# Help! Please! 2 days of bloat and no success.



## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

On Friday I moved our goats to fresh pasture, and one of them got into some chicken feed(maybe 3-5 cups). Sunday at noon I found my nanny with bloat. She was laying down and miserable looking. I went to massaging her and made her walk a lot for about an hour. Then gave her a gasx and vegetable oil in a baster. Kept her walking for another hour. Gave her 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Tried to keep her walking but she refused. We kept her standing until 8pm. Her breathing got heavy and she started calling out in pain. So we called a neighbor and they suggested







stabbing her with a needle. We tried it and left it in for an hour or so. Nothing came out but some green liquid. Around 10pm I tried giving her some dr. Pepper. Then I prayed for her and went to bed. I woke up this morning and found her in the barn( she was in the grass the night before, so that means she walked by herself). I have her more dr.pepper and a gasx. She has walked around a little but mostly laying. When I make her stand up she cries out a little. Her lip was quivering last time I checked on her, which was about 10 minutes ago. I have her 15ml of pepto about an hour ago. She doesn't look huge but she is so uncumfortable. Is she going to make it? Can you all think of anything els I should do?


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

This is her


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

You are doing the right things. One Gasx isn't much. She could have 2 125mg capsules or 3 of the 83mg chewable tablets. I prefer using Therabloat, which is formulated for livestock use. It's a different chemical meant to accomplish the same thing. Pop the tiny frothy gas bubbles and turn them into one big bubble that can come out.

The danger is that she might swell so much with the bloat that she can't work her diaphragm to breathe. She is in severe danger and an immediate solution is required.

Once I stretched a goat over a square bale of hay so it increased the pressure for a little while. We got a few burps and farts and it eased the pain a little. That goat survived, but was subdued in behavior afterward. Something bad happened.

Both of the other goats I gave Therabloat to gave a big burp and fart within a few minutes and was over the episode. Instant healing. Gabby burped so hard right into my face that I could feel the wind of it.

Sticking her with a needle is probably not going to work. A needle is too small. That procedure calls for the use of a trocar, which is bigger. I read about a farmer that used a pocket knife to make a hole, then inserted the body of a ball point pen. Others use surgical tubing that looks like it has a 1/4" or 3/8" hole in it. You need to get a lot of air out quickly.

Making the hole into the rumen is a last-ditch effort, done when all else has failed and you are going to lose the goat otherwise.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Give her more vegetable oil (at least a cup) and stop everything else other than dry grass hay and water. You should see immediate relief, otherwise you haven't gotten enough into her.


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

I have her 4 oz last night. You think I should try again and give her more? Or should I go get some therabloat? This am she's still the same


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I sent you a PM. In my opinion, 4 oz of veg oil is not sufficient. She needs at least 1 cup (8 oz.).


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

I will also say that she is a saanen/fainter cross so she's pretty small. Maybe 60 lb?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Avodah said:


> You think I should try again and give her more?


I think you should keep giving it until you see results.
Bloat is serious and you can't give a little treatment then wait for results.
It's an emergency situation.


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## ladytoysdream (Dec 13, 2008)

Did you call a vet and get their opinion and or a visit ?


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

I called the vet. He said all I can do is try more oil. Gave her about 1-2 cups and then waited 15 minutes, then gave her another. Nothing yet. She is very shy and doesn't care for humans. Her friend is with her in the barn. I left them in there and expect that she will be gone when I go back and check on her.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Is she still showing signs of distress/pain?
If she's still alive she should be showing improvement if "bloat" is the actual problem.
Is it possible she's pregnant?


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Is she still showing signs of distress/pain?
> If she's still alive she should be showing improvement if "bloat" is the actual problem.
> Is it possible she's pregnant?


She is just laying quietly... She looks very uncomfortable and cries every now and then. I don't think she has eaten or drank anything today. She can't be pregnant, she was just wormed a few weeks ago and was pretty thin before Sunday


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

Another vote for Therabloat, we keep it on hand.

Barring that - more oil.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If she's not drinking you can give her:
Electrolyte Solution:
1 Qt Water
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Karo Syrup or Black strap molasses
½ tsp salt
Put some hay in front of her to see if she will eat.


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## greenTgoats (Jul 1, 2017)

Massage her rumen, hard. Elevate her chest.


