Help! What's going on with this goat?

[dianneS]

I have a pygmy doe, she was one year old in September. The woman I got her from said she was a preemie and almost died at birth. She's still really small but in good health over all.

Ever since I got her she has these occasional episodes where she will reel backward, scream and fall down! Then she hops back up and its all over, she's back to normal! I figured she had a choking episode and that was all.

Last winter she would have these episodes, not always falling down, but screaming and bawling and panting like she's dying! Last year I brought her in the house, tried to warm her up, she only got upset even more from being inside. I returned her to the barn and checked on her later to find her back to normal!

Now here we go again! Its cold out and she's screaming, lying down, panting and shivering sometimes. I don't know if she's just really cold? I put a sweater on her last year on the coldest days because she was born in the fall, had a rough start and didn't have a very thick winter coat. This year, she is all thick and fuzzy and I figured she'd be fine. I hope she doesn't need another sweater! How ridiculous.

I just went out to the barn. Gave her a nice warm spot to lay down, put some baking soda out just in case. Put water nearby and plenty of hay. I'll go out and check on her later. Hopefully, I'll find her back to normal... but what if I don't? What the heck is going on with her?

 

[elevan]

It sounds to me like a mild epileptic seizure...can goats have seizures? I have a dog that has them and this sounds like what she does...

 

[dianneS]

I'm starting to think it might be frequent episodes of bloat. She really loves her hay and she fills up on it big time. Her belly is big and full and I feel sort of a "bubble" on her left side.

I got pretty worried about her so I brought her in the house and put her in front of the fireplace to warm up. (She's so sweet, I just wanted an excuse to bring her in the house!)

I gave her some veterinary pepto bismol and a little baking soda mixed in water. Within minutes she was walking around the kitchen, head butting my dogs! Then she wandered into the victorian parlor and wanted to jump up on the setee, then into the dining room and wanted to pull the lace table cloths off the table (not good since the table is fully set with antique china!) then off to the living room to check out the cat and send him running for cover too!

I think she's feeling better, and I'm glad I got her house visit on video for my husband to see! I plopped her in the pasture with the other goats and she trotted off just fine.

I guess I need to help this little girl improve her gut flora and such so she doesn't have these episodes so often IF that is what is wrong with her?? Its still so hard to tell and who knows how many times this has happend and I wasn't there to see it? :/

 

[ksalvagno]

So it only happens in the winter or cold? Maybe it would be worth it to keep some baking soda available all the time for her.

 

[tiffanyh]

It really does sound like seizures....maybe you can get a video....

 

[dianneS]

It really does sound like seizures....maybe you can get a video....

No, it really isn't a seizure at all, just like something is making her suddenly uncomfortable like a stabbing pain or something of that nature and taking her by surprise.

 

[dianneS]

So it only happens in the winter or cold? Maybe it would be worth it to keep some baking soda available all the time for her.

You know its funny, I usually have baking soda free-choice for the goats, but recently stopped supplying it because I read that its only necessary in cases of bloat and goats don't need it otherwise. Maybe I'd better reconsider and keep that baking soda available all the time!

 

[ksalvagno]

Usually you don't need to keep the baking soda out but apparently your little girl does need it if you haven't had any trouble until you took it away.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

What kind of hay is it? Seems odd to me she'd bloat from hay.

 

[elevan]

It really does sound like seizures....maybe you can get a video....

No, it really isn't a seizure at all, just like something is making her suddenly uncomfortable like a stabbing pain or something of that nature and taking her by surprise.

Mild seizures in animals can be surprisingly different from a human seizure. My dog has them and they are seasonally based and can be tied to certain things that she eats as well. Indeed almost all of her seizures happen in winter. I wouldn't rule out the condition.