# Down Goat - Need Advice



## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi y'all. I know it's been a while since I've posted here - life gets busy. But THIS is the first place I come when I need advice because you are all so helpful!

I have dry yearling doe who is down and I need some advice. Basically I need to know if there is something I have overlooked, or if I've done what I should have and just have to wait it out at this point.

A few days ago I noticed she was starting to lose weight so the first thing I did was check her eyelids. She was in bad need of deworming, so I started her on safeguard. My vet recommends dosing it at 4-5 times the weight of the goat, given 3-4 consecutive days. I used it that way on a goat last year with great results (proven by fecal exam), so that is what I have done with this goat. The first dose (day 1) was Tuesday, and yesterday was the 4th dose.

On Wednesday she was laying down more than usual, but she got up when prompted, and at feeding time, so I didn't do anything (aside from deworming) that day, thinking maybe she just needed time for the dewormer to do it's thing.

On Thursday, she did get up when prompted but would not get up for food. She is the lowest goat in the pecking order and I was worried the others wouldn't let her eat, so I moved her to my kidding stall. That space has its own attached outdoor pen so she can choose to go in and out as she pleases, there are plenty of weeds to entice her, and she can eat or rest in peace as she so chooses. I gave her a little alfalfa, a bite of BOSS, and plenty of grass hay. She chose to do it laying down, but she ate all of the BOSS, about half of the alfalfa, and most of the grass hay. In addition to that day's dose of dewormer, I gave her a big dose of fortified B complex (injection) and a dose of Selenium and E gel.

On Friday (yesterday), she still preferred laying down. She only nibbled at her hay, and refused BOSS. She has never been a big drinker, so I added some electrolytes to her water, and drenched her with some as well. I gave her the 4th and final dose of dewormer, another dose of fortified B complex. I feared that her not eating could be either be caused by, or the cause of, an upset rumen, so I also gave her 10cc's of C&D Antitoxin. I did not have any form of a probiotic with me (my goats don't live on my property - I must travel to where they are) or I would have given that too.

This morning, I found that she had eaten some of her hay but not much. She nibbled at the BOSS but barely (I did not give her more, I just left what was there from yesterday in case she was interested). Since I don't have any probiotic gel, I gave her some kefir (made this week, from fresh, raw goat milk). She liked the kefir.  I also gave her another shot of C&D antitoxin. I found also that she now has liquid diarrhea (this is new today...she had formed poop until now).

She does not want to stand, but she can and will if I make her, and she can get up on her own without assistance. She does change her position within the stall, but she chooses to stay in the stall rather than going outside. She likes to lay where she can see outside, she just doesn't want to go there (or at least not badly enough to expend the energy to do so). She does lay upright, head up, ears alert, etc. Her eyes are bright and shiny - not dull like you would expect from a sick goat. She does not seem lethargic or listless - it's more like she just doesn't have the strength to stand. There is nothing abnormal about her legs or feet, so that is not the problem.

Is there something else I should look for? Something else I should do for her? The diarrhea definitely has me worried, but could be caused by the removal of the wormload. Should I just continue with the supportive care I've been giving and wait it out?


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

Get fecal test done. I suspect Safeguard did not do the job.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

I will do a fecal today. If you are correct, what do you recommend I deworm with next? I have on hand: moxidectin, pyrantel pamoate, ivermectin paste, and injectible ivermectin. When I use valbazen, I get it by the dose from my vet because with the small herd I have, a full bottle would expire before I used even half of it. The vet is closed today, so it would be Monday before I could get valbazen.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

This is what I would do...Give dose of ivermection, give dose of Vit B complex, and top dress her grain with probios. Keep giving the Vit B everyday until her lids are good, and the probios everyday as long as you are giving her shots.
My understanding is safeguard is good for ...tapeworms...not a big issue with goats. 
If her diarrhea doesn't get better in a day or two what I would do is give her some pepto...
Find out for sure what worms you are dealing with...
moxidection and ivermection are both a decent broad spectrum dewormer but knowing what you are actually dealing with is always better.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

Alice was right...the fecal showed she still has a high worm load (barber pole). I dewormed her with ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate, gave her more b-complex, some goat probiotic paste, injectable iron, and a dose of nutri-drench since she isn't eating. She is now acting like she feels ill and it's been a good 24 hours or so since she last ate more than a nibble or two. I think the most solid food she has eaten today was 2 red bud leaves I picked for her (I gave her more but 2 is all she ate). Oh, and I also syringed some electrolyte water into her. She was resting when I left, and I'll check on her again later. I'm not sure she's going to make it though.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I always thought Cydectin/Quest/Moxidectin were better for Barber pole worms?
Not sure if you could use that so close to the Ivermectin though. Hopefully someone else will chime in on that.


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm always afraid to use moxidectin/cydectin/quest in a goat that is this bad off. It does work...so well that it can shock the goats system if they are already compromised. I like it best in a goat with no other health issues (and not pregnant), and when the need for it is caught early. Unfortunately, I didn't catch it early enough for this girl. When I went back to check her again she was gone


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

I'm so sorry.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I am so sorry.


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## Lookin4GoodLife (Oct 14, 2013)

Awe. Sorry to hear that RP.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

I am so sorry, it is terrible when you lose one. I absolutely hate barberpoles!


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I'm so sorry you lost her.


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

I am so sorry but had the same experience years ago. Fecal showed a highly resistent strain of barberpole. Sometimes even when you get the wormer into them by that time it's too late. I too ended up losing the goat. Many a goat has been taken down by HC; it is a nasty critter. I would never use Ivermec for BP. You need the heavy duty stuff like Cydectin. Some have reported good results with Levamisole as well.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Dang. I am sorry.


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