# baby goat sick--help needed



## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

She's our bottle baby but is old enough to spend her days with the 'real' goats. Found her this afternoon laying out there, tummy distended and having a hard time standing up.
Stretches like it hurts. Has runny diarrhea.
I got some thera-bloat and some baking soda down her...called the vet and he said that was useless as her rumen isnt developed enough at 6 weeks for it to be bloat. He says probably gas in her intestines. Ive been making her walk, been rubbing and bouncing on her tummy, You can hear her 'slosh' if that makes any sense.
They are eating thru the fence and getting the good green stuff.
She obviously doesnt feel good. Any ideas????????


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Do you have her on cocci meds? Those normally are started at three weeks.

What's her temp?

What does she get in her bottle?


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

Is the baby eating that rich new grass and has it had its CDT?
Get probios in it and a shot of B complex helps a lot.
6 weeks it has a working rumen even though not ready for total weaning. Its not like they go from non working rumen of milk diet to a working rumen and hay over night!
Call a different vet.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

She didn't get butted by an older goat did she. It sounds as if she might have eaten something wrong though. I don't put kids in the pen with the others especially if they don't have a Momma to protect them from the herd. I don't also put a new doe and baby in with the herd also until probably a few months old..spoil them I know but I've seen them getting rough with them. Is it possible the little kid is constipated..even though she has loose stools she could be constipated still. Good Luck !!


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

She's 6 weeks old, Has had her cdt, is on cocci prevention. Temp normal. Eats hay with everyone else-grassy alfalfa. Got some yogurt down her, she still looks distended. Just tried her bottle( vit d cow milk) and she turned her nose up. Usually she will climb right over the top of you to get to it. She may have been butted usually shes with us while we are outside but we were putting up a green house and a baby goat just doesnt help at all, no matter what she might think, lol. But she doesnt act like she hurts anywhere...just that she does NOT feel good.
Her stool is still runny dark dark green-almost black.
She just stands and wont come to you. Now she is making little crying noises in her sleep:Bawling:
Vet cant get here til morning


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

I wish I had an answer, this is very upsetting....


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I don't have any answers really either but my first thought would have been too much fresh green stuff too. I have an adult doe that pigs out on the green stuff & get's bloated/gas from it & I mash up Mylanta Gas or Gas X & either give it to her in a needleless syringe with a little water or a spoon if you can get her to take it that way or mix it in some yougurt & get it down her, then I rub her sides & she's usually better by evening or the next morning.
I know you can give a goat pepto bismol but what about something a little stronger for the runny poo? Isn't Kaopectate for Diarrhea?
Sure hope the vet can figure it out & quick for you.
Let us know how she's doing tomarrow.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I forgot to ask but could she have eaten anything poisonous?


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

Theres nothing they can get into...until pasture comes back they are in their pen. Nothing but grass and pine trees to eat...

Her poo has digressed to just runny mucousy looking. Her eyes look better but shes still stretching . Cries when i whack on her sides. Got some pepto down her...hope that helps...i dont want to shove so much stuff down her tummy that she gets sicker from that. If theres no improvement by midnite i will try olive oil...*I* think its bloat, even if shes little...she looks like she swallowed a ball...poor little girl.Now shes coughing cuz she probably aspirated something i shoved down her poor throat..so i will start antibiotics to stave off pneumonia.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Poor little thing, I sure hope she get's better. It also sounds like bloat to me since your already doing cocci treatment's, etc.
I don't want to scare you but I was just reading another post that Vicki posted on about someone else's little kid scouring & that if it goes on too long that it can turn into bacterial scours. I hope I got that right & don't want to make you worry anymore than I know you already are.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

So sorry you are going through this  Sounds like you are doing everything possible. Prayers and hugs to you Cayenne


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

This is 1 of the reasons to keep Baby Gas-x on hand. It helps baby goats that get gas trapped in their tummies. I would also give her at least 10 to 20 cc's of CD antitoxin orally till she gets better. Antitoxin is a life saver for most tummy problems. And the baby Gas-x . Hope this helps some .


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Chaty, You give the CD antitoxin orally? What would the dose be? Does it go by weight or age? I just always thought it was given as a shot.


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## QoTL (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm really new here, so just wondering...

Could you give her some baking soda? I know we give it to our does to settle their tummies. Could it be given to a baby this young? Did I miss that someone else already suggested it? 

She sounds bloated to me, but I am a newbie.. I won't pretend to have any real clue.