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

Last night I gave her that oil, massaged her rumen and made her walk around. She started crying and shaking. Her legs we wobbling and could nearly lay down. I really thought she wasn't going to make it. It sounded like there was fluid in her stomach. This morning I walked into the barn and she immediately stood up and walked away from me. She kept walking around as I walked closer (she is shy and doesn't care for me normally) she was looking around and moving her head, before she just hung her head down. I think she's on the up and up!! Omg thanks you guys! Bearfootfarm- I have been making that for her and will continue to. I'm also going to giver her another probios today and keep her in the barn with hay.


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

Also, since I did try and stab her rumen with a needle, should I get her on antibiotics? It was an 18 gauge. I told the vet and he didn't seem to think it was a big deal, but he wasn't very nice either. He basically just said he thought she was going to die. I did call home on his day off and 4th of July.


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## Rose1317 (Jul 26, 2011)

Glad to hear she's doing better, way to go with keeping up the treatment through what was probably pretty scary times.
Make sure she and the others can't get into the feed ever again - and keep Therabloat on hand, it's a lifesaver


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Avodah said:


> Also, since I did try and stab her rumen with a needle, should I get her on antibiotics? It was an 18 gauge. I told the vet and he didn't seem to think it was a big deal, but he wasn't very nice either. He basically just said he thought she was going to die. I did call home on his day off and 4th of July.


Can a human nurse chime in here?

Because you stabbed her with a needle the contents from the gut will have leaked into her abdominal cavity. YES she should go onto antibiotics, at least a human patient would! The gut is full of bacteria and the intestinal cavity is sterile.

I have heard of stabbing an animal with bloat, as a last ditch attempt to let the pressure out. It is not safe for the animal, but then neither is bloat


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

Terri said:


> Can a human nurse chime in here?
> 
> Because you stabbed her with a needle the contents from the gut will have leaked into her abdominal cavity. YES she should go onto antibiotics, at least a human patient would! The gut is full of bacteria and the intestinal cavity is sterile.
> 
> I have heard of stabbing an animal with bloat, as a last ditch attempt to let the pressure out. It is not safe for the animal, but then neither is bloat


Terri: that's what I was thinking. Is that something I need to get through a vet? Or can I pick some up from a farm store. Believe me I didn't want to do it. But she looked horrible! I really really thought she was going to die, so did our vet.


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

You can get LA200 or penicillin at a farm supply store, along with syringes and needles. Instructions for use are in the leaflet that comes with it or search for dosage on the web.

Antibiotics are hard on a ruminent's digestive system. They kill the beneficial microbes that make the rumen work. So keep giving her probiotics as long as she is on antibiotics.

She must be a tough goat to have survived all this.

Try to make friends with her and look for a more sympathetic vet. Once you have found a good large animal vet, pamper him, butter him up, do whatever it takes to keep him thinking well of you. You need one that thinks highly of your animal's welfare.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

It wouldn't hurt to give her some Vitamin B also to help boost her energy and immune system.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Avodah said:


> Terri: that's what I was thinking. Is that something I need to get through a vet? Or can I pick some up from a farm store. Believe me I didn't want to do it. But she looked horrible! I really really thought she was going to die, so did our vet.


I have no idea: my skills are not with goats. You will probably have to call around


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

genebo said:


> You can get LA200 or penicillin at a farm supply store, along with syringes and needles. Instructions for use are in the leaflet that comes with it or search for dosage on the web.
> 
> Antibiotics are hard on a ruminent's digestive system. They kill the beneficial microbes that make the rumen work. So keep giving her probiotics as long as she is on antibiotics.
> 
> ...


Just gave her some la200 sq. thanks so much! I have only had livestock for about 6 months. I have learned a TON these couple of days. I really appreciate all of you helping out.


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## greenTgoats (Jul 1, 2017)

You can get antibiotics at a regular feed store. But I probably wouldn't give her any.


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## greenTgoats (Jul 1, 2017)

Oh, sorry - didn't see the other posts.


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## Avodah (Jun 20, 2016)

greenTgoats said:


> Oh, sorry - didn't see the other posts.


I just don't want her to get an infection and die after all the trauma we have been through.


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## Rhondar (Jul 12, 2017)

I tubed one cup of vegetable oil with 2 tsp of baking soda plus gave her 1cc of banamine for the pain and that did the trick. Her stomach was as hard as a rock and I tried massaging but it didn't help much. She wouldn't lay down and acted like walking was a strain. It must be extremely painful.

Another hornery nanny goat kept bothering her so that made her walk and that might have helped her release gas too. She still didn't eat much for a couple of days but by the 3rd day she was back on the feed. I gave her some cherry flavored milk of magnesia the next day too.
All she had was a little corn before the attack so I doubt if that caused it. 
That Therabloat works great but I couldn't find mine plus I was kind of panicked.


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