newborn with skin issues - she's gone

[GLENMAR]

First of all, my goodness she is cute and beautiful.

BUT, I note a number of things that are very interesting about her. Her legs don't look straight. She moves like her joints are painful or stiff. So I don't think it's a matter of energy level so much as muscle or joint control. If she has an autoimmune disorder that might be in line with the diagnosis. I notice that she shakes out her hair often, like she is trying to shake something off. This would indicate that her skin is bothersome or irritated which means she is overall compromised in some way. This may be a characteristic of a silky goat but my gut reaction is that it is an irritability response.

HOWEVER, she is a myotonic (fainting) goat, right? Could she have some odd form of muscle disorder that is an aberration associated with her breed? AND since she has the silky gene also have a genetic aberration as well that is associated to her hair? You might check with the clinic and ask them if they will do some gene testing (for free) to see if this is a genetic issue.

Agree. I don't think I would use her in a breeding program.

 

[Ms. Research]

She really looks like she's trying. Thanks for posting the video. What a sweetie. Looks promising.

So what did the vet say?

K

 

[peachick]

The vet got tied up for several hours at another farm... so she will be here Friday instead. I asked that we put her back on Dex, since her attitude and movement improved after starting it.

Yes she is very stiff moving. I wanted you guys to see her movement in the video to confirm what I see too.
She cant climb or jump really. Often I see her sleeping standing up, or struggling to lie down. I have said that her physical development is slow... I think it is because shes just so limited in her flexibility. I have also felt that her front knees seem large. Putting her back on Dex should help with joint inflammation.

Yep She was shaking a lot in that video. She wasnt dripping wet but she was damp. I think because under that hair, her skin is flaky ... it probably itched as it was drying... she does not normally shake like that.

And BTW she was not wet this morning when I fed her... I do think the last few mornings she was getting peed on.

As for the myotonic gene..... As tiny babies they dont faint. Zoom, just in the past week has started fainting. (so age 3-4 weeks it starts) It happens when they get over excited. Their muscles contract, they loose their balance, and they fall over. Yesterday, I saw Black Betty lock up and fall over while feeding her. She got so excited that it was lunch time she locked up, leaned against the dog crate and slipped down onto her side. She was down for 2 seconds and then back up again. It usually happens pretty fast.

I appreciate you guys!

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

Fainting ??? How cute ... She must love you !!!

 

[Queen Mum]

I just wonder if her myotonic and silky genes are more tangled up than normal...

You know, if she had the myotonic disorder as a human, everyone would try to give her medication. And there are some people with a disorder like that who have it worse than others or who tend to have co-morbid disorders. I wonder if she is one of them.

 

[peachick]

The monotonic gene is watered down quite a bit in the mini silkies.... a lot of them dont faint at all or are only a level 1-2.

But, the gene pool is pretty small in the mini silkies... so inbreeding could very well be a factor in this babys condition.
I asked the breeder about it and he did not think her breeding was too close. I cant spend any energy on blaming him. My focus is only on letting this baby thrive. And no, she wont be bred

 

[Queen Mum]

Oh my gosh, I wasn't trying to blame the breeder, I was just musing that maybe little Black Betty might have gotten her skin condition as the result of a gene aberration. Because.... that might make the place where you are having all the testing done be willing to give you more free vet services for the privilege of studying her condition.

I mean, one must consider all the angles when caring for one's baby, don't ya know...

 

[peachick]

oh I know. I only mentioned the breeder because its been brought up a lot with friends. I just cant let myself go into negative thinking.

I havent gotten any vet bills... yet. But once I get the final cost. The breeder and I will be having a conversation.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I have to say, I want to come vist to pick her up and give her a hug. She looks to me like she could steal your heart in seconds.

 

[peachick]

awww Ed. She really is sweet. You are welcome to come see her.