# Goat eye problems



## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

My Lamancha (who seems to have the WORST of luck) has an apparent eye problem. About 4 months or so ago, I went into the barn to find her left eye was swollen so badly that you could hardly see the eyeball. I figured that she & the older doe got into it & she got her head / eye knocked. It went down in a day, so I just figured it was a physical injury.

Well, she has it again today, same eye. It's just the upper lid this time though, VERY swollen. Is this like a goat pink eye? I'll try to get a picture of it in a few minutes.

Well, here's pictures....any help appreciated! Thanks!

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn40/dustyraven13/100_1097.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn40/dustyraven13/100_1105.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn40/dustyraven13/100_1096.jpg


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

OWIE! If it were pink eye the other goats would get it too. I'm wondering if there is a place where she sleep/eats/hangs out that has something that is jabbing her. Hopefully the swelling will go down again. Is she acting ok? Eating/drinking/pooping? If so, I would leave it for a couple of hours and see if the swelling goes down...if it doesn't I would flush it saline solution and see if that helps. oh boy...that looks sore!


----------



## CarolynRenee (Jan 30, 2008)

My other three goats have never had anything like this, even after the first "eye incident". She seems to be perfectly fine...jumping around with the new kid, begging to be let out to graze & eats her gain like normal.

She's always had kind'a "squinty" eyelids, as if she doesn't like the sun, doesn't seem to ever really open her eyelids like the other goats.

There is a little bit of clear, tear-like fluid coming from her eye, but not much, no puss or funky smell (other than smelly cud burps while trying to look at eye closer).


----------



## KimM (Jun 17, 2005)

If she were my goat, I'd give her some Dexamethazone for swelling and /or Banamine for pain and inflammation, some non-steroid eye ointment, and an ice pack.


----------



## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

I does come a time when you have to think about swabing it and sending it in to a lab for culture, or having good livestock vet look at your goat. You are coming into breeding season and we have had does who are carriers of mycoplsma and chlamydia. Abortions in the late fall and winter, then you look back at the summer of pinkeye one of the does had. Pinkeye that wasn't quite right because not alot of other goats had it, but she sure did, and it stuck around, came back again...bingo she has it chronically and without meds she can also give it to the buck when he breeds her and he gives it to all the does who then abort after this doe because they are not immune. If you do a test of the exude on the eye, and also a blood test you can find out if she has a titer for either or. It does not mean she can't be saved, but it takes a very long time on meds to clear her. When bred this fall I would either breed her last and then put my buck on tetracycline or I would clean his penis and put him on tetracycline after breeding her.

The first question when you have an abortion storm is "Did you have pinkeye the previous summer"...it is nearly always the answer.

So I would take this problem seriously now. Vicki


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians said:


> I does come a time when you have to think about swabing it and sending it in to a lab for culture, or having good livestock vet look at your goat. You are coming into breeding season and we have had does who are carriers of mycoplsma and chlamydia. Abortions in the late fall and winter, then you look back at the summer of pinkeye one of the does had. Pinkeye that wasn't quite right because not alot of other goats had it, but she sure did, and it stuck around, came back again...bingo she has it chronically and without meds she can also give it to the buck when he breeds her and he gives it to all the does who then abort after this doe because they are not immune. If you do a test of the exude on the eye, and also a blood test you can find out if she has a titer for either or. It does not mean she can't be saved, but it takes a very long time on meds to clear her. When bred this fall I would either breed her last and then put my buck on tetracycline or I would clean his penis and put him on tetracycline after breeding her.
> 
> The first question when you have an abortion storm is "Did you have pinkeye the previous summer"...it is nearly always the answer.
> 
> So I would take this problem seriously now. Vicki


OMG! So, Vicki, this is what pinkeye looks like in goats? My inexperience is shinning through because I would never thought it would look like this. I thought it it just looked pink with maybe a little swelling. I also thought that if one had they all would get it. 
CarolynRenee, please ignore my other post. It looked like my horse's eye when he banged it, that's why I blew off the pinkeye. Sorry. I'll shut up now


----------



## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

It's just opinions 

Sure it could be an injury, but having it happen again now. Unless you have cattle panels where they put their head through and could injure themselves the same way over and over, than I would have it looked at. Having everyone at 100% for breeding season is simply worth the vet bill. Vicki


----------



## farmersgirl (Jul 13, 2008)

Ohh, poor baby... That's looks like it hurts! I agree with Vicki on pink eye, though.


----------



## needstoknowmore (Feb 6, 2005)

I've got a doe with odd ball eye problems, but nothing like that. 
It could be nothing, but if the tests Vicki mentioned are not to spendy (or even if they are), I think it would be well worth the peice of mind! Specially if you breed!!


----------



## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

Remember the term pinkeye is used for any inconclusive eye condition. That doe certainly does look like she's in pain. And Minnelsons initail suggestion to use saline solution was a good one. You might want to try tetracycline eye ointment for several days..about 1/4 inch of it. 
I had a couple last year I belive they were a month old, come up with pinkeye and we (vet) had to put a couple sutures in one eye. His sister had it in the other eye and it cleared up fine in both animals with Pen G, as I recall it was 5 days.
Pink eye from chlamydia shows up in the first week or two of life.


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

How is the eye today???


----------

