Sick little billy

KatieRose

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I need some help! I am a newer goat owner. We’ve done pigs and cows for a couple years now but just started our herd about 2 months ago. About a week ago I got a new little guy from auction. They said he had been eating feed and was down to one bottle a day so my guess is about 2 months old?? Well, we got him home and he wouldn’t take a bottle from us (tried kid milk replacer and cows milk) but he was eating with the rest of the group fine so we just let him go with it. He was, from the get go VERY skinny. Thought maybe worms so I gave him safe-guard dewormer. Then he started having diarrhea. It was a greenish brown, so I figured it probably was a feed change situation but I went ahead and treated him for cocci (5 days of corid) as a preventative since he fit in the age range. I did give him B12 injections all those days along with the corid and gave probiotics to the whole herd. Yesterday was our last day on the corid. Today, he is very weak and unsteady on his feet. He is still eating and drinking ok. Started penicillin this am cause I’m just not sure what else to do with him. Herd is on pasture and get beet shreds and Timothy hay as well as coastal hay in their feeder. They also have a mineral block accessible. I’ve been giving him some oats to try to get some weight on him. He has also had runny eyes, not sure if that has anything to do with it, been doing some homeopathic eyes drops for pink eye.
I’m kind of at a loss at this point….
 

BaBaaHMonica

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Not for certain, but he sounds like he is in rough shape.
Can you get a poop sample and take it to the vet?
Maybe some gatorade to help get some fluids?
Let him sit in the shade if the weather seems to hot.
Someone (Baymule I think) in another thread mentioned baking soda in their water to settle an upset belly.
Letting him into the house seems like a great idea to keep an eye on him, but getting him back to the barn is a whole other problem that you will have to deal with later.
 

BaBaaHMonica

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How is the little guy doing? I have been working a ton of hours lately, but the billy goat has been on my mind. I was hoping to see a few more responses to help you figure this thing out.

I also thought maybe he ate something he should not have....nightshde, rhubarb leaves, etc.
 
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