Skinny goat now has diarrhea!

Goatgirl47

True BYH Addict
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
1,164
Reaction score
1,052
Points
263
Location
Louisiana
One of our goats has been acting strange for the past couple days. Firstly, she self-weaned her then seven-week-old twins, and dried herself up (almost). She still has a little bit of milk left, but her udder is the smallest I've ever seen it.
Penelope has always been a "tank" (as my brothers call her), but now she is the skinniest I've ever seen her. She kept her weight well after kidding, and she doesn't get very much food unless I milk her. The last time I milked her was a couple weeks ago though.

Her kids were really loud yesterday, because they are little piglets, and want their milk. They have been quieter today. Whenever they try to nurse on her, she runs away into the woods and stays there for a while. She avoids them.

Her kids were born April 2nd, and although I'd rather of had them nurse longer, I think they'll be fine without milk (after they get over themselves). Penelope is the real one I'm worried about.
Today I noticed that her hind end was all messy - she now has bad diarrhea.
I put her in the stanchion and gave her some pelleted dewormer (DuMOR), but she wouldn't eat it.

What should I do? Do you have any idea what is the matter with her?

This is a picture I took of her yesterday.....it doesn't show how skinny she is, but it does show how small her udder is.

IMG_3065.JPG


And if it matters, Penelope is a purebred Myotonic.
 

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
Can you get a fecal done on her? My guess would be worms but without a fecal hard to say. Do her lower eyelids look pale? If she won't eat the pelleted stuff then get some ivermectin and dose her. I use 2cc per 100 lb. but a fecal would really be best. If she has a really heavy worm load the cure can kill her as the worms detach from her stomach and she bleeds out.

There are other things that can cause scours, like Giardia, eCoil, Salamonella, cocci, and other kinds of worms that might not respond to ivermection, like tape. That is why the fecal is so important. Any vet out to be able to run one for you.

There can also be Johne's. But not as common and diahreah is not a usual symptom in a goat but if the fecal don't show parasites or cocci then I would look there next.

Also, could be a simple as something she ate caused the scours and raising twins made her skinny. Some of my milkers just look awful this time of year and will only look worse as the hot weather sets in.

Again, you really need that fecal to know where to start.
 

Goatgirl47

True BYH Addict
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
1,164
Reaction score
1,052
Points
263
Location
Louisiana
I will check her eyelids tonight. No, I haven't done a fecal on her, but should do it or have the vet do it? I've only done a fecal once before this.

This past April we tested all of our goats for Johnes, CAE, and CL, and they all came back negative.
 

Southern by choice

Herd Master
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
13,336
Reaction score
14,682
Points
613
Location
North Carolina
You need to run a fecal. Parasite blooms occur 3-6 weeks after kidding. This will be when their parasite load is generally the heaviest.

When they are under a heavy load it is taking way too much to produce milk. This is probably why she weaned the kids. She has nothing to give.

When fecal is run even though she is an adult always check for cocci levels.

I like a 5 day course of fenbendazole at 1cc per 10 lbs. if load is very high... moderate 3 day course.

Less issues with internal bleedout if she does have a heavy load and goats have a very high metabolism... running the course with a dewormer like fenben keeps a good steady stream so it is more effective that single dose dewormers.
Cocci is something that is treated completely different.

Stay away from dewormer pellets, they are not ideal for goats and often it ends up not being enough and this is what ends up building resistance.
 

Latestarter

Novice; "Practicing" Animal Husbandry
Golden Herd Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
11,384
Reaction score
17,481
Points
623
Location
NE Texas
Hope you get her figured out and on the mend. let us know the outcome please. :fl
 

Goatgirl47

True BYH Addict
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
1,164
Reaction score
1,052
Points
263
Location
Louisiana
Would we be able to use the Ivermectin that is listed for cattle?
 
  • Like
Reactions: TAH

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
Yes, you can use the ivermectin for cattle. I use the injectable and give it orally. But what @Southern by choice says is a good way to worm too and probably safer if the load is high.

I have next to no worm issues here so I am not the expert at all when it comes to worms. I used to worm once a year with ivermectin just as a routine but have stopped. Between the dry lot my goats are on and the oak trees that they consume I have never had a worm issue, other than tape worms now and then which is treated with fenbendazole.
 

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
That is the right one, but as you can see the dosage they suggest is lower than what @Southern by choice by choice uses. I don't know if there is a cheaper way to buy it or not, maybe someone else will chime in on this
 

Latest posts

Top