[gkatherine62]

Saturday night, at 9:45 pm I went outside to go to work and make sure everyone was locked up. I heard my Nubian Billy and he sounded different. I went to the pasture and he was down. I am in North Dakota and it had suddenly turned extreme cold. I had to drag him to the barn and placed him in a separate stall, away from the other animals. I went to work, expecting him to be dead in the morning.

He wasn't. I literally threw this 100+ goat, with horns, over my shoulder and got him in the house. I had looked up the possibilities and the two major ones were Listeriosis or Polio. I had to wait for TSC to open and got thiamine, multi vit. B, iron (his tongue and gums were white), and pennicillian from the vet. I gave a dose of iron, 4cc thiamine, 2.5 cc multi B and 6cc pennicillian. I have been doing the iron once a day, until he turned pink and continue to do thiamine and the pennicillan every 6 hours.

It is a week later, and he is still down. He eats and drinks well, but I don't know if he is in pain, other than from the injections. He has lost some weight, he can hold his head up if we prop him up. I don't know what else to do or when or if I should give up. I love this little guy. He is still trying but just doesn't have it. Every once in a while he does get tremors. Help!!!

 

[ArborGoats]

What is his temperature? He needs to be warm for proper GI function.

 

[nchen7]

have you wormed him? if he's anaemic it could be due to worm overload.

 

[gkatherine62]

His temperature is 103.4. He has been wormed (I worm every 6 months), has had all his shots, vet checked. He was fine until Saturday night. I had checked on him at 2 that afternoon and was ok. I completed chores, went to bed, got up to close everything up and he was down.

 

[nchen7]

have you been able to do a fecal, including cocci? just because they're wormed every 6 months doesn't mean they won't have a worm overload at some point, especially with the change of weather....

how's his poop? is he chewing cud or grinding his teeth? would he have gotten into anything poisonous to eat? what is he eating? if it's stomach issues, he shoudl'nt be eating any grain.

i'm hoping someone else can chime in to help.....

 

[MissMM]

that's nearly the exact same thing going on w-my goat, on day 5. she is alert, eats hay & drinks from the syringe, but is too weak to get up on her own..... doesnt seem to be in pain....have her propped up & keep switching the side

 

[gkatherine62]

His poop is normal. When I first brought him in, he had tremors. Those have stopped. He wouldn't drink at first, so I syringed him. He is drinking and eating on his own. His back legs were stiff and he would "run" with all four legs going the same direction. Now at least he bends them. I plan on propping him up in a sling to get him upright. Goats muscles deteriorate quickly is what I have read, so I am massaging them and moving them.

 

[gkatherine62]

MissMM .... are you giving any medications? I too am propping him up. At least he is not throwing his head back. I switch sides because I don't want him lying on one side all the time.

 

[nchen7]

hm...i'm out of ideas. i'm really hoping someone will chime in soon!

anyone anyone???

 

[janeen128]

Hmmm, I'm no expert, but I'm trying to think about what I would do in this situation. So you are continuing the Thiamine and B complex? If not you do need to continue... You are drenching him with electrolytes not just with water? Also, you may consider nutridrench... I wouldn't offer any grain until you figure out what's going on just hay... It's good that he is eating... His temp is good, what color are his eyelids? If they are pale it is worms or maybe cocci. What wormer have you used? You may have a case of liver fluke, and only Valbalzen and ivomec plus kills those. Any deer in your area? You may want to get a fecal done to see what you are dealing with.... Not sure if I was any help, and I'm hoping someone with more experience will chime in soon

 

[happybleats]

Do you live in white tail deer area?
what wormer do you use and how much? Withhim being anemic, I would suspect your wormer is not addressing his word load
temp looks good
pain signs are a yawn of sorts, twisting the jaw, grinding teeth...

I would continue treatment for polio and listeriosis and anemia...consider deer worm for the loss of leg mobility...and do have a fecal done...

