Orphan Kid with Runs!!!!

[Four Winds Ranch]

I had a lady give me a 1 month old kid! Its mother died from eating moldy Dairy Ration.
He will not drink the bottle no matter how hard I try to get him to! He does drink a little out of a dish! He does nibble on hay as well! I don;t think he gets enough milk/liquids. Also, he had terrible, waterty. brown runs when I got him! His stomach is big and tight!
I have given him Pepto-Bismal to try to help him, as well as electrolyts!
Today is the second day and his runs are worse than ever, he pitifuly baaas whenever he goes (which is often) and he has no fever! His appitite is very poor today as well!
I have sheep experience, but have never had goats before and am not sure what I can give the poor little thing to help him, that is safe for goats!

 

[jodief100]

What are you feeding him? Milk replacers are notorious for giving the runs. If you do not have goats milk, sheep's milk or cows milk will be fine. Even whole milk from the grocery store will work. Put some baking soda in his bottle, sounds like he is bloated. At a month old you will have a lot of difficulty getting him to accept a bottle so offer him as much hay and grain as he will eat.

Give him some Scout Halt (Scour Chek, spectomycin) it is labeled for pigs. Dark brown runs are a sign of a bacterial infection. Treat for Cocci.

Good luck. That is a very bad age to start an orphan.

 

[woodsie]

You could try and dredge him with a pack of gelatine to slow the runs..just mix with the electrolites. I have also had good luck with a slippery elm mixture to help ease the runs. Their is a recipe with cinnamon, cloves, ginger etc and it has helped a couple of kids make it till I got meds to treat cocci. I suspect that is what he has as it is common at that age. Treat asap and keep the kid hydrated, do the pinch/tent test on its neck to see if he's dehydrated. I would be treating for cocci asap as it can bring down a kid quickly.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Thanks everyone for all you help, I will keep this info filed for future use if I need it sometime!
Unfortunatly the little fella diddnt make it! He went downhill VERY quickly!

 

[woodsie]

sorry to hear that. Almost certainly cocci then. I now keep meds on hand and this year will be doing a cocci prevention program with the kids.

 

[elevan]

I'm sorry he didn't make it. Jodie gave some great advice to keep on hand.