(((hugs))) to you and your baby. I hope she's ok!


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## betsy h. (Sep 28, 2008)

I had a kid do this a week ago- I gave her 12ml of Mylanta w/ simethicone in the mouth- that's the active ingredient in Gas-x - and rubbed her tummy a while, then followed up with probios. About 10mins. after the probios, she started pooping, then I waited for three poops and on the third one she had a big blob of poop and felt better. Mine was up on her Covexin8 shots, so I did not give C&D antitoxin, but I would given it if she had not had immediate results.


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

I dont have the cdt ANTITOXIN, I only have the TOXOID, the vacc stuff. I gave her 2 cc SQ of that. figuring something is better than nothing. Her poo is pure green almost water, i got some more baking soda down her. She still wont look at her bottle.. also got acouple ccs of probios and electrolytes down her.she just looks miserable..and i feel so helpless. i can usually fix my critters
I DO have TETANUS ANTITOXIN will that work+


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

Awe....I hope she starts feeling better soon!


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

shes a little better this morning, not blown up like a beach ball anyway.
Now she has coughs and sniffles from obviously aspirating something i was trying to feed her. So tho she tried to take her bottle, she couldnt breathe and had to quit...then blew milk bubbles out her nose. still stretching out...just will keep up with the yogurt and electrolytes to keep something in her, maybe try her milk in a bowl?


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## Allan Mistler (Jun 1, 2004)

I'm thinking that if it was white muscle disease she'd be dead by now, but the fact that she's down, stretched out and off feed sure sounds like it could be a possibility. Bo-Se shot would certainly do no harm and possibly save a kid's life!


> http://www.jackmauldin.com/health/selenium.htm
> *Symptoms of selenium deficiency are similar to those of Vitamin E deficiency. White Muscle Disease, also known as Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy, is a condition in which kids are too weak to stand or suckle at birth, they consistently cough, milk sometimes runs out of their nose after nursing, and they develop pneumonia because of muscle weakness in their lungs.* In adults, abortions, stillbirths, retained placenta or inability to conceive may result from selenium deficiency. Selenium is routinely added to processed grain by feed mills, but the amount permitted by U.S., law may be insufficient for some areas. Therefore, many producers obtain a veterinary prescription for either injectable or oral supplements.
> 
> Dosages vary by region and should be discussed with a knowledgeable vet, but the following is a general outline of how many producers supplement their goats with adequate selenium levels:
> ...


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

a little banamine will help ease the gut


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

Shes not getting better, Ive given her antibiotic. Bo-se. Vit b. Probios. Electrolytes. Pepto. Yogurt. CDT.
She acted a little better this morning than went downhill again.
Temp Normal
Tummy still round but not hard, Still sloshes. Will take about 1/3 bottle of her milk(about 7 oz).
She cries when she poops and squirts out green water. I dont know what else to try.:Bawling:


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## LaManchaPaul (May 21, 2008)

I sure was hoping for a better report. Thinking of you and the little one.
Paul


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

Vet just left. Said its in her intestines and theres really nothing to do except let it pass. Said back off on the pepto etc, which I'd already done. Alls its doing is making a bigger mess of her digestive system. Will keep up with the yogurt and electrolytes. If she gets to the point she gets dehydrated he can put her on IV for $60 a day !! So all we can do is wait and wait and worry and wait.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

cayenne47 said:


> Vet just left. Said its in her intestines and theres really nothing to do except let it pass. Said back off on the pepto etc, which I'd already done. Alls its doing is making a bigger mess of her digestive system. Will keep up with the yogurt and electrolytes. If she gets to the point she gets dehydrated he can put her on IV for $60 a day !! So all we can do is wait and wait and worry and wait.


If you could get some lactated ringers from the vet you could admister fluids yourself with a syringe right under the skin. Fill a large syringe up, lift up the skin around the shoulder area, put needle in and inject. You will see the fluid form a puffy spot...move to another spot and repeat. The body will absorb the fluids. Did you get my pm?
I'm really pulling for you and this baby...Hang in there, you are doing everything you can.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

Glad to hear the vet is saying back off on pepto. I really dislike that after having a bad experience with it myself (seems that's when everyone else decided to speak up against it - after they had told me to use it!). *sigh* No gas bloat, then? If it is, then simethicone (baby gas release drops) supposedly works well.

Tetanus anti-toxin only works for tetanus (infections usually brought on by infected open wounds).

