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help..what is wrong with these goats? :(

11K views 54 replies 10 participants last post by  janeen128 
#1 ·
Every single goat here is sick or getting sick with coughing and snot..but not green..mostly clear and sometimes white. It's been about 6 weeks now.

Many of you have heard my situation but for those that haven't I have to explain a little because I feel horrible when I post these problems that I can't properly take care of and looks like I have no business owning goats. I live on property with close to 30 goats that aren't mine. about 20 were sort of lost in the shuffle..abandoned because of a deal that didn't work out between the land owner and the first caretaker...the others the latest caretaker brought in. But I"m here and no one else is so I end up helping a LOT esp when caretakers don't show up or have the time to save babies who's moms have died or abandoned them. So I have 3 that I call my own now.

The newest caretaker..while good hearted and well intentioned...against my warnings..mistakenly thought he could let them all just live off the pasture grass and not worm for 6+ months (doesn't work in Hawaii) ..they all got really run down and anemic and skinny. Lesson learned the hard way..now he is trying to bring grain and minerals and just wormed everyone and is treating with red cell. But it's really hit and miss with him...and I cannot treat 30 goats on my own. I don't have the time plus I have health issues that just make it impossible.

The first sign was that most of his that he had put on another side of the eaten down 6 acre pasture caught coccidia..even the adults. I brought them back over close to me and got them through that on my own..but we noticed some coughing. Thought at first maybe lung worm..so I treated some with levamasole but that didn't change it. Then we started seeing more coughing and snot noses. I took my 3 and separated them right away in my small backyard pasture. Only one of mine had it. the other two have since caught it from her because I have no where else to put them. I have been treating naturally from Molly's herbals but have antibiotics on hand just in case. (Mine by the way did not get the coccidia) and I feed them better..a little bit of grain as well as alfalfa hay and lots of clippings from around here of glycine, olive bush and hibiscus...plus fruits and veggies. I have seen mine get better..but now two seem to be getting relapses and are coughing more again..one never got it very bad yet..seldom coughs so far.

So I got the caretaker to come out and provided him with LA200 that the last caretaker gave to me before she moved...I was all set to help him with 3 days (every other day)of shots on tons of goats even though I have some physical limitations..I was buckled up to do it and rest off the consequences later. One day we did it..then he never showed up again. I told him we can't do that....they will get a relapse and it will be more resistant to the LA200. He said they would be fine. When he comes he thinks they look fine...they do act fine. But I live here with the pasture all around me and I hear all the coughing..see all the snot and I know they are not fine. I don't even know if the LA200 would work anyways since it may be a virus and not bacteria related?

Another possibly important factor is that he brought in two giant boar males from a guy down the road that has horrible goat keeping practices. He never worms he has 50 to 100 goats and just puts a bag or two of food out a day and whoever is the strongest survives. Well one of the boar males had a snot nose from the start. He looked horrible. He was not separated at first (mine were at the time so I didn't complain to him about it trying to mind my own business just told him 'that goat is really sick')..quickly he put him over on the other pasture as well as gave him a shot of LA200 a couple of times..but weeks apart. He also had a couple of females over there with him for a couple of months that he brought in from other places. They got switched to the rest of the herd on my side and that could have brought it over to this herd even though they were over here for a while before they got it. The sick guy had been over there for months with the other males yet they all seem fine accept for just since this breakout his stronger brother seems to have gotten it too. Also the sickly boar ended up dying. They are not fed well over there on that side at all..grass gets sparse and he only comes out every week to two weeks and gives them grain. His on my side..I try to share more food and feed them better when he brings me a bag of grain for them.

I'm seeing lots of relapses in the ones that had a shot and others getting it too. Plus mine that I'm treating naturally seem to have up days and down days. But always they all eat and act normal. Just have coughing fits and snotty noses.

Is there a goat respiratory virus that can last this long? Or could he have brought something in thats really bad from that sick boar male? I would really like to help thin out the herd and find a good forever home for a few that I have gotten close to (not my 3) but I can't give them away sick..or bringing something over to another herd that they could possibly be carrying.

thanks...jamee :confused:
 
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#2 ·
coughing could be lung worms....is it a dry cough or mucus like? runny nose that is clear could be allergies...hows your weather? stable? wet huind, dry? dusy hay/feed? can you get a temp onthe ones who looks the worse..collect some fresh poop..wrap the berries in a square piece of gauze, twist it tight and float in water over night..Goathier shares this test...inthe morning look to see if there are floating worms or larve..this would be lung worms...treat accordenly..Ivomec plus injected sub q is a good choice wormer..
 
