Urgent - Goat with VERY pale eyelids! - UPDATE

Goatgirl47

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What do you use to worm goats when they have (or you suspect they have) barber pole worms? I just looked at my new Nubian does' lower eye lid, and on comparing it to the FAMACHA test, she is in a very critical condition. Her eyelids are very pale. I have to leave early tomorrow (I'm going out of country) and won't be back until June 11. This is very distressing.
We have been worming her with SafeGuard so far, but I don't know if that helps with barber pole worms.

Thanks in advance!
 

Goatgirl47

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Update!

So I left for China early in the morning on June 2nd, and didn't get back until late last night. My Mom (she's a cow person, not a goat person) and sisters had to take care of Matilda.
The day I left Matilda went downhill fast.

This is something my Mom wrote at 7:00pm on June 2nd: "I took her in and had another fecal done. Haemonchus contortus. A very heavy load. She (the vet) said get DuMor Goat Dewormer with Rumatel. I just bought it, along with goat treats. Gave her four ounces in a bowl with goat treats. She won't touch it. Tried to put other things in there - goat food, sunflower seeds, organic chicken grains.... Put electrolytes in a bowl, won't touch it. She's BARELY eating!!"

To make a long story short, my Mom had our vet come out to our property 4 more times. On one of those our vet came out because we had scheduled an appointment a few weeks earlier so that our calf could be de-horned. That time the vet still worked on Matilda though.
Over the past week they've given Matilda IV fluids, electrolytes, Quest, two blood transfusions, more IV fluids, electrolytes, & B Complex. When my Mom had first taken Matilda to our vets' office they weighed her and she was barely 51 pounds. :th She was on the verge of death and I can't believe she has made it this far! While I was gone she barely ate anything at all. They had her free-ranged (so she could eat grass and brush) with access to the lean-to, but she still just had no appetite.

Today: Matilda was out browsing and while I observed her, ate grass and brush hungrily. She also ate some sweet feed and sunflower seeds! I am so happy! My Mom and sisters have been bottle-feeding Geoffrey (her buckling) milk replacer 3 times per day, because she simply wasn't making enough milk for him. He is also still nursing on her every now and then but wasn't really getting anything.
Geoffrey is very healthy and happy and is growing fast! Matilda isn't out of the woods quite yet, but she is obviously doing much better. My Mom and siblings did a great job and I am so thankful!

These pictures were taken this afternoon.

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Look how big Geoffrey is compared to her! He isn't even 3 weeks old!
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Goatgirl47

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Also as you can see in the pictures Matilda's left ear is injured. We don't know what happened, but I suspect our Border Collie. Every chance he gets he will chase our more vulnerable goats. Jasper did get out once but my Mom said he hadn't been able to get to Matilda, and that her ear had already been like that before Jasper had gotten out. Geoffrey also has a few tiny sores on his ears.
Any idea what this might be? Thank you!
 

Devonviolet

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Oh WOW! Poor baby! I'm so sorry she is so sick. The photos make me sad, to look at them. :( I'm glad she is finally eating. I don't know anything about the parasite she has. So no help there.

It is possible your dog got ahold of their ears. But, other than that, I can offer no help. Sorry.

As far as her not wanting to eat, when she was at her sickest. I have learned that our goats just LOVE molasses. I am giving them herbs along with Vitamin C, to build up their immune system (they are called "dose balls"). I mix all the herbs together & add enough molasses to make it all stick together. Each dose ball is 1 Tbsp. (About the size of a walnut) rolled into a ball and wrapped in wax paper squares, ala' taffy candies. The girls go bananas for them. I break each ball in half, so it isn't such a big bite. That way, they think they are getting two "treats", instead of one. That is a good way to hide a med/pill that they don't want to take. They don't chew much. A couple, three chews and down it goes.
 
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Bunnylady

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Oh, man, poor Matilda! While I hate to think what all those vet visits have run to, it sounds like all that heroic effort is paying off, and Matilda is getting better. :celebrate

(Geoffrey is adorable, BTW!)
 

Latestarter

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Hope (otherwise) you had an enjoyable trip to China. I've been to Hong Cong, but never the mainland. Glad to hear Matilda is on the mend, no idea on the ear issue. Sure am glad I don't have those vet bills though :duc:hide
 

Goatgirl47

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The vet bills will be costly, but we also paid a lot for this goat and can't really afford to lose her. I haven't been outside yet to check on her (I am still getting used to the time change so my sisters are doing the morning chores for me right now) but I will soon.
 
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