Worryingly Lethargic Goat

Lanthanum

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My girl Addy is acting VERY strangely. Starting a few days ago she has been very slow to react, and almost like she doesn't know what's going on. She usually is very jumpy when any human gets close but she has been doing things like standing or laying in the same place for almost hours on end, and I've been sure to feed her separately from the others but I am still VERY worried. Can someone please tell me what this is??
 

ragdollcatlady

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I would suggest a call to your local vet. As much as we can try to help you figure it out, lethargic goats can have a small window of time to sort things out before it is too late.

That said, lets see if we can help narrow down some things....Could she have gotten into something toxic? Certain plants or chicken feed?.... Has she been checked for worms or coccidia? Anemia can cause lethargic symptoms and can be caused by heavy worm infestations.... Is she eating and drinking? Pooping and peeing normally?... Is hertemp high or low?... What is her normal diet?... Is she pregnant?... Could she be in pain from an injury or something along those lines? ... Is she able to move and get around on her own?
 

Lanthanum

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I would suggest a call to your local vet. As much as we can try to help you figure it out, lethargic goats can have a small window of time to sort things out before it is too late.

That said, lets see if we can help narrow down some things....Could she have gotten into something toxic? Certain plants or chicken feed?.... Has she been checked for worms or coccidia? Anemia can cause lethargic symptoms and can be caused by heavy worm infestations.... Is she eating and drinking? Pooping and peeing normally?... Is hertemp high or low?... What is her normal diet?... Is she pregnant?... Could she be in pain from an injury or something along those lines? ... Is she able to move and get around on her own?
A small amount of chicken feed could've been consumed yes but not a huge amount. No one has been checked for worms because everyone seems fine. She is eating small amounts at a time and is drinking A LOT. I haven't been with her enough recently to know if she's been passing correctly either, and I don't own a goat thermometer. All the goats diet is the same, which is a half scoop of sweet feed a day, (about a cup each) and a day out in the yard once a week. As far as I know she is not pregnant, and that possibility is extremely slim. The other goats have been headbutting her when she tries to eat but I seperate them during eating time. Maybe she got headbutt too hard? She is able to move independently but it is very slow when she does and when she lays down she never wants to get up. I can even get close enough to pet her and she won't budge, she just looks like she wants to but can't. She also turns her head really slow when a noise is made and her head when she is laying down is always tilted slighty back. I went out there this morning and everyone came running except her, and she was laying down in the shelter so I called her name and she very slowly just turned her head to look where the noise was coming from. She is also pretty..uh..Stupid. Doesn't know how to go through the gate even when I lead her to it, doesn't understand why she can't go through the fence, etc etc.
 

alsea1

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From what you are stating it sounds like she may be having a neurological problem. What is causing that can be hard to figure out.
I'm thinking a vet checkup and a fecal for starters. Blood workup as well.
Goats in the same herd can indeed have different parasite load levels.
Any thermometer will work.
As mentioned already, by the time you are noticing illness in your goat you have a narrow time span to get it figured out and treatment begun in order to have a positive outcome.
I have found that it is a good idea to have the vet out when I am confronted with a sick animal. I have learned alot over the years from vet consults.
 

Lanthanum

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I don't have any money to get her to the vet, sadly, at least not anytime soon. Is there ANYTHING else that can be done?
 

alsea1

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Start by getting her temp. Use any thermometer.
Check her hydration level. Pull a piece of skin away and let go. If it snaps right back she is okay. If it does not she is dehydrated and needs fluids.
Check the inside of her lower eyelid. This should be a nice red pink. If it is pale this indicates anemia. Then you would need to figure out why is she anemic. The usual cause is a parasite load. But not always.
Without more to go on suggesting any treatment would likely be a unfruitful.
 

CLSranch

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With no vet money I'd start with (after following Alsea's directions) a good worming and electrolytes in her water. Don't let her have any other water. If it's been a while over 3-4 months it wouldn't hurt to worm everybody.
 

CLSranch

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Try Goat Vet Corner on face book. I don't face book but just heard about it on BYC. Questions answered by various vets and no vet bill.
 

Southern by choice

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No one has been checked for worms because everyone seems fine.

If I recall you were told a long time ago about worms, having a fecal done and all the reasons why. This is almost a standard post given by many people to all newcomers to goats.

This may sound gruff but really there is no excuse. The issue is not "they seem fine" because the reality is by the time they "DON'T seem fine" they are on deaths door usually.
If this is indeed from parasites, even if you deworm, if the load is high then the treatment alone could kill the goat.
If your goats eyes do not look like this or close to it then she has blood sucking parasites that suck the blood cause anemia and results in death.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/how-are-those-inner-eyelids-using-famacha.35248/

There are many reasons the goat could be off... mineral deficiency, listeria, parasites, nutritional deficiency.
The VERY FIRST PLACE TO START IS A FECAL!
 

Latestarter

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I may be speaking out of turn here, but from what you describe it almost sounds like goat polio to me. Maybe not a full blown case but mild and degenerating. If this is the case, she needs thiamine... soon.
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0065/UNP-0065.pdf

ETA: It is NEVER a good idea to just "worm everybody" as this is a major reason why we now have worms that have evolved and no longer die with certain drugs. You should always determine IF there is a worm problem first and if so, then narrow it down to what worms are causing the issue. Then follow recommended dosages and application requirements for the specified drugs to deal with that particular parasite. All goats are going to have worms. Some handle it better than others and it's not an issue. Others don't handle it and are always needing to be wormed, and those animals should be culled.
 
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