#4 ·
I really hate to say this but I would keep my 3 goats in my yard and let the others go. Let the consequences happen. You might have pneumonia going through the herd. Treat your goats and keep them at home. Until the caretaker and owner suffer big losses, the same problems are going to continue.
 
#5 ·
Very interesting I will try that worm test. But it seems they are actually catching it from one another like it's a virus. and it's with snotty noses..do lung worms cause snot noses? At the coughs worst it's rattly in the chest..as it's calmed down on mine it's more dry.

There is a lot of dust right now in one part of my small back pasture..but the rest of the pasture if full on grass.

Our weather is hot in the day...and shoots down lower 60's to upper 50's at night. not a lot of rain but some cloudy and misty rain days. nothing to soak anyone or the grass. I've been here for 4+ years..I've never seen a sickness like this happen before. Only one here or there would get a quick cold and then be better in a week. We still have some that don't have it..but I'm noticing new ones coughing now.

Nothing else has changed with feed to suddenly all be allergic to it I would think. Mostly they are eating the grass.

I will def give my 3 antibiotics if needed..I have read their lungs are small and pneumonia gets them fast. But I have watched antibiotics ruin my son's health. I try hard to deal naturally if I can.

I wouldn't have to take it as far as calling in any animal agency..I could get involved and talk to my landlord..there is someone down the road that would be interested in renting the land and he would actually be close so that he could even be here every day if needed. It's just that he would raise pigs as well and take over the goat stalls probably..and our other neighbors on the property are closer to the stalls and have mentioned that they woudln't be too happy with pigs there. So I'm kinda caught in betweeen. I just need to decide when it's time... I've basically already kindof mentioned that to the caretaker..told him not to think he can't get out of this if it's too much..we will get someone else..just didn't tell him someone was already interested. He started doing a lot more for them when I said that to him. But obviously he's still having issues getting here enough to actually complete certain things.

I've pretty much done that ksalvango...I was super involved when they all got coccidia..I treated them all myself..bought the redcell and started them on that..got some high protien pellets and wormed them all myself. But I was going crazy doing it all and health issues flaring up. So he finally came and started to take over..but never completes it all. We have lost 5 goats I think through all of this...I think that started making him realize it's not working here like he'd hoped it would. So we will see. I wanted to check with you guys before I talk to him again to see if there is anythign else it could be. I'm thinking maybe viral pneumonia brought over by that big boar goat..he had it for months and months..now these guys are sick forever as well.

So will LA200 and pen for the under 6 month olds help viral pnemonia or is that only for bacterial?
 
#8 ·
Tylan 200 1 cc per 25 # sub Q every 12 hours....is the best OTC choice B complex as a support and Probiotics a few hours after antibiotics will keep the good bacteria in there... sounds like from what you said it could be the start of puenomia...I hate this but I agree with what Karen said. You are so over whelmed and if the owner wont step up I know its sad..but make sure your goats are safe and healthy and let him deal with whats to come..such a sad situation for those goats...I think Iwouldbe right there too doseing everyone lol..but as long as he has someone to care for them..why should he worry??..A rock and hard place for sure..
 
#9 ·
Tylan 200 is over the counter?

sad thing is that since I've lived here longer then he has caretaken..many of the goats in the big pasture have known me longer and I feel responsible for them..I don't have anywhere to separate them..and still too many for me to care for. If I can figure out how to deal with this I may try and treat them. Right now I think there are just 2 out there that I'm close to that have this.

I was so excited to move here by the goats..but have come to realize that because I cannot care for them all that every day it's like babies and children crying at me for help and my heart is broken every single day. It's about as stressfull as it is enjoyable.
 
#10 ·
Im sorry...that is fusterating and sad.

Yes Tylan 200 is over the counter..I get it at tractor supply..not sure what you have there in Hawaii..
 
#11 ·
I've called two places here and they only carry Tylan 50? One guy thought it might be the same just would need to up the dose because it said something about 50 parts per ml. but he wasn't positive.

Tylan is also an antibiotic though? It will work on a virus?
 
