Constipated baby goat

[thinkyesi]

I've tried that and it hasn't changed anything in his symptoms.
Hes starting to not walk or move much and limps a little.

 

[cassie]

All my other babys have been doing great on the cow milk, no issues. And I've heard of many people say they've never had issues with it.
Should I take him to the vet and ask them to give him something for entero, or should I just give him penicillin here at home?

Unless the vet has clostridium perfingens antitoxin on hand, there is no point taking him to the vet. The only treatment for entero is antitoxin. You can give the penicillin at home. Actually you can probably find a bottle clostridium perfingens antitoxin at the feed store. It is a little pricey but it is cheaper than a call to the vet. If entero is the problem you will get a very prompt response. If nothing happens, then entero is not the problem. If it is, you will have saved his life. By the way, if you do try the antitoxin, follow the directions on the label, but in addition to the injection, squirt a dose down his mouth. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to do the same with one dose of penicillin. Just do that once though. Penicillin injections should be given for five days. Give all shots for goats under the skin. Not in the muscle.

 

[cassie]

If he seems bloated, give some GasX. It can't hurt him but if he has gas it will make him feel a lot better.

 

[thinkyesi]

The vet is a livestock vet, so hopefully they have it. I'm taking him this morning. It's a low cost livestock vet, their prices are very reasonable. They charged me only $1.50 for his CD/T shot last time.
I fed him a little less this morning and didnt look as distressed with a full tummy, but he walks a few steps and then falls back on his front knees. He has a good appetite though, but I notice he doesnt latch to the bottle the same. He latches on for a bit, then falls back on his front knees and tries to suck again but kinda chews on it a bit then is able to suck again.

 

[cassie]

The vet is a livestock vet, so hopefully they have it. I'm taking him this morning. It's a low cost livestock vet, their prices are very reasonable. They charged me only $1.50 for his CD/T shot last time.
I fed him a little less this morning and didnt look as distressed with a full tummy, but he walks a few steps and then falls back on his front knees. He has a good appetite though, but I notice he doesnt latch to the bottle the same. He latches on for a bit, then falls back on his front knees and tries to suck again but kinda chews on it a bit then is able to suck again.

This is a long shot, but since you are taking him to the vet anyway, have the vet give him a dose of BoSe. It might help but it sure can't hurt, Selenium deficiency is so very common I routinely gave it to all my kids and calves shortly after they were born.

 

[thinkyesi]

They put a tube down his stomach to let some air out, gave him boSe, and penicillin.
The next 2 day they gave me some meds to be giving him.

He doesnt seem like hes getting better. Today his front legs locked up and he was screaming like crazy.

 

[cassie]

Did he receive clostridium perfingens antitoxin? The screaming is a classic symptom of entero. So is bloat. Unfortunately a lot of even experienced vets do not recognize entero and do not know how to treat it. If your kid does indeed have entero, and it sounds like he does, without the antitoxin, the chances of your baby surviving are slim and none. I am very sorry. I do hope I am wrong. I really do.

FYI, I have found that GasX is the best thing to use to treat bloat. It may not be veterinary approved but it does work. It works better than anything else I have tried and over the years I have tried just about every remedy out there.

Two things I always kept in my goat medicine chest, and I do mean always, were an up-to-date bottle of clostridium perfingens antitoxin and GasX.

 

[thinkyesi]

No he didnt recieve that.
I gave him so gasx
My vet is closed tomorrow, I may try looking to see if any feed stores have any

 

[thinkyesi]

Is this it?

 

[cassie]

Please do. The worst that can happen is nothing. When you give it, follow the directions on the label. There is a different dosage for prevention and treatment. Inject one full dose under the skin and squirt another dose down his throat. Do not delay. If he has entero time is of the essence. If entero is indeed the problem you will see a response to the antitoxin within 20 minutes to a half hour or so.