# Goat in shock



## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

I went out to do chores this evening and noticed that Beauty had a torn ear. On closer examination, she has two chewed ears. She was just standing there looking stunned so I moved her to a pen with fewer goats.

Beauty is a Nigerian Dwarf, getting on for 12 years old.

She was shaking and her gums were white, so I brought her into the house. Her temperature is 35.1 C (less than 98.6F), her breathing seems normal, but she is occasionally grinding her teeth. She has some edema on her belly, her udder and just in front of it, but no reaction to palpation there - that could be something she's had before and I just never noticed, or it could be she got hammered. I'm pretty sure it was my Alpine doe that bit her, I just saw her biting another doe that was in her way.

She's in a crate in the basement with hay and water. I've given her some baking soda, 1000 mg of vit C and some warm molasses. Anything else I can do for her?


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

I'd give her b-complex if you have it.


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## Teacupliz (Nov 20, 2003)

PenG and Vit B- follow with 5 days of both- L Sounds like Pnemonia

Liz
teacupfarm.com


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

I've got human B-complex tablets - I can crush those up and give them to her. 

Pneumonia? I'm thinking she's been tossed around the barn like a rubber doll by her ears. The Alpine is the one who did the same thing to her newborn doeling this past spring. I do have PenG, so I'll give her that, just in case.

I just checked on her, and she's standing in the same position she was in half an hour ago. She's aware, just not wanting to move.


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## AnnaS (Nov 29, 2003)

pookshollow said:


> She was shaking and her gums were white, so I brought her into the house. Her temperature is 35.1 C (less than 98.6F), her breathing seems normal, but she is occasionally grinding her teeth.


White gums & low body temp are bad news. If the belly edema is new, I would suspect internal bleeding. Do everything you can to get her temp back up. Give her warm electrolytes and a heating pad/ lamp. Monitor her temp. That low temp really worries me. 

Electrolyte recipe: 1 liter water, 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.

Can you get her to a vet?


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## Jillis (Sep 11, 2005)

I would get rid of that Alpine. I hope your little ND doe recovers...


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

She's still alive this morning - lying down, but on her chest, not her side. She cries out now and then as if she's in pain. Her lower lip is drooping and she's drooling a bit, she was doing that last night too.

I'll try and get some warm electrolyte solution into her - she had some last night, but wasn't real willing to take it, and this is a doe that comes running to suck on any syringe that comes into the pen!

We're snowed in, so getting her to the vet isn't a likely option today.


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## susieM (Apr 23, 2006)

What are you gonna do with the mean goat?


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## Teacupliz (Nov 20, 2003)

Low temps is a sign of pnemonia- I would give high doese of Vit. b and stick with the PenG- for 5 days. see hwo she does.
Liz


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

I really don't think it's pneumonia - her nose is clear, her breathing is normal.

The swelling on her belly has gone down, it's squishy rather than firm like it was last night, so I'm guessing she got hammered pretty good. I've put a heat lamp on her and she's resting quietly on her chest, head is still up. I got some electrolytes into her but she was fighting me, and I didn't want to get fluid in her lungs.



> What are you gonna do with the mean goat?


Nothing. She's a good goat, normally.  She may be coming in heat, it may be they're all suffering from cabin fever. I've had two knock scurs off with fighting, in the last little while - and those were my calm, quiet Saanens!


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

If you can find any dry leaves, NOT musty or damp AT ALL, it might be she will eat those. Our dairy vet recommended that. Even if you can't get out to the vet, if it was me, I'd be on the phone. Goats get themselves into blue funks pretty quickly when they don't feel well, and that slows their recovery very much. Are any of your other goats her kids or sibs? If you have room to give her non-threatening company, that could be a good thing. If you're keeping the aggressive goat, maybe this one should go to another home. 'Course the aggressive one could just target the next weakest critter. Good luck, Sue


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## goatkid (Nov 20, 2005)

Goats can die from pain. Do you have any Banamine? Even though her temp is low, if this is from injury and she's acting like she's in pain, this needs to be addressed. The B complex is also a good idea and if she's not up to date on her tetanus shots, tetanus antitoxin as well as toxoid would be a good thing. I hope she recovers.


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## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

This Alpine did that to an aged Nigerian Dwarf doe and a newborn doeling??? She's normally a good goat but occasionally kills or badly injures one or more of your other goats? The Alpine is a bully, and there is no reason to put up with it. I'm thinking she needs to go live with a horse. There are plenty of good milkers out there that are actually NICE goats. I hope your little old girl doesn't have to die from being beaten to death. It's sure not the way I would want to go.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

She's gone. :Bawling: I went out to shovel some snow and came back in to check on her just now.

