks Eleven, I was sick about how fast this all happened and had already told myself I did not deserve to have these sweet things! I should have known that if they had a mind to go somewhere, there was no way to control all four!
I knew they had eaten a very tiny amount, but had read several things online about how toxic the tiniest amount could be and death could result in 1 to 3 hours!
I sat in their pen with them on and off for 4 hours and checked one more time on them before I had to crawl in bed. They seemed fine.
This morning I got up half afraid to go to the barn. My sweet husband had been up early and checked on them and told me all is fine. "they're all out there screaming 'Maaa!!' for you like normal."
WHEW! I dodged a bullet and learned a valuable lesson. Never so happy to hear those loud Nubian babies this morning!!
 

SuburbanFarmChic

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We have a yew bush in our backyard. Sometimes the goats get out. They've taken small nibbles of it but mostly leave it alone. I panicked the first time but they've been fine ever since. I think that some varieties of yew may be way more toxic than others.
 

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