What should we do now????

[jodief100]

I would take away the sweet feed and veggies and give just hay, steal a cud from another goat and attempt to get her rumen going. Probiotics, dissolved in water and drenched, several times a day.

For future reference, you don't need salt and minerals. the mineral has salt in it and having both may prevent them from getting enough mineral. I doubt that is why your girl has problems, just thought I would mention it.

Good luck! I am sorry you are having trouble.

 

[fiset94]

how would you go about stealing cud from another goat???

 

[woodsie]

I would give probiotics in between the antibiotics if she is still on them...otherwise at least twice a day, 3 times probably even better. I would give an adult does of slippery elm, open up the capsule and mix with some water and dredge with a syringe...it does absorb a lot of water and gets thick so you probably need at least a 10cc to does her with. You could also mix the probiotics with it, make a slurry and then you just dose together...two or three times a day. Hope it helps!

 

[woodsie]

how would you go about stealing cud from another goat???

Never done it myself, just read about it. I would think you need to spend some time in the barn sitting with them until one gets a big wad in their mouth and then reach in and get a stinky finger! :S

 

[elevan]

You can give the probiotics at the 3x dosage twice a day. If you're giving at regular dosage then do it three a day for a few days. Given her situation (rumen shut down) I'd probably give for 5-7 days if she were here just to make sure she has a good restart. Do you have a stethoscope to be able to listen to rumen sounds?

Here is a quick link to goat vitals for you that includes rumen motility: http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2607-goat-vitals

 

[jodief100]

Plain Yogurt will work if you don't have probiotics.

 

[fiset94]

So we ended up putting Peanut butter down She kept getting worse and toward the end of the week could not even stand. We had the vet put her to sleep and then the vet opened her up to see what gives. She found a couple of odd things... First- although peanut butter was NOT eating for at least 5 days... her rumen was FULL of hay. Second.. outside her intestines the vet found a few of her droppings encased into "fat". Third- her left lung appeared to be collapsed. The vet then took a tissue sample and is sending it away for further review.

We are so sad about Peanut butter... she was such a sweetie!


I had believed that Peanut butter was nursing off her mother for comfort.. because she would do it for a few seconds then walk away. I did not think that Fluff ( her mom) had any milk left. Fast Forward to yesterday- I went out to the barn to check on Fluff and her udder seemed full. I touched it and I was like.. wow.. it does have milk! I was Hand milking her up until two months ago- then I stopped because of Family Crisis ( My 9 year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in November)

I put her on the milking stand and got about 1/2 cup out.. 1/4 cup on each side... She typically gets about 1 cup each side. The milk was SO THICK it was like cream! When I brought it inside I couldn't even strain it! I put it in the refrigerator and this morning it is SOLID!

I called my breeder friend and she said that it could be one of two things.... Fluff got preg. by her other baby ( jelly) We had him banded at 5 weeks. Or she could have Mastitis.

The milk is slightly lumpy.. but not much... No blood.. her udder is not red and she doesn't seem to be in any pain.- She does not look preg. to me.. and if she was preg by her son then that would put her due at the end of the month.-

Could it just be that she hasn't been nursed on for 3 days and her milk turns thick inside?????

 

[woodsie]

Oh I am so sorry things did not turn out well for your cute Peanutbutter. Very strange findings.... I have no idea what that would mean - maybe someone else will have something helpful to add.

I have milked a ND doe weeks after she had weaned her kid and the milk seemed fine until we tasted it and it was very SALTY….yuck, not mastitis though just the salts must concentrate in the milk as the water is in the milk is being reabsorbed? That's my guess anyhow, not sure about thick milk? Sorry not much help, but just wanted to send my condolences.

 

[bonbean01]

So sorry this didn't turn out well.

 

[elevan]