#12 ·
Yes..with tylan 50 you will have to do 4 times the dose...so if your goat weighs 100# Tylan 200 would be 4 cc...tylan 50 would be 16 cc
 
#13 ·
snotty nose, cough..it could be pneunomia, which will need antibiotics
 
#14 ·
Pneumonia Symptoms are sudden fever with rasping breath.Hight tempreture 39c -102f,and breathing rate much increased.Give 10cc of Vit.C by injection follow by 4cc every 4 hours till condition is under control.I would separate the strongest and youngest only as you cant treat all. That's if it is Pneumonia. I really suspect its Mycoplasmosis Its almost impossible for the layman to distinguish from Pneumonia.The attacks will recur until they finaly kill the animal :( It damages the heart and is highly contagious classic sign is rapid breathing and runny nose caused from being under stress,sadly there is no treatment only good nursing,large doses of Vit C and B12,Good luck! teejae
 
#15 ·
okay ..they have only one bottle left down town (I'm up on the volcano)...I will be able to pick it up tomorrow. They are all out up here..makes me wonder if something is going around on the island. I can guarantee though..the caretaker would not be able to be here every 12 hours to administer. and every 12 hours for how many times? At least I could do a few though.

is this the only one that works on pnemonia? is it safe for under 6 mo old like the LA200 isn't?
 
#16 · (Edited)
yes..its safer then la200....I was just reading the fact sheet...it says can be done once a day for 5 days...here is the link..
Its about tyaln 200 but its the same medication with Tylan 50
http://goat-link.com/content/view/177/168/#.Ue8Tb2SDTL8

here is a link on treating puenomia...where is does say every 12 hours
http://goat-link.com/content/view/100/91/#.Ue8UKGSDTL8

I think the difference is the fact sheet is about cows and the treating puenomia is about goats..

with that said..I have always done it every 12 hours ;)
 
#18 ·
thank you for the info and links.

Cricket..the one of mine that got it first ...she was almost all better..but started it up again just without the snot. coughing more and I forgot to mention off and on larungytis :( She will sound fine then all of a sudden she is squeeking again.

Been making them slippery elm in warm water and a little bit of molasses ..seems to calm coughing down for a while.
 
#19 ·
OMGoodness, that is an awful situation....I hate to say but I think Karen is right. Let those go...treat your own and keep them separate. It is going to cost a bundle to treat all those with Tylan 50!That is not a job for one person :(
You also have to think...if you get them through this, there will be another thing, and another because they are stressed :(
Man, I feel for you and them :hug:
 
#20 ·
They can also have Robitusin DM to clear their lungs. I would do your 3 and maybe a couple more. Your bottle won't last the treatment otherwise.
The herd could be put on Aureomycin pellets instead. Then they can simply be fed twice a day. It isn't AS good but, does work okay. Tell the caretaker you need a bag of them...
 
#21 ·
They can also have Robitusin DM to clear their lungs. I would do your 3 and maybe a couple more. Your bottle won't last the treatment otherwise.
The herd could be put on Aureomycin pellets instead. Then they can simply be fed twice a day. It isn't AS good but, does work okay. Tell the caretaker you need a bag of them...
Ok...I need a bag of aureomycin pellets. Will that be safe for the younger ones? We have some out there under 6 months..one maybe 2 months old. Oh and what if the couple I treat with the tylan get into the aureomycin pellets?
 
#22 ·
OMGoodness, that is an awful situation....I hate to say but I think Karen is right. Let those go...treat your own and keep them separate. It is going to cost a bundle to treat all those with Tylan 50!That is not a job for one person :(
You also have to think...if you get them through this, there will be another thing, and another because they are stressed :(
Man, I feel for you and them :hug:
I'm going through that now..there is constantly antoher thing and another thing and another thing :\
 
#24 ·
oh and I have childrens allergy which is diphenhydramine HCI that I got for when my Baylee had pnemonia when she was born and abandoned by her mom. It was suggested on one of the goatie websites. It only says releives sneezing runny nose itchy throat and itchy watery eyes though...so probably not the right med?
 
#26 ·
I would just treat your goats with the Tylan if you are going to give the other goats the pellets.
okay....there is one in the herd that has a 2-3 month old baby that has been through sooo much and I have done so much to save her. Now the mom has this respiratory thing..so I was thinking I'd treat her with the tylan...but I can't separate her so will stick with the pellets.
 
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