Help! What's going on with this goat?

[dianneS]

I don't know what could be wrong, but I heard her bawling inside the house and watched her follow the other goats out to the pasture. By the time I got out there she was lying down, almost panting for quite a while like she was having trouble breathing. She'd get up and walk around, but she'd just bawl like she was in terrible pain. She seemed like she was shivering and she'd sort of hiccup every now and then. She wasn't chewing her cud and didn't have any interest in food. I just don't understand why this happens so often with just this one particular goat?

After warming her up and getting some pepto and baking soda in her, she's right back to normal?

Last year, I didn't think to do the pepto and baking soda, I just got her warm and she'd eventually snap out of it, stop the bawling and panting and start running around as if nothing happened! I just don't get it?

 

[elevan]

I don't know what could be wrong, but I heard her bawling inside the house and watched her follow the other goats out to the pasture. By the time I got out there she was lying down, almost panting for quite a while like she was having trouble breathing. She'd get up and walk around, but she'd just bawl like she was in terrible pain. She seemed like she was shivering and she'd sort of hiccup every now and then. She wasn't chewing her cud and didn't have any interest in food. I just don't understand why this happens so often with just this one particular goat?

After warming her up and getting some pepto and baking soda in her, she's right back to normal?

Last year, I didn't think to do the pepto and baking soda, I just got her warm and she'd eventually snap out of it, stop the bawling and panting and start running around as if nothing happened! I just don't get it?

Is she coming around quicker when you use the pepto/baking soda than when you just warmed her up? How much quicker?

It still sounds like an animal seizure to me.

 

[dianneS]

It just happened again! I looked out the window and saw her screaming, but she was being chased by one of the wethers and he kept head butting her making her scream more! By the time I got out to the barn she was laying down screaming. I brought her right inside.

She squirmed and wriggled and threw a fit the whole way to the house, screaming and panting like she's dying. Then she laid down in front of the fireplace and did what looked like a burp or a hiccup and she's coming around. No screaming, and she looks like she'll be ready to go back outside soon.

We may have to make a trip to the vet. This is too weird.

 

[Calliopia]

Despite the fact that the goat is stressed.. grab your camera. You are going to want a video to show the vet if possible.


.... Is there ANY chance that she's just got you really well trained and if she pitches a giant fit then she gets to come sit next to the warm stove? I'm not doubting what you are seeing, just double checking. Goats lie.



It almost sounds like heart burn. Not sure if goats can get this but as a person I'll sometimes get a stabbing pain in my side and it's just indigestion. Relaxing, changing position and some tums usually takes care of it. If she's getting a really bad case then if she's like me it will be a horrible stabbing pain that makes you not want to move at all. I have to move very slowly to change position or major owie. Just another shot in the dark as to what it might be.

 

[()relics]

Did you say she was current on her cd/t vacinations? If she was a small kid, and possibly bottle fed she may have dealt with FKS...Now it sounds like a tetnaus/enterotoxemia issue. If she has never been vacinated you have your solution, but she is beyond the toxoid stage right now. If she has had the vaccine and booster, I might try BoSe to stimulate her immune system and possibly the tetnaus anti-toxin.

 

[dianneS]

Did you say she was current on her cd/t vacinations? If she was a small kid, and possibly bottle fed she may have dealt with FKS...Now it sounds like a tetnaus/enterotoxemia issue. If she has never been vacinated you have your solution, but she is beyond the toxoid stage right now. If she has had the vaccine and booster, I might try BoSe to stimulate her immune system and possibly the tetnaus anti-toxin.

She was supposedly vaccinated when I got her, but I'm not so sure I trust the woman I got her from.

I took her back to the barn, and just like last year, it seems as if the cold weather is bothering her the most. I put her in a horse stall, bedded really thick with fresh straw. As she got colder, she started crying more and more. I took her temp and its only 96.8! Although I don't really trust this digital thermometer, it usually reads low, but its not too far off. I brought her in and put her in front of the fire and she's calming down again and looking better.

I'm calling the vet.

 

[jodief100]

She was supposedly vaccinated when I got her, but I'm not so sure I trust the woman I got her from.

I took her back to the barn, and just like last year, it seems as if the cold weather is bothering her the most.

I am a little confused, please clarify. You said she was vaccinated when you got her, but it appears you have had her over a year. Have you given her boosters since you got her and how long have you had her?

I hope your vet can help because I really want her to get better.

 

[dianneS]

We just got back from rendesvousing with the vet in a supermarket parking lot! He was too far away to get out here to the farm to see her and he wasn't going to be in the office all day, so we met half way.

By the time the little girl was warmed up, for the second time, she was pretty much back to normal.

Vet said she has a touch of pneumonia. He said this horrible cold and wind is probably just too much for her. She's actually running a fever now, and he said when her temp was so low earlier, she was probably going into shock. I don't know if she had a touch of pneumonia last year too and just managed to fight it off on her own?

The vet said she is really, really tiny, even for a pygmy. He thinks she must not have had a good start as a baby. She was a preemie and almost died at birth is what I was told when I got her. I insisted that her previous owner vaccinate her and de-worm her. Most of my goats come from chemical free, holistic breeders, except this one. We don't typically do boosters, just baby shots and then holistic methods from then on. Usually works well, and I've had no problems with any other goats. But this little girl must have been compromised from day one.

She's doing fine now. She's in the basement and she's eating, pooping and peeing. (of course she'd have to wait until she was inside to do that!) I've got B-12, iron and something else to give her tonight. Antibiotics daily and a few other injections, I've got quite a list of instructions. But over all she looks good and should be just fine.

 

[warthog]

Glad to hear she is doing better, keep us posted.

 

[()relics]

..... Most of my goats come from chemical free, holistic breeders, except this one. We don't typically do boosters, just baby shots and then holistic methods from then on. Usually works well, and I've had no problems with any other goats. But this little girl must have been compromised from day one.

...No holistic cure or prevention for tetanus or enterotoxemia...Without, you will have this sort of problem anytime one of your goats are stressed or extra-susceptible...Tetanus anti-toxin and BoSe asap...2-3 weeks start a cd/t program give the intial dose and then booster....JMO...but a B12 injection isn't too holistic....