[goats-n-oats]

Is it possible this doe died of copper deficiency? I hadn't given them boluses or free choice minerals in (a few?) months. Just a few kinds of hard salt blocks (the large red and green blocks for horses). I read copper deficiency can cause diarrhea. But she wasn't that interested in free choice minerals when I offered her.

 

[NigerianNewbie]

Copper deficiency will show a variety of signs and symptoms, and death isn't one of them.

 

[toth boer goats]

Necropsy is best to find the cause of death. It is so hard to say what happened.


Copper deficiency does show signs and not usually not death. 😔

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hi again, my neighbor who helped me to bury the goat said she needed an IV solution (but didn't believe that the cost or a veterinarian to administer it was justified).
If I bought the supplies for an IV, how practical would it be to administer to a goat? Wouldn't they thrash about and injure themselves?

 

[TheUnfetteredAcre]

They would have to be restrained, yes.
How practical it is I'm not sure. I keep a bag of fluids around, but I need a vet to get them and have only given them sub-q to very sick kids, which would not be practical for an adult. One other thing to consider is that different fluids are indicated for different conditions and can have harmful effects if the correct one isn't used.
If the IV your neighbor was referring to was for dehydration, it would probably more practical to tube an adult goat unless you're already skilled in starting and running an IV with aseptic technique. For acidosis labs would need to be monitored which needs a vet anyway.

 

[Boer Mama]

I’ve never given iv fluids either.
I will drench fluids and nutrition to a goat to prevent them from getting too far depleted or rumen shut down.

 

[goats-n-oats]

It turns out this doe likely had strongyles. I had tried everything except for fecals and dewormers. Her surviving kid got the same diarrhea five days ago. This time I isolated her indoors do she wouldn't dehydrate but like her dam she wasn't responding to antibiotics. So today after five days I called our vet, who was too booked to see her but thankfully did a fecal a la carte for $30 and recommended fenbendazole for 3 days for the whole herd. I wish I would have done this with the last doe.

 

[The bleating acres]

It turns out this doe likely had strongyles. I had tried everything except for fecals and dewormers. Her surviving kid got the same diarrhea five days ago. This time I isolated her indoors do she wouldn't dehydrate but like her dam she wasn't responding to antibiotics. So today after five days I called our vet, who was too booked to see her but thankfully did a fecal a la carte for $30 and recommended fenbendazole for 3 days for the whole herd. I wish I would have done this with the last doe.

I wouldn't use fenbendazole, it is not very effective in most areas. I would go with either cydectin or ivermectin.

 

[goats-n-oats]

I wouldn't use fenbendazole, it is not very effective in most areas. I would go with either cydectin or ivermectin.

Ok, I will try ivermectin as well. She still doesn't look great since her first dose of fenbendazole yesterday. Thanks.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hi again, the doeling is foaming at the mouth again. She did so three days ago, but it resolved, possibly due to zinc supplements. She appears alert but wincing in pain. What else can be done for her?

 

[The bleating acres]

Does she appear bloated? How is her rumen sounds? Get a temp on her to make sure she is not sub temp.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Does she appear bloated? How is her rumen sounds? Get a temp on her to make sure she is not sub temp.

Her temp just now was 39.0c (102.2f). Yesterday morning it was 100.4.
She doesn't look very bloated, she looks normal. But she hasn't eaten or drank much in the last 24 hrs so she looks fuller than she should.

 

[toth boer goats]

Did she start foaming right after you gave zinc?

Did she get into something she shouldn’t of? Activated charcoal will help if that is the case.

Check for impacted cud, but be careful.

Give baking soda drench in case.

Check for something stuck the mouth.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Good morning.
She appears stable now, after a rough night.
The vet said I should not have given her ivermectin because that causes a fast die off of the parasites. She said this caused the foaming. She reiterated that fenbendazole was the drug of choice because it causes a slow die off. The vet said to discontinue meds and give supportive care, eg. RedCell and Nutridrench. She said (if she survives) to repeat fecal in two week; the only emergency treatment option for rumen shutdown is transfaunation, which is only available at the state University three hrs away.
Her poop and her appetite improved yesterday, but she was cold and not chewing her cud all night. This morning I gave her flat dark beer and probiotics as recommended here, with the vet recommended supplements, and she seemed to perk up. She is still not chewing cud but she is active. She is in the barn with her great-grandmother now.

 

[The bleating acres]

Is she anemic?
Did you give oral ivermectin or injection?
What dose did you give her?

Fenbendazole does have a slower die off time but most likely it wouldn't have worked anyway because there is a huge resistance due to over use in the United states.


23 hours ago you said you would try the ivermectin. 3 hours later, 20 hours ago, is when she was foaming at the mouth and you said she had also done it 3 days prior. If that is the case it was not due to the ivermectin causing a rapid parasite die off.

 

[toth boer goats]

I agree with the above. ☝

The main reaction to Ivomec would of been the first time given, especially orally.

If a goat is anemic, you can still use Ivomec, however, it must be injected 1 cc per 40 lbs, SQ.
This would be a slow release and kill parasites. Then follow up 10 days later with giving it orally. Then another 10 days give it again.

Not sure what caused the foaming, but if it is gone that is good.

When the goat foamed before, what did you feed or give at that time?
The same you gave this time?

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hi, I have her the oral ivermectin horse paste, for about 100lbs.
The goat was foaming both before and after the ivermectin dose, and again just now. I think the vet was irritated that I did not follow her instructions.
The RedCell was recommended for anemia.
I'm not sure what is going on now. She has a better appetite and demeanor today, but she was foaming again just now. She will eat hay for a bit, then hunch over and tune out. I gave her more mineral oil. Also, I've tried to massage her but she had a very strong reaction when touching her lower abdomen where her under will grow.
. I'm not sure what else I can do for her.

 

[The bleating acres]

Have you tried giving her baking soda? Any rumen sounds at all?

 

[ksalvagno]

I wonder if she has an ulcer. Sulcrafate can help that.

 

[goats-n-oats]

She did eat a lot of baking soda on days 1-2, now she doesn't want it.
I will ask the vet if I can give her sulfacrate. She just might have an ulcer after all the different my meds I gave her. Thanks.
Update, today she was chewing cud, and looking active.

Have you tried giving her baking soda? Any rumen sounds at all?