Lets talk about goats!

[erinszoo]

The bacteria for pneumonia has to be present in the environment for them to get pneumonia. Getting them wet might weaken their defenses but it won't make them get it. In warm weather there's nothing wrong with it. We have a goat who likes the mister we have set up for the ducks and chickens. She lays in the shade under it til she's got water dripping from her head. Then she realizes she's wet and runs off.

 

[H Diamond]

You guys keep saying it's fine in warm weather.... most cases of pneumonia occur in warm weather.
The only cases of pneumonia I've had, have occurred in warm weather.
I lost a buck because of pneumonia that he contracted in warm weather.

 

[cassie]

You guys keep saying it's fine in warm weather.... most cases of pneumonia occur in warm weather.
The only cases of pneumonia I've had, have occurred in warm weather.
I lost a buck because of pneumonia that he contracted in warm weather.

I have had more trouble with pneumonia in warm weather too. Particularly when it is hot during the day and cold at night. The reference to getting goats wet in warm vs. cold weather is that in warm weather they will dry off quckly. In cold weather they will stay wet and get chilled.

 

[goats rule 101]

Hi guys. I'm a newer goat owner who has no experience with treating sick goats. I have two nigerian dwarf goat wethers. They are about 6 months old. One of them is acting just fine the other seems sick. I thought maybe he was bloated but he's no bigger than usual. I haven't seen him poop but he has peed a little so I'm not sure if its urinary calculi. His left side is a little bigger than the right but it doesn't feel very hard. He either stands or lies there, I'm trying to keep him on his feet, and he sorta hangs his head. His tail is also drooping rather than staying up. Otherwise he doesn't do anything at all, he's like a statue. I've seen him chew his cud and noticed some white foam. Is that maybe froth? He still eats food if I offer it to him but won't follow me around to get it. I don't feed grain just grass hay and pellets. I also don't offer free choice baking soda but I'm thinking maybe I should. He's been like this since last night. Please help me. You can kinda see the foam in the second photo where he's chewing his cud.

He just stands like this

 

[ekavi]

DO NOT FEED PYGMIE GOATS OTHER THAN GRASS AND HAY STUFF. We learned the hard way when our pygmy Dave died.

He got bladder crystals and stones. The farmer we bought him from was feeding him the sweet feed too. He was just threee 3months old. Annie, same age was ok so far. I have gone to both big feed stores and both did NOT say anything about the feed pellets and death of pygmies. Oh so horrible hearing him bbbaaahhhhhhh and try to pee. He apparently passed the stone, we took him to the vet, though he was quiet and sweet. Vet eyes popped out when we told him what we were feeding him.
So pygmies are adorable and sweet little creatures, very vocal. We will get some later. I do not want to hear that sound for anytime soon.

.

 

[erinszoo]

Hi guys. I'm a newer goat owner who has no experience with treating sick goats. I have two nigerian dwarf goat wethers. They are about 6 months old. One of them is acting just fine the other seems sick. I thought maybe he was bloated but he's no bigger than usual. I haven't seen him poop but he has peed a little so I'm not sure if its urinary calculi. His left side is a little bigger than the right but it doesn't feel very hard. He either stands or lies there, I'm trying to keep him on his feet, and he sorta hangs his head. His tail is also drooping rather than staying up. Otherwise he doesn't do anything at all, he's like a statue. I've seen him chew his cud and noticed some white foam. Is that maybe froth? He still eats food if I offer it to him but won't follow me around to get it. I don't feed grain just grass hay and pellets. I also don't offer free choice baking soda but I'm thinking maybe I should. He's been like this since last night. Please help me. You can kinda see the foam in the second photo where he's chewing his cud.

He just stands like this

I'm no goat expert and Idont have pygmies but he looks a little bloated to me. Is he eating at all or drinking water? Foaming at the mouth is a sign of bloat as bubbles form in the rumen. Id give him baking soda and if he doesn't improve, call a vet. The baking soda works wonders with our little boer boy when's he's eaten too much alfalfa.

 

[goats rule 101]

I'm no goat expert and Idont have pygmies but he looks a little bloated to me. Is he eating at all or drinking water? Foaming at the mouth is a sign of bloat as bubbles form in the rumen. Id give him baking soda and if he doesn't improve, call a vet. The baking soda works wonders with our little boer boy when's he's eaten too much alfalfa.

Thank you for the quick reply. He is eating but I haven't really seen him drink. He probably has though. We tried giving him baking soda mixed with a little water earlier but he wouldn't eat it. We might just have to force it down I guess. Hopefully that'll work! Thanks again.

 

[Stacykins]

DO NOT FEED PYGMIE GOATS OTHER THAN GRASS AND HAY STUFF. We learned the hard way when our pygmy Dave died.

He got bladder crystals and stones. The farmer we bought him from was feeding him the sweet feed too. He was just threee 3months old. Annie, same age was ok so far. I have gone to both big feed stores and both did NOT say anything about the feed pellets and death of pygmies. Oh so horrible hearing him bbbaaahhhhhhh and try to pee. He apparently passed the stone, we took him to the vet, though he was quiet and sweet. Vet eyes popped out when we told him what we were feeding him.
So pygmies are adorable and sweet little creatures, very vocal. We will get some later. I do not want to hear that sound for anytime soon.

.

I am sorry you lost your goat, but It is fine for pygmies to eat food other than hay. Stones and crystals are caused by a mineral imbalance in the diet. If you are not feeding an animal a diet with a proper calciumhosphorus ratio, it will lead to the development of stones or crystals. Everything in the diet must me taken into account, including hay, when calculating the ratio of the feed the animals is getting.

Animals that are growing (less than a year old), pregnant, breeding (bucks), or lactating usually need more than just hay to maintain condition. Supplementing with grain is the best way. This goes for pygmies, too. They do get fat more easily than other breeds, so care must be taken to not overfeed. As with all goats, diet changes must occur slowly.

Thank you for the quick reply. He is eating but I haven't really seen him drink. He probably has though. We tried giving him baking soda mixed with a little water earlier but he wouldn't eat it. We might just have to force it down I guess. Hopefully that'll work! Thanks again.

Baking soda does normally need forced down the throat, they don't like getting it and I can understand why. But if he is chewing his cud (actually chewing his cud, some people confuse teeth grinding of a goat in pain with cud chewing), then he will likely be fine. Goats with bloat cannot expel excess gas or regurgitate a bolus cud to chew.

If you do give him baking soda, massage his rumen afterwards, listen for some good burps. And keep an eye on him. Teeth grinding (nothing in his mouth to chew, just him grinding tooth against tooth) is a sign of pain. Gut pain in the case of bloat. If that is the case, he might need more help getting rid of the gas. Gas X, used for humans, is a godsend. And easy to get down a goat, too, if you grind up the chewable tablets and mix with some water.

 

[H Diamond]

Did you take his temp yet? What has he been vaccinated for?
Is there a chance he got into some food that you didn't know about?
How do his lungs sound when he breathes? Can you hear any noises?

 

[goats rule 101]

Thanks everyone. We're going to be getting some gas X later today when my mom goes shopping. In the meantime should we try baking soda? We were just gonna go out and try it when I read all your replies. We haven't given him anything yet but he's looking better now. Not back to normal, but now he's moving a little more. Also were not really sure how to take his temp. But my neighbor might be able to help. He was vaccinated in may for CD/T and thats all. He isn't grinding his teeth its definately cud. Theres also no food that he could've gotten into. When he breathes though, it does make a noise that sounds like he would have a runny nose or something.