Rest in peace, old girl. Almost all my Nigerians descend from Beauty so she will live on. 

As for Sara, she's not going anywhere. Does _do _ reject kids and she was a FF, and a bottle baby, so no experience with babies. She raised her other kid just fine. She is not normally a bully, but they've been locked in the barn for a couple of weeks now - and I didn't actually see her attack this doe, just my suspicion.


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## Blossomgapfarm (Jan 23, 2007)

I am so sorry for your loss.


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## armeda (Aug 17, 2006)

Sorry to hear that you lost her. I hope you figure out what it was.
If it was me, I agree with Laura. She should be in her own pen 
or go live with a horse.


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

Oh, how sad.

She lived too long a life for it to end like that :Bawling:


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

I saw one similarly. We "took her apart" after she died. The massive head butt had ruptured a major vein along the backbone and the goat clotted at the rupture site and died from lack of blood flow. She had edema as well.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

> The massive head butt had ruptured a major vein along the backbone and the goat clotted at the rupture site and died from lack of blood flow. She had edema as well.


Wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened to Beauty. 

Unfortunately, goats will be goats and injuries do happen. Even with hornless goats - which mine are (except for one who has one horn - still waiting for it to fall off after banding).


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

Crivens,
I am so sorry for you loss. That is so hard. 
I agree, some goat just are meaner then others. When I see the pictures of every ones goats all laying with each other ,ad looking alike a cute happy family, I just wish mine goat along like that. NONE of mine go. They all have to feel like they can beat someone else up. I think the closes they get to each other is about 4 feet. When one is laying near the door, the others will not even go near it. I do lock up three that are always picked on, I lock them up at night so they will be able to get inside and not get beat up. I do this on night that it is cold, so they can have their own feeders, water and area.

Hugs for your loss.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

Thanks. 

I spent some time with the goats today - the wethers all gathered around and cuddled, peering up into my face with worried expressions. :angel: Curly,the Toggenburg wether, tried to climb into my lap, but he's a bit big!


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## AnnaS (Nov 29, 2003)

I'm sorry to hear that you lost her.


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

pookshollow sorry to hear your little doe passed away. You done everything you could it was just her time to go. Remember the great times you all had together.. 

Sending hugs your way.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)




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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

Ohh, she really was a Beauty! Poor baby.


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

She was one of the sweetest goats I've ever known. She gave kisses (she'd lick you half to death) and loved to have her head rubbed. She came to me a year ago last spring to retire from having kids - and I think she had a pretty good retirement. Ten acres to roam on, and lots of kids to babysit.


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

What a very nice photo of her. She had some very nice green grass to eat and lots of land to roam on. She was very lucky to have you as a owner.


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## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

Well, this whole thing makes me ill. If I'd placed her with you for her retirement, I'd be beyond livid. I'm unsubscribing from this thread now, as I can't stand it anymore.


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

???????

I'm gonna wander off now. 

Have a better holiday season, ok?


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

> Well, this whole thing makes me ill. If I'd placed her with you for her retirement, I'd be beyond livid. I'm unsubscribing from this thread now, as I can't stand it anymore.


Excuse me? Beauty was with me for over a year and a half, with the same goats all this time, and there was _never_ a problem. If I'd ever seen her being bullied, you can bet I would have moved her to another pen immediately - my BoerX doeling is separated with some other doelings because she was getting thumped. 

I received an email from her owner who was sad that she was gone, but thanked me for letting her enjoy the last part of her life. He isn't upset with me - he understands that unfortunate things happen.


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

So sorry she was so cute! Pook you can have all my does that need a good home  I don't know what is with Laura, but hey you gave her a good home for a year and half. We must all remeber she was old, and old goats can;t handle tons of stress like an older animal.


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## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Laura, not a very nice thing to say. It's not like pooks meant for anything to happen. They are goats, and things happen sometimes. No one can farm forever and not have an animal die, it's just how it is.

I have personally met pooks and can vouch for her being a caring goat owner. She was very helpful with me when I was looking for a goat and took special care in bringing "Bambi" down to my farm. I can tell she does care for her goats.

pooks, I'm sorry you had to lose one of your "babies". Did you say most of your goats are descended from Beauty? Maybe my Bambi is one of them? In any case, she is a sweetie!  I hope to keep that line going........

Take care,

DD


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