# Goat tears and eye goop?



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

One of my does, about 10 weeks old, has a goopy eye. it's not a lot, but it has persisted for over two days, and she has a wet path of tears coming from that eye. I have read it might be hay seeds in her "third eyelid" (didn't even know she had a third) or maybe pink eye? It is so hard to get a good look at her eye! She simply won't hold her head still for a minute! Thoughts?


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

First thing I would try is flushing it with saline a couple of times today and see if that helps


----------



## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Keep her separated if possible until you know what's up or it clears. Eye infections can spread like wildfire in a pen full of young'ns.


----------



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks Minelson! Just some saline solution from the drug store be ok? Just got back from morning bottles and her eye is still goopy! I wiped everything clean with a warm, wet cloth.


----------



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

What minerals do you have out?


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Painted Owl said:


> Thanks Minelson! Just some saline solution from the drug store be ok? Just got back from morning bottles and her eye is still goopy! I wiped everything clean with a warm, wet cloth.



Yes just that plain cheap Saline that they sell by the contacts stuff and other eye supplies in the pharmacy  Buy the biggest bottle and flush freely.  
Is the goop a color like yellow or green?


----------



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

I am digging via google, trying to find the mineral my doe needed to stop the weepy eyes. I'm thinking it was magnesium or zinc. Frustrating when I can't find it.

Edited to add:

COBALT!!! That's it. Geez. Yes, I have a cobalt block that I put out for a week at a time, about once a month, and every now and then, I topdress with TINY amounts of cobalt that I got from Jolly German.

It was the tri-color MiniMancha, and she had those weepy eyes like you see in poodles. She hasn't had it since I started the cobalt supplementation.


----------



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

The goats are getting loose minerals. Purina goat brand. They aren't eating it though! It just sits in the dish. I top dress the alfalfa pellets with it and they seem to be eating around it. The goop looks creamy white. dries to light tan. Looks exactly like the stuff in the corner of your eye when you wake up sometimes. Except there is more of it, a little clot in the corner. and a wet path down her cheek, that dries stiff. I only have two goats, I could separate them, I imagine they would be freaking. they get anxious out of each others' sight. Just wondering: I was brushing DE into her fur in an effort to control what I think is some lice, I was trying to keep it out of her eyes, but could diatomaceous earth be causing this? I was brushing it onto her head and everything. Argh, my poor little goaty! Lice! weepy eyes! I am feeling nervous about my goats! I am trying to give them such good care!


----------



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

This goat pink eye I am reading about sounds very scary. Everything sounds scary! And she is hard to examine! Any tips for holding her, getting a look? Most success in backing her into a corner, but she tosses her head so!


----------



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

If it's just the runny eye like little dogs get, I'd try the cobalt supplementation.


----------



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

So, another question: when getting supplements, like the colbalt, or copper, or whatever, can I get them at human health stores? And use them on goats?


----------



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

I get them from
http://www.jollygerman.com/livestock/


----------



## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

It could be that she got dust in her eye...or a piece of straw or a piece of dirt. That is why I always flush before starting any meds because nine times out of ten it's just something in their eye. Unless it's yellow or green discharge...that is an infection of some sort. Can someone help you hole her...maybe even 2 people Hold her high up, tightly with both hands like a collar, on the neck just below the ears to keep her from tossing her head. Or get her head wedged between someones forearm and muscle like a vise. Then they have the other hand/arm to hold her body. Point the nose up and it's harder for them to move their head and you have more control. Hope this makes sense!


----------



## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I would not separate your 2 little goats since it doesn't sound like pink eye the way your describing it.

I would definitely flush it a few times like Minelson said & YES, I would think if you got DE in her eye it could cause irritation &/or scratch it.

Try getting a cobalt block like Alice uses & put that out once a week to see if that helps. Some Tractor supply stores carry them but ours here don't.

For 2 little goats also there are quite a few of us using the Replamin Plus gel instead of loose minerals with good results. Might want to check it out. My goats all love it & I give it once a week. I order it from PBSAnimalhealth.com


----------



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks everyone! Love that jolly german livestock website, too! today I got the saline to start with. She hates it of course, but I have managed to squirt some in there twice so far. fingers crossed!  (I also gave her a some pumps of goat drench in her bottle, figured it couldn't hurt?)


----------

