Preventing another abortion storm

[Ariel301]

Last winter/spring I went through a chlamyidosis abortion storm. Does anyone have any information on what I should do this year to prevent it? Is there anything I can do? I had two does abort, and one doe had one healthy kid and one weak one who pulled through with some extra care. I gave the whole herd a round of antibiotics (oxytetracycline) and sanitized kidding stalls and pens the best I could after this happened.

I have been told that once they have aborted, they will not abort again, but I have does who did not abort last year but were exposed, as well as two soon-to-be first fresheners who came into my herd this summer. I really don't want to deliver any more dead babies! One thing I read online said that I will just keep having abortions until every doe has done so once, and pretty much from now on, a percentage of my first fresheners will...This was information pertaining to large meat herds, and while a 10% loss to them might not be so damaging, when you only have 6 does, even one dead kid is too much. I have heard mixed things about the vaccine, that it will fix things, that it is worthless, that it MIGHT work for some...Has anyone else been through this before, and what did you do? I just bred three of my does (the two who have aborted and the one who was infected but did not abort) and the kids I am expecting are very important to me.

 

[Roll farms]

http://www.albertagoatbreeders.ca/downloads/04sgma_health_module_ch6-7.pdf

Treatment
Chlamydophila abortus is susceptible to oxytetracycline antibiotics. It
may be possible to treat the herd with a long acting product or use a
medicated feed before the birthing period begins. Consult with your
veterinarian.

My friend who dealt w/ this a few years ago, fed her does Terramycin crumbles (which is no longer available here in IN) about 6 weeks before their due dates.
I worried that she'd have bone problems w/ her kids, b/c I'd read that long-term terramycin can cause problems...but according to her, she had only 1 abortion (out of 40 or so does) and no deformed kids.

Mind, I'm not recommending it, only telling you of the only experience w/ it I've heard about.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

My vet told me that the oxytet is less likely to cause deformities in later pregnancies, particularly in the lower doses you would be using for prevention. Earlier stages of fetal development (primarily when they're forming bone) are another story.

We had a doe get with conjunctivitis in late May and treated the rest of the herd preventatively, including a doe in her last month of gestation. Either it was a non-contageous variety or the oxytet did its job (or I'm just exceptionally lucky) because only the one doe ever showed any symptoms. I was, of course, pretty nervous about giving my bred doe the oxytet, but he assured me that the risk of abortion if it was chlamydial conjunctivitis far outweighed the risk of deformities occurring so late in gestation. Unfortunately we just had to wait it out because doing a culture apparently is notoriously difficult with chlamydia and he didn't think it would be useful. But, no anomalies with the kid, he was robust as can be.

Of course, I have no idea at what point they would be likely to abort, so maybe waiting til the last month isn't an option. Just wanted to share my experience with all that! Hopefully everything will go smoothly for you this time around...

 

[cmjust0]

I have been told that once they have aborted, they will not abort again, but I have does who did not abort last year but were exposed,

I've actually read that exposing open does to chlamydia, once you have an outbreak, is the right thing to do.. If they get it while they're not bred, they get over it and build immunity, and then they won't abort from it..

Again...SO I'VE READ.



Your new goats...I've got no advice on those. Sorry..

blah blah tetracycline pregnancy blah

(didn't feel like doing the actual quotie)

After I screwed up and administered a dose of tetracycline to a bred doe, my vet told me the worst he'd ever seen happen was kids born with yellow baby teeth.. I was like...WGaS?

Answer: Nobody.

That's not to say there's ZERO risk of bone weirdness when giving tetracyclines during pregnancy, but I do think the risk is way overblown..

 

[helmstead]

I have had to treat preventatively for chlamydial conjuctivitis in my whole herd...which included treating around 15 does in various stages of pregnancy.

Of those, ONE gave birth to a kid with a very slightly deformed jaw and, yes, yellow teeth. She was treated maybe 60 days into her pregnancy for a total of 7 days with oxytet. The kid was wethered and sold to a pet home, and was fine in every respect aside from a kinda silly smile.

So, IMO...one of 15 isn't bad odds when there could have been an abortion storm...and a slight bone issue bothers me but still far less that a DOA kid.

FWIW, I understand most chlamydial abortions occur around 40 days premature - this is what I've read and I have no recollection where I found that.

Also, FWIW...the antibodies aren't permanent...while a doe might gain a year or so free of worry after contracting it, they could get it again *or a different strain* and abort again.