Goats Are VERY Lethargic....One Can't Get Up.....Need Advice

[kinnip]

If it's hot, I would still lean toward that as an explanation. My goats are slovenly blobs when it's hot. Even getting up and walking to the hay rack is a chore. Keep monitoring their water intake. Do they have mineral free choice?

 

[Calebs Acre]

They do have mineral, but it should be replaced as it is running low. Thanks for reminding me of that. Should have gotten it today at the feed store.

 

[helmstead]

My gut tells me you're dealing with polio or listeriosis...but...have you been feeding them bermuda grass, by chance? Could also be grass staggers...

 

[kinnip]

Listen to the Kate.
I'm just curious, have you really tried to rouse the goat to it's feet? What does it do?

 

[nstamper2000]

My goat died recently from listeriosis or however you spell that. It happened really fast. If you can get to a feed store or vet or somewhere that you can get some pennicillin and some needles you need to get some in him now. Even if they do not have list. it will not hurt them to have the penn. The faster you get it in him the better chance they have. This hits them really fast and by the time we got the medicine in our boy it was too late. We took him to the vet and this is what they diagnosed him with. We were told to give him this and they also give us some other shots to give him. We always keep pennicillin at home now. This is highly contagious. The symptoms are first they can not get up and then there head starts to go back. It is like they are having muscle spasms. It is very sad. I would also recomend getting some kind of electorlytes and you will need some kind of feeding tube. They sell all of this at Tractor supply. The tube is a big plastic bottle and has a long plastic tube on the end because the goat will get to where it can't eat or drink and fluids are very essential. I hope this helps.

 

[helmstead]

Listeriosis is not contagious...FYI.

 

[nstamper2000]

The vet told us it was highly contagious.

 

[nstamper2000]

But then again we took it to a vet that only treats dogs, cats, ect..... and it did take them forever to figure out what was wrong with the goat.

 

[Calebs Acre]

We don't have hay as "fancy" as bermuda grass here! LOL. I have a grassy hay with some timothy. No mold, no dust. They've been eating the same basic type of hay all winter, too.

It's been over 72 hours since he started showing symptoms and he has not shown any problems with his neck, no coughing, no bowel problems. As I said, he is eating and drinking. He is not crying or complaining. He is sitting in that "henning" position, with his legs tucked up under him, like he does all the time.

Truly, I haven't really pushed him to get up, I'll have to check and see if my husband did. I have extreme asthma and I am more the person who goes down and pets and watches and orders husband around.

I did read all the symptoms of the various goat diseases and none of them were really that close...I sure hope it isn't listeriosis or polio...that sounds pretty awful.

I'll have to find a vet in the AM. Maybe my horse vet will stop by on her way out on calls.

 

[kinnip]

listeriosis wiki