My doe keeps getting stool stuck to her rectum. It is semi-formed. I don't see any evidence of diarrhea. I gently remove the stool and her anus is very red and irritated. What should I put on it? I put A&D ointment because I didn't have anything else. What do you think is causing this? The stool never "covers" the rectum to prevent her from expelling. My goats eat Red Tag Goat pellets and alternate between alfalfa hay and hay grazer. She seems to get this often. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks.
has she been wormed recently?? if so, has she had this problem the whole time you have had her?? what is her temperature?
Are you having cold weather and she's not drinking enough? Do you have wether goats you are feeding alfalfa to as well? If so, switch to a feed with less protein. I drizzle raw apple cider vineger over my goats feed so the little scoop of goat minerals will stick.
Thanks for the replies, sorry I was away the rest of the day. She has not been wormed recently, maybe that is the problem. Around here ranchers are more leniant on the worming because we are so incredibly dry here. I do not have any wethers that is why my girls get alfalfa on occasion. The girls have a goat mineral block they lick on to get their vitamins. This issue comes and goes off and on pretty much since I've had her. I got her when she was only a couple of months old.
Have you checked her eye lids and scored them against the FAMACHA chart? That's a good way to begin testing for worms. The other is to send her poop out for a fecal test (unless you do your own). I'd be leaning more towards something in her diet, though. From what I understand a worm infestation would cause loose or very clumpy-acornish poops, not solid berries that stick to her behind. Has she seem off? Is she still peeing/pooping normal (with the exception of it sticking to her)? Does she have a fever when this happens? I'm very lax about worming as well, but that's because IMO the more you worm your goats the more resistant the worms become to the medicine.