HELP! Goat with high fever.

2160 Views 118 Replies 10 Participants Last post by toth boer goats, 1 mo ago

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

One of our does had a fever of 105 yesterday morning. I gave her a shot of banamine and gave it 12 hours. Last night the meds had worn off and she was back up to 106. Gave more banamine and 12 more hours and started a course of antibiotics. Now her fevers up to 107. She has not been eating well, but her poops seem normal.

We had switched to soaking their feed (not even fermenting, just soaking) Monday and she didn't like it so she wouldn't eat it. By Tuesday evening she still wasn't eating, so we switched back to dry food. She gobbled up about a cup and then that night wasn't sure she wanted anymore. Yesterday morning she wasn't eating well and had a fever.

We've called our vet, but she won't be able to get out here until at the soonest later today. Is there anything we can be doing to help our doe until the vet gets here?

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Boer Mama

· #41 · 2 mo ago

We keep our bottle in room temp, dark cupboard. I’m not sure how long your syringes will last. Should last a few months at least, I would think. They may be at risk of drying out if extended storage. Maybe someone’s stored them like that and can chime in on how long they’ve lasted.
Definitely keep the cap on.

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ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #42 · 2 mo ago

Boer Mama said:
We keep our bottle in room temp, dark cupboard. I’m not sure how long your syringes will last. Should last a few months at least, I would think. They may be at risk of drying out if extended storage. Maybe someone’s stored them like that and can chime in on how long they’ve lasted.
Definitely keep the cap on.

They don't have a cap, but they are in a ziploc baggie. 😬 🤷‍♀️

Boer Mama

· #43 · 2 mo ago

ThePhoebeFive said:
They don't have a cap, but they are in a ziploc baggie. 😬 🤷‍♀️

But the needle is capped, right?

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #44 · 2 mo ago

Boer Mama said:
But the needle is capped, right?

Oh, got it. She's having me give it orally (I can't help but wonder if she doesn't trust me to give shots... 😶). I guess if I need to I could put needles on with their caps.

Boer Mama

· #45 · 2 mo ago

Maybe you can apply a bit of Elmer’s glue to make a plug to be pulled off later?
I’m not sure… maybe I’m worrying about nothing! Lol
Someone might chime in with how long their banamine has stored in a syringe…

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ksalvagno

· #46 · 2 mo ago

They have to be kept in the refrigerator. I can't believe there aren't needles on it. Banamine shouldn't be given orally. It isn't going to work as well.

Reactions: 4

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #47 · 2 mo ago

ksalvagno said:
They have to be kept in the refrigerator. I can't believe there aren't needles on it. Banamine shouldn't be given orally. It isn't going to work as well.

I'd heard that it doesn't kick in as fast as doing IM or SQ, but that's just what she wanted me to do. 🤷‍♀️ At a different time, I'd do a shot, but since she gave us specific instructions I went with it so that I don't possibly upset her.

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #48 · 2 mo ago

Hopefully very soon we can all shut this thread down!

I do just want people's thoughts on this: I just talked with our vet. Rosie's temp was 105. I had seen multiple sources say that the average temperature is 101.5-103.5, and multiple sources saying 101-105. Our vet says the second thing.

I'm completely willing to trust her on that, I just was curious what everybody thinks.

21goaties

· #49 · 2 mo ago

105 is a fever here

www.merckvetmanual.com

Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges - Special Subjects - Merck Veterinary Manual

Learn about the veterinary topic of Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual.

www.merckvetmanual.com

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ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #50 · 2 mo ago

21goaties said:
105 is a fever here

Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges - Special Subjects - Merck Veterinary Manual

Learn about the veterinary topic of Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the Merck Vet Manual.

www.merckvetmanual.com

Hhm. 🤔 Well, I'll follow her instructions and just keep a close eye on it.

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #51 · 2 mo ago

ThePhoebeFive said:
Hhm. 🤔 Well, I'll follow her instructions and just keep a close eye on it.

The vet's instructions, not Rosie's.

ksalvagno

· #52 · 2 mo ago

101.5 - 103.5 is normal.

Reactions: 5

guestnurse

· #53 · 2 mo ago

Pneumonia for sure. Give oxytetracycline its best for lung infections.

guestnurse

· #54 · 2 mo ago

I've never hurt a sick goat yet by giving antibiotics.

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guestnurse

· #55 · 2 mo ago

But i have seen many die that i didn't get the antibiotics to then in time.

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tiffin

· #56 · 2 mo ago

So how is she doing? Did she get better?

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ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #57 · 2 mo ago

guestnurse said:
Pneumonia for sure. Give oxytetracycline its best for lung infections.

Is that prescription? We can't get ahold of anything prescription without the vet's consent and I doubt she will at this point. Vet said it's not pneumonia; she said Rosie's breathing, heart rate, etc. were fine. At this point the only concern was her fever and not eating well. We did finish out the Biomycin, though.

tiffin said:
So how is she doing? Did she get better?

She's still not eating the best in one sitting, but over the course of the day I can get her to eat her usual daily amount. She hasn't had a fever for a while. I think the problem with her eating now might be having the babies pulled off because of the Biomycin. She won't leave the general area around the babies' pen because she's upset about it. I'm giving Probios now that the Biomycin is done and that seemed to help her appetite like maybe her tummy was off from the antibiotics.

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ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #58 · 2 mo ago

guestnurse said:
Pneumonia for sure. Give oxytetracycline its best for lung infections.

Is this what you're talking about? https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=FF956BAF-5C40-4A0C-BFBF-57F4DED6E43B

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #59 · 2 mo ago

ThePhoebeFive said:
Is this what you're talking about? https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=FF956BAF-5C40-4A0C-BFBF-57F4DED6E43B

Oh, sorry, spoke too soon. Looks like Biomycin is the same thing, so we already gave that.

Reactions: 2

ThePhoebeFive

Discussion Starter · #60 · 2 mo ago

Well, now she wouldn't eat any breakfast this morning. I had the hardest time getting her to the milk stand because all she wanted was to stay by the gate to the pen where her babies are. As soon as I let her off she ran straight there. Just now I went out to take her temp and found her eating out of the hay rack with the other doe. Her temp was normal.

Her last Biomycin shot was Monday morning. It hasn't been the full time of withdrawal afterwards (they can be put together on Friday), but what harm is the little bit in her milk going to do to her boys? Could I go ahead and put them together again and give the boys Probios when the withdrawal time is over?

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