# Constipated Goat?



## Croenan

I have a goat that is acting like he is constipated. He is doing alot of laying around and only nibbling on food and water, but what makes me think he's constipated is the fact that when he lays down he shifts from side to side and seems to push occassionally like hes going to the bathroom. I don't see any other symptoms of other diseases, and I have been stumped on what to treat him for. I haven't seen him poop in 2-3 days, but I am not there all the time. (hocks are clean too) Can goats be constipated and when do I really get alarmed if I don't see any other symptoms? Should I start a treatment and when if so? (no fever either) I guess I give him Milk of Magnesia? How much if he weighs about 50 pounds.


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## Croenan

I also noticed in my research that coccidiosis can present itself occassionally without any diarhea at all. He had coccidiosis last fall (as an adult) any thoughts on if he might have it again. I keep trying to feed him prunes and apples right now, but he is only nibbling the smallest piece every now and then. I also saw him pee so I don't think its his urinary system.


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## Croenan

Another observation....I noticed that he is grinding his teeth (sign of being in pain) and occassionally he will drop to his front knees and push again. I saw him pee again, not much, but he isn't drinking much either. I tried sweet water and he wasn't interested, but he did eat another prune. Figure it helps me..should help him! :haha: I swear when I was in the goat house I actually heard him fart!?! BTW...I don't think that it's bloat and he has been in the goat house most of the day and there really isn't any poop in it. If it is constipation, then it's been almost 3 days since he started not feeling well...don't know when his last bm was. I feed them loose mineral but i can't see the ingredients to see if it has Ammonium chloride in it. I'll get some of that if it doesn't for the future, in case it ends up being urinary calculi.


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## Jen H

Well, I've never had this problem with any of my goats, so I looked it up in "Diseases of the Goat."

It says to drench with 1 tablespoon of liquid paraffin mixed with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil for simple impaction (constipation).

There is also a section for Rumenal Atony - symptoms are reduced apetite, reduced milk yield, constipation with occasional diarhea, a firm pliable rumen on the left side, no sign of cudding. Treatment for that is epsom salts, 200 grams, in 300 ml water on the first day. Then 100, 75, and 50 grams on successive days. Drench with vegetable oil and liquid paraffin. Rehydrate (you may need to get lactated ringers from your vet if the guy won't drink). If the problem continues, he suggests bran mashes 2-3 times a week - 4 handfuls of bran mixed with enough boiling water to make a crumbly mash and let stand for 10 minutes.

I don't see anything in the suggested remedies that would be harmful. I think I'd also get him on probios as soon as the problem is worked out (so to speak) to help his gut get back to working right.


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## Croenan

Well, after spending a good chunk of the night with my adult wether, I now think that it could very well be urinary calculi. I don't see blood and he is still peeing although only a small trickle. 

If it is a blockage the trickle just started to slow down....time is short. No blood yet and I can't feel any crystals on his urethra area and I don't feel any blockage there, not sure of what I am looking for though.

I checked all of my feed and minerals and I can't find any ammonium chloride listed, and he was recently wethered, so its probably a good chance that its the calculi. 

Is there anything I can do besides calling the vet. The vet is always a last resort....but we're probably getting close. (I don't want his bladder to burst!)


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## Mrs_stuart

Croenan said:


> Well, after spending a good chunk of the night with my adult wether, I now think that it could very well be urinary calculi. I don't see blood and he is still peeing although only a small trickle.
> 
> If it is a blockage the trickle just started to slow down....time is short. No blood yet and I can't feel any crystals on his urethra area and I don't feel any blockage there, not sure of what I am looking for though.
> 
> I checked all of my feed and minerals and I can't find any ammonium chloride listed, and he was recently wethered, so its probably a good chance that its the calculi.
> 
> Is there anything I can do besides calling the vet. The vet is always a last resort....but we're probably getting close. (I don't want his bladder to burst!)


I have has this problem in the past...
I gave my goat straight lemon juice by mouth 3 times a day, added 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar 5% to 5 gallon of water, and giving him ammonium chloride daily. We had to order it in from hoeggers but in the mean time, I called my vet and they had the ammonium chloride pills that they use for dogs and i went up and purchased a bottle of them and gave them to him. We had to give like 6 pills, 4 times a day because they are not as strong or something like that but the vet should have some so that you can get them right away. Give the lemon juice too and keep the vinegar in the water, it does help. Good luck.
Belinda


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## Jen H

Also, salt his food so he gets thirsty enough to drink. Keep on the salt until you get some ammonium chloride.

You can try to "milk" some of the blockage out of his pizzle. It'll be weird for you and he won't like it, but that has worked for me in the past. You'll know immediatley if it's worked, because he'll pee and pee - and look so relieved!


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## Starsmom

One of our bucks had UC at about 8 months old. We took him to the vet after the lemon juice quit working. Ordered Ammonium Chloride but hadn't gotten it in time. The vet had to do surgery after all other resorts failed. Actually performed surgery 3 times before it held. Anyway, he did fine for a month or so, then began declining. We had problems with constant swelling, stayed on antibiotics and cortisone off & on for some time. Kept him on ammonium chloride, however, still had urinary problems, just dribbled constantly. It was like it never stopped. He seemed miserable. We knew he didn't have long left, but were glad for the extra few months we had with him. He died a couple weeks ago. We were lucky though, we got 2 beautiful bucklings out of him this year, so he lives on. 

Good luck with your guy. Make sure you ask the vet about extended problems such as the swelling and make sure you have what ever may be needed on had just in case.


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## Goat Freak

What you need to do is to hurry and try to massage his pennis to make it pop out, if that does not work take him to the vet. We just had one die because we did not know and then it was too late. Hurry!


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## Goat Freak

By the way to prevent it in the future make sure all your male goats have plenty of hay, and grass, and don't give them a whole lot of feed. Hope he can be saved.


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## Croenan

Update: My little guy is doing great right now. He had a new pee hole made and is perky as ever. I will watch for swelling. So, I will definately mind his grain...he kind eats heavy right now because he bully's the does out of the way for food and the does are either nursing or preggers. How do I feed him the ammonium chloride? Where do I get it? I noticed jeffers only has it in a 50 pound bag and I have enough "other" mineral to last a long time. (Dumor loose pasture minerals....no ammonium chloride)

This little guy has been through alot in the last year and keeping on fighting so my hopes are good for him right now.


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## Jen H

Check Caprine supply or Springcreek goat supplies, I've gotten ammonium chloride from both of them in reasonable quantities. I add it to the water buckets - 2 tbsp per 5 gallons water for a maintenance dose. They really don't like the taste of the ammonium chloride, so if you want to add it to the feed you'll probably have to mix in molasses. They drink it in the water because it's the only choice (I'm so mean).


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