Here we go again, she's screaming...

[dianneS]

I have been having trouble with this one goat since her first winter.

I just had her to the vet right before Christmas, he said it was pneumonia, gave us tons of shots to give her, wrote down nothing, I have no idea what I was giving her or what shots the vet gave her when he examined her. I waited for the bill to come, all it had was balance due, nothing about medications administered or what was sent home with me to administer to her myself.

She's been great since then, perkier than ever. Now today, she's outside bawling like she's dying and panting. Her temperature is really, really low like 99 degrees. Its not even cold outside. I can't bring her in to warm her up because its warmer outside than it is inside!

She lies down from time to time and rolls on one side occassionally. She'll jump back up and walk some more but just keeps screaming like she's in pain!

The vets office is closed. I can't get a hold of anyone, not even to find out what we treated her with last time she was in to see the vet. I'm not sure if this is an emergency or not since this has happened so many times before and she usually just snaps out of it?

She's screaming right now, and I'm at my wits end as to what to do with her this time?

 

[dianneS]

I put in an emergency call to the vet and I'm waiting to hear back.

She's still bawling, her temp is 97.7 and she's panting and her heart is racing about 175 bpm.

I'm trying to warm her up in front of a space heater. Usually that works and she snaps out of it, but I don't understand what this is or why it keeps happening again and again?

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

I wish I had some advice to give you. I hope your vet calls soon.

 

[helmstead]

the low temp and high heart rate, along with thrashing pain...say abdominal pain/bloat/etc. This sounds like an emergency to me.

 

[terrilhb]

I don't know the answer but prayers being sent. Hope all works out.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

give her Baking soda!! it won't hurt her, and it might solve her problem(if it's bloat)

 

[dianneS]

I talked to the vet and we've eliminated all other possibilities. He thinks its a heart defect.

She came from a real ding-bat breeder and I really just rescued her because I felt sorry for the poor little thing. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this woman is breeding goats with congenital defects.

I don't know what else to do because she's not "snapping out of it" like she has in the past. The vet said there is not much he can really do for her other than suggest an ultrasound of her heart.

I think she may have to be put down, but the vets office is closed this weekend. The vet suggested that I wait and see how she manages the weekend before we decide what to do, but she really seems miserable right now.

The bawling is a panic type of reaction since her heart is messed up and she's breathing so hard. She's not really in pain at all just terrified and she just won't stop screaming. Its horrible.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

the temperature drop would say something else to me... not an infection(she would have a fever instead of chilling)... possibly a secondary illness brought on by the pnumonia she had previously?

 

[helmstead]

GADS how terrible. I'm so sorry! I hope she settles down and you're not forced to do a 'farm' euth...

 

[dianneS]

The vet today said that she probably never had pneumonia in the first place. The heart defect probably caused some temporary fluid in her lungs making it sound like she had pneumonia.

Since she's had these episodes in the past and they pass on their own without medication, seems to indicate a defect.

The last time I had her to the vet, the behavior had already surpassed and she was back to normal. No vet has witnessed this behavior since she snaps out of it relatively quickly.

The vet said even if we did an ultrasound of her heart there wouldn't be much that could be done other than prescribe lasix to keep the fluid from accumulating in her lungs.

I actually think she is snapping out of it again. She seems to be coming around or else she's dying. Her heart rate and breathing are slowing down and she seems more calm.

If this does pass, how much longer do I continue to do this with her? Do I keep her until this condition kills her or do I have her put down because she's got a defect that there is no cure for?