Nigerian Dwarf Doe won't gain weight

[cassie]

One thing I forgot to mention. Has anyone checked this goat's teeth?

 

[HighNoon]

The blood test for Johnes is fairly accurate, but nothing is 100%. If the goat has a rough hair coat, has pale mucous membranes, steadily continues to lose weight no matter what she is fed even though she has a good appetite, Johnes is the most likely culprit.

I checked her gums and lower lids. They are both pretty pale. The daughter's lower lids are less pale, but she won't let me get a better look! She has been gaining weight with the rice bran, but it still looks like she's missing muscle mass. I'll post some pics. I'm not convinced it's from her daughter still comfort nursing, but maybe you can tell me if you think she still has milk. I'll wait and see what happens this month, and then if things are kind of limping along or getting worse I'll have my vet do a Johne's Disease test.

 

[HighNoon]

I checked her gums and lower lids. They are both pretty pale. The daughter's lower lids are less pale, but she won't let me get a better look! She has been gaining weight with the rice bran, but it still looks like she's missing muscle mass. I'll post some pics. I'm not convinced it's from her daughter still comfort nursing, but maybe you can tell me if you think she still has milk. I'll wait and see what happens this month, and then if things are kind of limping along or getting worse I'll have my vet do a Johne's Disease test.

And I forgot to mention, her coat is rough on her back, upper, back legs, but kind of waxy all over. Her daughter's coat is still pretty soft.

 

[HighNoon]

One thing I forgot to mention. Has anyone checked this goat's teeth?

That's a really good point! I'll ask my vet if he did. He was pretty thorough with palpating all over her body, but I can't remember if he looked in her mouth.

 

[cassie]

I don't remember if you said whether or not a fecal was done. Paleness is a sign of anemia, which is most often caused by internal parasites. To check the color of the mucous membranes just pull down the lower eyelid. If you hold the head firmly the goat can't get away and you can get a good look. The real thing to watch for in Johnes is a steady decline in body condition. If this is the case with your doe and you schedule a Johnes test, it would be a good idea to test all of them.

 

[cassie]

I can't tell if she has milk or not from the picture. You can try to express some milk if you want. Frankly, I don't think whether the daughter is nursing would make any difference. The only time that would be a factor is if for some reason the doe isn't eating enough. For instance, just fresh dairy animals will lose weight simply because the sudden demands for milk production outstrip their ability to take in enough food. That is not the case here. This doe is not just fresh and I can only assume you are giving her plenty of good feed.

 

[Mickey67]

I can't tell if she has milk or not from the picture. You can try to express some milk if you want. Frankly, I don't think whether the daughter is nursing would make any difference. The only time that would be a factor is if for some reason the doe isn't eating enough. For instance, just fresh dairy animals will lose weight simply because the sudden demands for milk production outstrip their ability to take in enough food. That is not the case here. This doe is not just fresh and I can only assume you are giving her plenty of good feed.

I have a question. When you say "plenty" of good feed what are we talking here? I give my goats free access to hay and they are browsing 1-2 hours each day. I dont give them a whole lot of grain. All my goats look good except the full nubian which was in milk but not currently

 

[Mickey67]

I have a question. When you say "plenty" of good feed what are we talking here? I give my goats free access to hay and they are browsing 1-2 hours each day. I dont give them a whole lot of grain. All my goats look good except the full nubian which was in milk but not currently

 

[Mickey67]

It's the big reddish one

 

[cassie]

I have a question. When you say "plenty" of good feed what are we talking here? I give my goats free access to hay and they are browsing 1-2 hours each day. I dont give them a whole lot of grain. All my goats look good except the full nubian which was in milk but not currently

I mean all the good hay and roughage they can eat. If they are not milking or maybe pregnant, they really do not need grain. Have them checked for parasites regularly and worm if necessary. How often you need to worm depends a lot on where you are. Goats on pasture need worming more often than those that are not.