If you use the fluids (Normasol, lactated ringers, etc.), be sure you warm it up first. You can do this by putting the bag in a bowl of HOT water. Some people say to microwave the bag, but I don't think that's good for it. You just want to warm the liquid so it's not cold compared to normal body temperature so you don't lower the body temperature when you inject the fluid.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

My personal opinion is that it is an enterotoxemia of some sort. My friend had a similar event happen with a bottle baby last year. We did the protocol outlined by Jack and Anita Mauldin and the baby lived. I am thinking good thoughts for you guys. Hang in there! Here is their treatment suggestion:

For a baby kid, treat with 5cc CD antitoxin SQ, 5cc oral penicillin (the long acting) 5cc SQ penicillin, 15cc Pepto Bismol orally. If the kid is in acute pain, you can give .15cc of Banamine and this will also prevent damage to the kidneys and Liver by toxins. Clostridial bacteria growing in the gut are killed topically by the penicillin, which is the drug of choice for the species, Pepto is antacid, anti gas, and reduces pain. Usually give 500mg of thiamin orally also. You must treat the kid for two days, and allow it to nurse if it wants to. On day three, give only the penicillin, and CD antitoxin, and Penicillin SQ, and Calf Pac the kid.


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## cayenne47 (Nov 7, 2004)

Everyone keep your fingers crossed...she drank a bottle this morning:banana02::rock::buds:


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Woo-hoo! Fingers and toes are crossed!


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## Jyllie63 (Dec 30, 2004)

Oh...that is great news! 

I learned when my buck got into the grain that their tummies can be upset for a few days...I didn't think he would ever get back to his ornery self LOL


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## ChickenDogGoatQuackQuack (Mar 28, 2020)

I'm having sort of the same issue i have a 4 week old bottle baby thats currently on suckle plus as is the buckling i got with her and she has had scours on and off for about 2 week's now. ive treated with probios and tortrazuril for cocci earlier this week and tonight her belly is still sloshing and the scours is back it's green and runny not very dark though. she acts just like my other 3 babies and she eats like a little pig I have to keep checking her little belly and ending up having to stop her from eating to much. she had her first booster of CD&T at 3 weeks old. I am thinking about putting her back on goats milk now that my doe has kidded to see if that helps since i didnt get species specific formula if anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Agree with a gradual transition back to goat milk.


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## ChickenDogGoatQuackQuack (Mar 28, 2020)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Agree with a gradual transition back to goat milk.


Thanks I think I will now will it matter if her milk is still rich? She's 9 days fresh


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Not sure what you mean by rich. 

Mix 3/4 replacer and 1/4 goat milk for a couple of feedings. Then half and half. Then 1/4 replacer and 3/4 goat milk.

WATCH poops.


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## ChickenDogGoatQuackQuack (Mar 28, 2020)

It's rich it still has colostrum in it and yeah i have 16oz bottles I'm going to start with 3oz of fresh milk 13oz formula and slowly transition them back i will most definitely watch the poops thank you


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

You are absolutely doing the right thing. 

Just a couple of factoids. Y’all probably get tired of me.

“*Does* vary on how *long* they *produce colostrum*, between 2 days and 10 days.”

“The body of a newborn kid is suited to absorb those antibodies into the bloodstream via its intestines, but only in the first 24 hours of life. Absorption of critical antibodies helps to set the stage for a healthy, playful life.”

https://www.agupdate.com/agriview/n...cle_e7be777f-0f65-5a00-bb4a-d956a39aa156.html


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am hoping that the doe is still producing colostrum. 

I am hoping, given the issues the kid has, that it can still absorb what it needs.


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## ChickenDogGoatQuackQuack (Mar 28, 2020)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I am hoping that the doe is still producing colostrum.
> 
> I am hoping, given the issues the kid has, that it can still absorb what it needs.


I purchased 2 of the kids I have at 4 days old they had all their colostrum and what not from their momma, the other two were born here 9 days ago by my dairy doe but I wasn't sure if the the milk from my doe that still has colostrum in it would cause a problem with my little girl having the issues i don't see why it would but if anything maybe it will help her tummy along anyways fingers crossed im going down to feed the babies now and I hope this helps her tummy


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## ChickenDogGoatQuackQuack (Mar 28, 2020)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> You are absolutely doing the right thing.
> 
> Just a couple of factoids. Y’all probably get tired of me.
> 
> ...


It's kinda hard to get tired of help and broadening my goat knowledge i do appericate all of your help


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Huggs. Thanks!


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