# constipated goat?



## morcar (Jun 23, 2008)

Hi all, this is my first post here. I'm looking for some information for my female goat.

Normally my goats poop - you know - scads of loose little round pellets. Well I noticed lately she's been pooping them in compacted clumps - for at least a day or so. In the past I've noticed one clump every now and then, but every movement seems to be in this compacted form since yesterday, possibly the day before. I've noticed her tail both up and down.

Otherwise she seems to be acting, eating, and drinking normally. Head up, eyes clear, resting or walking around normally. She responds with the usual energetic bursts of speed when the male (her offspring) butts her around. She's fed a diet of alfalfa hay and water. They do not graze; they're in a backyard pen. The only grazing they get is to keep the weeds down after the winter rains are over, but the yard is almost completely bare now (since about April), so no weeds for them to get to. I have been careful about eradicating known poisonous plants from the yard. They've been penned for at least a month, meaning only alfalfa. The male seems unaffected.

We live in southern California. The temps in the last week were hot - highs around 104/105, but DRY. The humidity is generally very low here during the daytime.

She's at least 7 years, maybe older, possibly an African pygmy or cross between that and something else.

Any suggestions? Thank you!

Here are some pics from several springs ago :


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## CookingPam777 (Oct 16, 2007)

Hello! Welcome to the board. It sounds like your goat may need dewormed or a different dewormer. What dewormer are you using? Do you go back and forth between 2 dewormers?


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Mine get clumped sometimes. It goes away by itself. If they are confined in a pen then checking for worms is a good idea.


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## morcar (Jun 23, 2008)

Never have done any worming. What should I do?


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

The FIRST thing you need to do is get a fecal float on them. Take a sample of fresh poop tot he vet and have them look at it for worms or eggs. You can not give them something if you have NO idea what you are trying to treat for.

I have a doe that gets the clumpy poops and she DOES NOT HAVE A WORM PROBLEM. She just does it. Then the next time she poops it is like it should be.


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## Naturaldane (Apr 24, 2008)

I agree with the fecal.
I also want to add, that adding fiber to the diet such as canned pumkin, rice bran ect in these times, if its not worms it will help. You can even use sweet potatoes as far as I know, I do it for the dogs and dont know of any reason goats couldnt eat them


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## morcar (Jun 23, 2008)

OK. Thanks, everyone, for the quick information.


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