Soft foods for goats?

[chels24]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I called the vet and she told me the soaked grain was a great idea and maybe try some yogurt. I'm going to put some electrolytes in his water and try some of the other suggestions given. I gave him another shot of the pain medicine a little bit ago, so hopefully he'll be more eager to eat when it doesn't hurt so bad. She told me I can only give him the shot every two days, but maybe I can give him some aspirin in between.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I have read if the animal doesn't have scours becareful about giving them too much electrolytes, because their system wont need all the potassium. I think one time wont hurt, but they are referring to long term treatment over several days and suggested a dextrose to be a better choice.

 

[Roll farms]

I had a doe w/ tetanus once who couldn't eat.

I chopped (and I mean chopped) some alfalfa cubes into tiny pieces, and soaked that and oats in molasses water overnight. I cut the tip off a big 60cc syringe and would squirt the slurry down her throat 4-5 times a day, 3 syringes full.

The vet had told me I needed to keep *some* form of roughage in her to help keep her rumen going. They just won't survive long-term on a purely liquid diet.

 

[chandasue]

This is like zero nutrition but what about apple instant oatmeal (or a homemade version) just to get him to eat something? You could make it soupy and drench it. Edit: you could add nutridrench to it if he eats it and might make the alfalfa pellets more appealing when it smells like apples...

 

[chels24]

Finally! I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but I have some alfalfa hay also. When you pull it apart or shake it the little leaves or whatever they are fall off. He can easily use his tongue to pick them up and he's been eating them. He's also been wandering around the yard now and drinking lots of water.
I did think earlier about pureeing some grain or even some apples (my goats LOVE apples) but I never even thought about oatmeal.

 

[Hillbilly]

Haven't looked in for a while and just seen this thread, how is he doing? hope he's OK

 

[chels24]

He is doing a lot better. He's eating and drinking and the wounds look like they are healing really well.