I'm rather worried...what has caused the drastic change in behavior?

[ldawntaylor]

I thought about posting in the behavior section but I'm hoping such a drastic change means there is something I can do. In which case it would be an illness, injury, or perhaps a parasite causing the problem.

One of my does has been acting panicky around me for the last 24 hours. She's in enough of a panic that she runs away as fast as she can. As if the buck has given his danger warning. Which he did not.

None of the other goats are acting differently and I don't think it is likely that I managed to startle her every time I approached over the last 24 hours.

I can't even get close enough to thoroughly inspect her to see if she is hurt. Yesterday morning she had a bit of a lump under her chin. I'm thinking I need to worm her but - I've encountered that before with her and she didn't get panicky like this.

Under normal circumstances she is only reluctant to approach when something is wrong. She will sometimes walk away when she doesn't want to be bothered but she has never run from me in a panic before. She has been in my care since the day she was born about 5 years ago. And this has never happened before.

Any ideas on what may be happening would be appreciated.

 

[MrsKuhn]

I am no help, but I hope you get answers. Hugs

 

[MrsKuhn]

@Southern by choice @babsbag @frustratedearthmother @OneFineAcre @Ferguson K Maybe one of the veterans will be of help.. that is weird.

 

[babsbag]

My first thought is that she is a goat. I have been milking one particular doe for months, she is always at the gate ready to come to the barn. Then out of no where she says "nope, you aren't milking me today...or the next, or the next" Nothing changed, nothing scared her, she just changed her mind. If I want to milk her I have to catch her at the feeder and drag her to the barn.

I have another one that has decided she won't get on the milk stand anymore

I really don't have any ideas. I would not think that there was anything physically wrong with her, that isn't a typical behavior for a sick goat. But if she does have bottle jaw then she does need to be wormed ASAP and I would run her into a barn or stall and get her caught and wormed.

Maybe someone else will have some more ideas, I would love to hear some. Sorry I can't be of help.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I don't really have any definite ideas either... maybe she's pms'ing? Might sound kind of silly, but I've had does (and mares) get real stooopid when they're in heat.

Hope you can catch her and get a good look...especially like babsbag mentioned - if she's got bottlejaw you need to get your hands on her and get her treated asap!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

I don't really have any definite ideas either... maybe she's pms'ing? Might sound kind of silly, but I've had does (and mares) get real stooopid when they're in heat.

Hope you can catch her and get a good look...especially like babsbag mentioned - if she's got bottlejaw you need to get your hands on her and get her treated asap!

I was thinking the same thing. We used to have a doe that turned CRAZY whenever she went into heat. When she was young it wasn't as bad, but the older she got

The doe could have just gotten spooked. I was out the other evening and a doe was up on the spool. Standing tall, eyes huge, just terrified. Once I came of she just wanted to be behind me. Tried to get her down, but she didn't want to move. I walked the wooded area she was looking at. She didn't want we by the scary woods and kept screaming at me…
It was a RABBIT Just terrifying

 

[Ferguson K]

I agree with what's already been posted. There's lots of reasons, but, I would likely say something spoiled her.

 

[Mini Horses]

OK -- 24 hrs of this. Have YOU used/changed/exposed self to a different smell (perfume, deodorant, soap, ldry detgent), been by another animal that rubbed on you, etc.? Their sense of smell is so much more intense than ours -- even stepped in something -- you see? Think hard.

I have had this happen.

Possibly something you wore, clothing, etc., that spooked her.

If I saw nothing else to explain her actions, I'd look at these.

Yes, PMSing can be an issue with some animals -- esp horses!

 

[ldawntaylor]

I just wanted to update -

First of all my thanks to everyone who responded.

I was finally able to catch up to her. Even then she was struggling to get away from me. I believe it was something affecting just her since none of the others were alarmed in any way.

I also believe the parasites were a contributing factor but not the main problem.

When I caught up with her I dewormed her and made sure she had water available. She turned away from the water - she did not want it at all. She was in an area where she had browse she could reach, even though she didn't want to get up. Predators were unlikely to get into the area so I left her where she was.

A side note, when she saw I wasn't going to try to force her back to the barn she settled down and was her usual self in behavior.

Unfortunately, I was not able to do enough in time. She passed yesterday in the late morning or early afternoon while I was at work. I did not get home until after 8pm ... so according to the vet a necropsy was unlikely to be of much value especially considering the 100 degree weather.

I find myself wondering - did she know she was dying and wanted to be alone to do so? I don't know how many types of animals will do that - are goats that way if they get the chance?

Anyway, she did not seem to be in any pain. No grinding jaws, no vocalizing, no uneasy movements.

It was an answered prayer in an odd way. When one of my goats or other animals goes down so fast my prayer goes something like this - if this creature is to live please let me see a definable improvement every day - if she/he is to die please let the passing be swift. At least I was able to say good-bye.

 

[TAH]

Sorry
I have never heard of anything like this but I am sorry you lost her.