Another thing I would try is giving him some copper, I know the deficiency usually attacks the spinal cord weakening and eventually paralyzing the hind end first, working it's way up, but you never know. Neurological CAE would seem more likely though.
Mom has not been tested for CAE by myself but her previous owners tested her neg. 2 years ago. I don't know if I mentioned it but the day before he started having this problem, I took him and his brother outside of the barn to play a bit in the sunshine. He was able to walk around just fine at that time. Could he have eaten something? Would CAE strike him all at once like that?
There is nothing that I can think of that he could have eaten to cause this ..Copper sure wont hurt... Did moms previous owner show you proof of her cae statis? retesting mom will give you answers on this
Ok, quick update I took the scale out and it looks like he weighs in around 8-10lbs., brother at 15. He still eats good and is lively, no other symptoms. He can motor around a bit on his knees and get where he wants to go. His knees seem to work fine. It seems like it is more of a shoulder issue. I can stand him up and he just doesn't seem to have any support from his shoulders. So my question is, can a goat dislocate his shoulders? Could mom have stepped on him and caused this to happen? He doesn't seem to be in any pain and brother is not having any issues and they have had all the same stuff from the start. Back legs still seem to be able to push himself around and when he does, legs will go all the way back from the shoulders. Tried to post pics but I can't seem to get them to load. I cut feeding to 3 times a day and he and brother drank a close to half gallon today in those 3 feedings.
ok so go with the upper number of 10# x 16 = 160 x 12%=19.2 oz a day..divided into 3 bottles = 6.4 or 6 1/2 oz a bottle... brother should be at 28.8 oz, so 9.6 oz per bottle if fed 3 times a day... this is a starting point..adjust as their tummy suggest.. the leg thing you discribe sound like a weakness in the muscle...I have seen this before..like the front shoulders butterfly out...Let me go read some notes...
Well Im back to selenium def. LOL...did you give him cod liver oil or the extra E? .I would also do as Little bits suggested and add copper as well...Im still reading, I know I came across a case of the front legs butterlying out like that...right now everythingpoints back to selenium but just in case I will keep reading...
I thought I had cod liver but it was caster oil so no. I decided to try getting the little micro bead things in the gel and sprinkled them with copper and gave that to him just now. I cut back a little on his bottle which they did not like, lol. I have some vit E in a bottle that was used for soap. Don't know if that would be ok to give him. I am hoping that those little beads that didn't suck up in the syringe the first time I gave him some is what he needed. Thinking that maybe the red gel is just a vehicle to give them the beads and he just got the gel. He is as lively as ever. He does kind of look like bat wings on the front. I stand him up and support him to feed so maybe his legs will get used to being like that but he is moving them all over in order to go so he is getting them exercised. I was up for 30 hours yesterday so he got pretty much the bare minimum as I usually hit the wall at the 30 hour mark and simply can't function at the point. But he is doing the same. I will run into Walmart later and look for cod liver oil and vit e caps.
You are doing good with.him..sometimes its all guess work when so much can be the problem..I agree about the.vit e ....
So here's another update on Batman. Yes, that's what I have been calling him and it fits since he is a solid black buckling. He still hasn't been able to stand up but he still moves all his legs and gets very excited when he see me. No other health issues seen. He is still eating good and lively. I did find cod liver oil in capsules like the vit. e so I have been giving him those squirted in his mouth with each feeding. I do try to stand him every time I feed him but I am noticing one of his back legs is now turning under where he has been pushing himself and so I have to try and make him stand on the hoof rather than the top of his foot, if that makes since. I am beginning to think that maybe he took a shot to the head from the adjoining pen and he possibly lost that part of his brain that controls balance and motor skills? Because that seems to be his only issue is controlling his legs so he can walk. Poor baby, he sure wants to get up. Jumps when I try to make him stand up like he can just take off but of course he can't. So I will just continue to feed him and give him his capsule. Maybe he will keep growing, maybe he will surprise me and learn how to walk again. I don't know. But for now, that's all I can think to do for him. I'm guessing a vet would just tell me to put him down. His twin on the other hand is growing by leaps and bounds and does com in the creep pen to snuggle him.
I guess I could try. But I'm afraid he will fall trying to use them. I have been thinking of some how trying to put something around him and hang him where his feet could can touch so maybe he will try to support himself and get used to his weight on them again. I keep thinking maybe cutting a sweatshirt sleeve off and putting it around his belly and then put like a dog harness on him and suspend him from the hay feeder. He is in a pen with no adult goats. It has a creep feed door so the babies can come in and eat grain so he wouldn't get knocked around hanging from the hay feeder. But that might hurt his belly too so I just don't know.
I think I would try braces too...sure wont hurt to try...Also I just suggested this to another...I would massage his legs and spine with Frankincense and/or Helichyrsum ess. oil both have restorative properties...1-2 drops in a carrier oil like sweet almond, avocado oil or even olive pil..
I'm going to try braces on the front made out of a water noodle and duck tape. I took one out without tape and put it on one of the front legs and he balanced for a few seconds until it popped off. So I am going to try duck taping it so it stays one. I guess we shall see. I have never heard of those oils. Where would I find them? ( I mean the essential ones, I have the almond oil.
You can get the ess. Oils at most healthfood stores..they are not top quality but ok for topical application....I use DoTerra which is therapeutic grade....it should only take a drop or two
Can you elaborate??? What does the belly button have to do with front legs not working??? I have a kid who is having issues and could use advice!!!!!
If the kid has a fever, is acting off and the belly button is swollen, has pus, smells bad or looks infected, that is navel ill. If it isn't caught early and treated, it can go into the joints and turn into joint ill. Both are difficult to cure, joint ill is really hard, a lot of goats die if they have joint ill.
while Navel ill doesn't always present an outward infected navel, swollen joint is always present..can be one joint or all. Temp is usually high. Treatment needs to be aggressive, ten days of a strong antibiotic. Baytril is best, Biomycin ( la 200), Nuflor etc. Banamine a few days to relieve pain and swelling. Probiotics will be needed 3-4 hours after antibiotic. B complex to support the system.