BACKYARD GOATS?

[johnnyve101]

She's a year old and we bought her 2 weeks ago

 

[1cutechick]

I hope someone can help me. We have two female fainting goats 2 years old each. We live in Wisconsin. They are in a little barn and can go in and out as they please. This past winter when the weather got below 0 I noticed one of "the girls" had terrible diarrhea, runny, chocolate brown. She had had antibiotics, fecal checks, bloodwork checking for Johnies disease, pepto bismal trying to get this under control. We stopped her grain. She started "firming up" some and has been eating hay and drinking water just fine all along. The vet cannot find anything wrong with her. Temp, heart, etc is fine. The only thing I can guess is she got shock from the very cold weather. I did put a small heater in the front of the barn to take the edge off the extreme cold after this started. She still is having problems wither periodic runny stools which on a non-runny day look like dog poo. I have started giving her a small handful of quaker oats ever day or so which seems to help a little, but stool is not normal and has not been normal since this all started. We deworm ever 3 months. Fecal tests are normal. She has lost at least 10 lbs since this started and I can feel every bone when I pet her. She is active but not as much so as her sister, and seems to like to stay in the barn more often. I am trying to ask everyone place I can if anyone has run into this before and hopefully we will get something to help her put on weight. Every time I have tried to introduce grain, she gets very runny again. Tried to give her yougert which she will not eat. I am worried she may not make it through a hot summer this way and certainly not through another winter. Thank you to anyone who can offer us some help!

 

[cassie]

What kind of a test for Johnes did she get? There are several and some are more accurate than others. While diarrhea is more typical of cows with Johnes than with goats, sometimes goats with Johnes exhibit those symptoms. Try getting some probiotics in powdered form. You can find some made for cattle at any mail order veterinary supply. They aren't very expensive and you use very little. With all the treatments she has had her gut bacteria may be depleted. Personally, I would repeat the Johnes test. If she has Johnes you need to get her out of there ASAP. Johnes is spread primarily in the feces. To rule out Johnes once and for all, you might get another blood test and also have a fecal test done.

 

[WillowRunRanch]

I would recommend buying some of the powder Gatorade and putting it in her water. I do this for my goats, chickens, and horses when the weather is hot. I also really like peanuts to add fat back on skinny goats.

Not to scare you, but has the vet tested for CAE? This too can present with diarrhea. Is she coughing? Sneezing? Is she lethargic or just more prone to staying in the barn?

You can buy probiotics in paste farm from TSC. It is kid and lamb starter and works wonders and is easy to administer. Has she had her BOSE shots??

Sorry for so many questions. Just trying to see if you can give us a sliver of information that may be key.

 

[1cutechick]

Where do you get powdered Gatorade? I will try this and the peanuts - do you take off the shells and give just the nuts or the whole thing? How much is ok to give her? We have not tested for CAE, I have never heard of this but will ask my vet about it. She had a blood test for Johnies which was negative. I sprinkle probia powder on their hay. Both goats seem not to like it and make a point of trying to eat around it. What is TSC that sells probia in paste form? Will they just lick the paste? I also offer both girls loose mineral. The sick one will eat the out of my hand, the well one has no interest in it. Thanks for all your help!

 

[1cutechick]

Thank you! I will check with my vet about getting another test. We had a blood test and several fecal specimines. Thank goodness even after all this time the other goat has been healthy.

 

[WillowRunRanch]

You can buy powdered Gatorade at the grocery store. It is in a round container and should be with all the other sports drinks. My goatees like lemon flavor best and I put one scoop (comes with the Gatorade) in a 5 gallon bucket with water.

TSC is Tractor Supply Company. They are in many rural areas. Rural King is another farm store. The product you want is something like Goats Prefer--Probiotic Plus which can be purchases on line too at this link for like $9 at www.valleyvet.com. You will just squirt some in her mouth. The product will come with dosage instructions. The paste is usually pretty thick so it is harder for them to spit out and you know they got what they needed.

As far as peanuts...in the shell, not salted. The shell is good roughage for them. Start with a handful or so and add more until they are getting around a cup to a cup and a half a day. Peanuts can also cause diarrhea if the goats aren't used to them so gradually add them. My girls go nuts for them!! (Yes, bad pun.)

CAE is a virus that is often passed through blood at birth and colostrum. Here is a link to read more about it. I am surprised your vet would check for Johnnes, but not CAE. http://www.goatmilkstuff.com/CAE-Goats.html

One other suggestion. Offer baking soda free choice with the goat minerals. Goats will browse it when they have upset stomachs and if your baby isn't feeling well she will appreciate being able to give herself a little natural relief.

 

[1cutechick]

Thank you for all the great information! I will try them all!

 

[cassie]

Just a comment. For better or worse I have had a LOT of experience with CAE over the years. In fact for several years my herd was one of many involved in a study of the transmission, prevention, and prevalence of CAE conducted by UC Davis. I have never seen scours present as a symptom of CAE. Encephalitis, yes. Swollen joints, yes. Arthritis, yes. Hard udders, yes. Loss of condition, yes. Scours, no. I have had scours in goats infected with CAE, but the scours were due to some other cause. I'm not saying it isn't possible. With goats anything and everything is possible. I just think it is odd I have ever never seen it in my herd or anyone else's. I guess you learn something new every day.

 

[1cutechick]

I have not asked the vet about CAE yet, but she does not have any arthritis type symptoms. She seems to walk fine and no joint swelling. She does lack energy and doesn't play with her sister much any more. She has not lost all her winter coat, so we have been brushing her some. She also is almost bald on her back and sides with scaly skin and extremely sparse hair growth. Right now it does not look like the hair is going to grow back in thick enough to help her this winter. I don't know what I'm going to do. She eats and drinks plenty, but poos a lot and it usually looks like dog poo. Last time I wormed her the first poo was runny and green. She periodically still has chocolate poo that is very runny but not every day. She seems happy though. We have one other goat, her sister. They are together all the time, that girl is absolutely fine.

If she makes it though the summer, what will we do with her this winter with no hair?
Thanks to anyone with some ideas!