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Need help ASAP

1K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  CountyLineAcres 
#1 ·
Hey everyone we sold some girls earlier this year plus a buckling still on the bottle and now they are having problems with this one doe she’s acting drunk very unsteady on her feet their telling me and saying that she has been eating less to me it sounds like she might have listeria and she also just had runny poops the other day and now this
 
#4 ·
Get thiamine in her asap. Any other neurological symptoms? Eyes twitching? Drooling? Turning circles?
 
#5 ·
They want to get 500mg thiamine in her every 4 to 6 hours..in case it's polio.

If you suspect listeriosis..they need to wear gloves when working with her. Listeriosis can be zoonotic.

Start on penicillin at 1 cc per 10 pounds sub q every 6 hours.
Dexamethsone or banamine once a day for brain swelling.
 
#6 ·
Do ask what they are feeding. How long have they had her? Ask them to check feed (make sure it is off the ground), and hay for mold. If they are new to goats they may not be feeding cleanly and could have other problems with more goats. Also, it's really best to get a vet's opinion if they can. These things can go south quickly, and they may blame you for selling them a sick goat.
 
#8 ·
I would do both the thiamine and Penicillin as well as Dex or Banamine. Again..listerisos can spread to humans. Have the take precautions
 
#17 ·
i bang my head because I had sold her a few months ago and the people that owned her didn’t know how to help and were newbies to goats, she had listeria and had drastically decreased that day so they unfortunately had to make that choice and now we look back on a video she was pregnant with kid evidently kicking :(
 
#18 ·
i bang my head because I had sold her a few months ago and the people that owned her didn't know how to help and were newbies to goats, she had listeria and had drastically decreased that day so they unfortunately had to make that choice and now we look back on a video she was pregnant with kid evidently kicking :(
What a loss! I'm so sorry!
 
#20 ·
Oh no. Im sorry. Listerisos is a terrible disease.
 
#21 · (Edited)
If she was pregnant, especially within her last 8 weeks, it sounds more likely to be pregnancy toxemia. Pregnancy toxemia can have the exact same neurological symptoms as listeria such as circling, star gazing, and poor coordination. You also have your classic symptoms such as depression, decreased appetite, etc.

Make sure they know how to properly feed pregnant does late in gestation if that’s the case.

Very sorry for the loss!
 
#23 ·
If she was pregnant, especially within her last 8 weeks, it sounds more likely to be pregnancy toxemia. Pregnancy toxemia can have the exact same neurological symptoms as listeria such as circling, star gazing, and poor coordination. You also have your classic symptoms such as depression, decreased appetite, etc.

Make sure they know how to properly feed pregnant does late in gestation if that's the case.

Very sorry for the loss!
yes she would've been due in February or early March at latest
 
#26 ·
For everyone reading these threads for information I wonder if you would be kind enough to post what your protocol is for feeding pregnant does in late gestation.
That's a great idea. I hope no one minds me posting some information about it.

Since it's going to depend on each farm, I'll give more citations on what causes pregnancy toxemia and what is needed to prevent it. What works for one program may not work for another.

According to the Merck Manual:

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/meta...-lipidosis/pregnancy-toxemia-in-ewes-and-does

"The primary predisposing cause of pregnancy toxemia is inadequate nutrition during late gestation, usually because of insufficient energy density of the ration and decreased rumen capacity as a result of fetal growth."

The energy requirements in the last 4 weeks of gestation is drastically increased. According to Merck's, a standard doe will see a need for a 23% energy increase when carrying a single. This increases to 36% with twins, and 42% with triplets. This means their energy requirements will nearly double when dealing with triplets.

"Females with a poor body condition score (BCS ≤2) or that are overconditioned (BCS ≥4) and carrying more than one fetus are most at risk of developing pregnancy toxemia, although the condition can occur even in ideally conditioned ewes on an adequate ration."

According to Merck's, this means a doe should not be less than a 2.5 BCS when entering the last 6 weeks of gestation to help prevent pregnancy toxemia. Do not decrease the weight of a doe during late pregnancy either, as it will only increase the risk of pregnancy toxemia.

Grain is a great source of readily available carbohydrates, but the amount "...varies depending on forage quality, adult body weight and condition score, and number of fetuses, but protein must also be balanced for rumen microbes to make optimal use of available carbohydrates."

Here's a bonus article from a NCSU small ruminant agent:

https://www.courier-tribune.com/new...SFUTHlSQ05Ru6YyTT2Kv2jDbNQ3DPu8JF0-QTYmlA5RWQ

___________________

For our farm, we feed the same amount of grain year round and have free choice grass hay. Every region and program will vary. Our does are not overweight and we breed at an ideal weight. However, I have seen farms struggle with pregnancy toxemia even with perfectly fed pregnant does.

If you are not having an issue, then keep your program where it's at. If you're having issues, then it's time to to reconsider your program and consider adding high sources of energy. Adding alfalfa hay, cottonseed, corn, soybeans, etc are all ways to increase their carbohydrates. Just make sure you have sufficient protein to digest the needed energy.
 
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