[Wild Hearts Ranch]

Does anyone have any clue what could cause acute hind end weakness with no other symptoms? We do not have meningeal worm in my area - unless my farm is the first to get it, but I don't have deer either. Vitals are good, she's alert, eating, etc. No indication of neurological problems. She can stand with difficulty and walk straight, just a little wobbly, but lies down as soon as she can. Front end seems to be ok, she gets up with that first. They've all been a little ornery lately but nothing that I think would lead to serious injury - she's middle of the pecking order and doesn't usually get into anything. Doesn't seem to be in pain anywhere but I gave a light dose of banamine anyway which doesn't seem to have had any effect.

Any ideas? I'll call the vet if I can't figure it out, but at the tune of $500+ from my hay fund I'd rather avoid that if at all possible.

 

[21goaties]

What's her FAMACHA score? Is she pooping and peeing normally? How long has this been going on?

 

[goatblessings]

How old is she? What is her breed? What are you feeding? Fecal done recently?

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

Four year old Boer/Saanen. March kid weaned a few weeks ago (dry now). Mixed grass hay, protein tubs, and forage - no recent changes. FAMACHA 2. On regular herbal worming, previously dosed with ivermectin and safeguard and done again last night. Ran fecal last month when she got scours; I don't have access to my records right now but I think it was around 1200 pre-treatment and 50-100 after. Scours cleared up within a day or two. Was like this when I brought them in last night - not earlier in the day that I noticed, although it might have been less severe, but fine the day before. Pee slightly darker yellow, consistent with probably not going to the trough as often, but not enough to worry. Normal volume.

 

[The Goat]

Prayer sent

 

[happybleats]

With it being sudden..any bullies in the herd?

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

With it being sudden..any bullies in the herd?

No, I covered that above. There's been a little jostling lately but nothing serious, and she's middle of the herd and doesn't usually get into it with anyone. The more dominant does aren't nasty about it - bullies get a one way ticket out of here. Even my herd queen only does the minimum to assert her position and never targets anyone.

 

[ksalvagno]

I think you have to consider injury. I'd give her Banamine and see if it helps.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

I think you have to consider injury. I'd give her Banamine and see if it helps.

I did, it's in the post. No change.

 

[happybleats]

No, I covered that above

Sorry I missed that.
Have you pinched down the spine to see if there is a pain reaction?
You say no MW in your area? Like in your state? Snails can come in on your hay...if there is White tail deer in your state..assume MW is possible and treat for it. Sure won't hurt. Dexamethsone is best. 1 cc per 20 # ...decrease dose daily over 5 days. High doses of Safeguard for 5 days. B complex as a support.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

Sorry I missed that.
Have you pinched down the spine to see if there is a pain reaction?
You say no MW in your area? Like in your state? Snails can come in on your hay...if there is White tail deer in your state..assume MW is possible and treat for it. Sure won't hurt. Dexamethsone is best. 1 cc per 20 # ...decrease dose daily over 5 days. High doses of Safeguard for 5 days. B complex as a support.

Like in this entire half of the country. I'm the farthest from it in the lower 48 that I could get, my hay is local, and we don't have white tails.
Dex is a steroid so it definitely can hurt in the wrong situation - I'll use it in certain ones where I know it's indicated, but otherwise only on the advice of a vet. Lacking that I'm more comfortable sticking with banamine, which was more of a just in case treatment. She has no pain reaction anywhere that I can find, nor the depression that goats usually get with it. She just seems slightly anxious about not being able to get around properly. Going to move her into the kid stall for now.

 

[ksalvagno]

But you gave a light dose. Don't understand why you didn't give the correct dose.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

Watching more it looks like her stifle is unstable. She doesn't want me messing with it but that's normal for her so I can't tell if it's related to pain. I'll try hitting her with a stronger dose of banamine.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

But you gave a light dose. Don't understand why you didn't give the correct dose.

Because it has potential risks too, so if I'm treating something minor or unknown I stay on the low end. It has a range, not precise dosing.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

This is bizarre. First time she's stood still long enough for me to get a good look and her hocks are way over-angulated with the stifles really straight. Worse on this right but the left is affected too, which seems to rule out injury. Both hocks and stifles seem really loose and unstable. She knuckles over at the pasterns occasionally but they're still upright, so I don't know if they're affected too or if it's just a result of what's going on above. It's like her tendons suddenly went out. First thought would be selenium deficiency, but I've never heard of it out of the blue like this and she just got Bo-Se last night which should be getting into her system. Usually I see the pasterns drop first.

It looks like a mechanical issue. She doesn't have generalized weakness - she fought me the whole way back to the barn and her front end strength is just fine I'm getting the feeling this might require a bunch of testing, and there's a limit to how much I'm willing/able to spend on her. As long as she doesn't get worse I'll talk to my vet on Monday and see whether I can get in as a non-emergency. If not there's another I can try but it's a much longer drive. In the meantime, any other ideas?

 

[GoofyGoat]

Does she have any cuts or wounds anywhere? Is she up to date on CDT ?

 

[goatblessings]

No idea … but please let us know what your vet thinks. Best wishes for recovery!

 

[The Goat]

please do

 

[toth boer goats]

Hope the vet can figure it out.

Rearend weakess says injury to MW.
Starting treatment for MW as suggested won’t hurt and may even stop further damage.

Anytime meds or pain meds are given, it should be accurate dosage, never under dose it. As it will not work as intended.

 

[Wild Hearts Ranch]

Hope the vet can figure it out.

Rearend weakess says injury to MW.
Starting treatment for MW as suggested won’t hurt and may even stop further damage.

Anytime meds or pain meds are given, it should be accurate dosage, never under dose it. As it will not work as intended.

Again, it's a range, the same as human painkillers. You're not trying to kill an infection or prevent resistance. I gave on the low end of vet recommended dosage. Acute injury with obvious pain = high end of recommended dosage. It's not like I gave her a kid dose. And I gave a higher one last night which was equally ineffective.

I'd rather focus on finding a realistic cause than chase after one with a .001% chance of jumping half the country and crossing to squirrel carriers. She's already been wormed before which should have headed it off even if it WAS possible.