 

[janeen128]

Do you live in white tail deer area? what wormer do you use and how much? Withhim being anemic, I would suspect your wormer is not addressing his word load temp looks good pain signs are a yawn of sorts, twisting the jaw, grinding teeth... I would continue treatment for polio and listeriosis and anemia...consider deer worm for the loss of leg mobility...and do have a fecal done...

White tail deer... That's what I was going for..

 

[MissMM]

i've been doing thiamine b complex banamine & nutridrench. yes we are in a white tail deer area.... just de-wormed a month ago w-ivomec.... how long can i continue the thiamine & b complex shots?

 

[MissMM]

her gums are nice & bright pinkish-red & so are her eyelids

 

[janeen128]

Okay, so I looked it up on Tennessee goats.... I think... Here is what you need to do, because what you both are describing sounds about right...

" The producer should suspect Meningeal Deerworm disease if the goat displays neurologic signs or any problem involving the spinal cord, from leg dragging to inability to get up. The disease can be a slow progression of symptoms or can strike suddenly. Pneumonia is a common secondary problem, since the goat is down and therefore inactive. The infected goat does not seem to be in pain, other than the itching; most goats eat and drink until death occurs.

Treatment involves very high dosages of Ivomec Plus or generic equivalent. Ivermectin paste or pour-on are not effective. Ivomec Plus or generic equivalent is recommended because if snails or slugs are present, so may also be liver flukes, and Ivomec Plus will handle both conditions at the same time. Ivomec Plus should be given at a rate of 1 cc per 25 pounds bodyweight for at least seven days, followed by a double-the-cattle dosage of fenbendazole (Safeguard/ Panacur) for five days. (Jeffers carries both dewormers.) Dosing too low means that the deerworm continues to do damage. Enough medication needs to remain in the goat's system so that the blood-brain barrier can be crossed in order to kill the larvae that have already penetrated the spinal column. If the goat is down and can't get up on its own, the chance for recovery is not good. An anti-inflammatory drug like Banamine can be useful in alleviating the inflammation of nerve tissue. Dexamethosone should also be used if paralysis is present, dosing at approximately 8 cc per 100 lbs bodyweight and stepping down one cc per day. Dex should be given into the muscle (IM). If the sick goat is a pregnant doe, use the dexamethasone and let her abort, because she isn't likely to survive if she is trying to grow fetuses while fighting this disease. If the producer is concerned about using Dexamethasone and Banamine at the same time, then use the Dex and forget the Banamine. When symptoms are found in one goat, the producer should either treat the entire herd or watch everyone closely daily for symptoms and begin treatment immediately if discovered."

Hope this helps!! Doesn't sound good though, but best wishes and I'm hoping for the best.....

 

[ksalvagno]

This is the better method for treating Meningeal Worm.

http://goatconnection.com/articles/publish/article_126.shtml

Make sure you do Safeguard at the same time as the Ivomec. Safeguard at 1cc per 7 lbs. Get the liquid, you can dose it better. Ivomec doesn't pass the blood brain barrier and Safeguard does.

 

[janeen128]

This is the better method for treating Meningeal Worm. http://goatconnection.com/articles/publish/article_126.shtml Make sure you do Safeguard at the same time as the Ivomec. Safeguard at 1cc per 7 lbs. Get the liquid, you can dose it better. Ivomec doesn't pass the blood brain barrier and Safeguard does.

Thanks Ksalvagano I was trying to help without ever having dealt with it.... I was hoping someone with more experience would be on soon

 

[janeen128]

Any updates on either??? Praying for the best for both....

 

[MissMM]

abbey is still much the same.... down on her left side.... keeping up w-the thiamine and b-complex.... i gave her ivomectin injectible last night.... but her eyelids and gums are bright pink.... my microscope went bye-bye in the fire & taking a fecal sample to a vet an hour away requires several hundred dollars in vet fees..... her disposition is good... she seems to be alert... no sign of raspy breathing or fever...

 

[happybleats]

Witth the ivomec and safguard you will have worm load pretty much covered...if you havent started the Safguard, do so ASAP to use along with ivomec and also Banamine or Dex for brain swelling...I also suggest CD&T booster as well or a tetanus antitoxin..