Nigerian Looking Bad

SonRise Acres

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We have a Nigerian female who is about 3 years old. She has always been healthy, had awesome deliveries, just been hardy and easy to care for.

However, lately she looks a bit off. Her hips seem bony, like they are more prominent. It’s like she’s too thin there, however she’s not thin anywhere else and looks healthy everywhere but her hips. She eats well, hangs out with the other goats and sheep, drinks well, coat looks good, everything looks good but her hips.

She is acting a bit different. Y’all will probably laugh at this, but she lets me love on her. We’ve had her for 2 years. I have never been able to love on her or even get within arm’s reach of her. She always kept her distance. Today I went out and, not sure why, but reached for her. I scratched her nose, then her neck, then all over her sides and belly and she enjoyed it. Now maybe this new loving behavior is totally coincidence to the hip thing, it’s just such a difference.
 

lalabugs

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Do you have a picture? How do her eye lids look?
 

Latestarter

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First thought is worms/parasites... Have you had a fecal sample checked?
 

Southern by choice

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As the others have mentioned.
Parasites are generally the first culprit.
Having a fecal done gives you the best information. Type of parasite and load level as well as if there is any coccidia. They are treated differently.
With this information you can then select the type dewormer necessary for parasites. If there is coccidia then there are different products for that as coccidia is not treated with dewormers.
FAMACHA which is detecting anemia with the inner eye membrane is only useful for the barberpole which is a blood sucker and the most dangerous of parasites.
FAMACHA and fecal analysis should be used together.

Stand offish does that are suddenly loving can be a good indicator something is wrong. Good observation.
You may also want to take a temperature.
 

StarSpangledNubians

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Can't offer much help, but I hope you can figure it out. If she was older, I would say she is just like my old nubian girl. She is coming up in age and looks BAD. Her teeth are horrible in the back so she drops alot of food. She is maybe 75lbs. Vet said there is not much we can do for her. So we changed her diet, now she is getting weight back. Maybe she has a problem with her teeth, if she comes back with a low egg count. Does she eat normal? But like others said, parasites would be my first guess.
 

SonRise Acres

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Thank you all. Fecal looks great. Sorry no pictures right now. It’s raining and the goof lives the rain. She always has. Will try and get some in the morning as forecast says no rain.
 

StarSpangledNubians

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Maybe she has lice? One of my does lost weight last winter and became friendly when she is normally a bit scared. She loved/wanted to be itched. I found out she had sucking lice. I treated her and she went back to her normal self.
 

SonRise Acres

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Well, update: last night when I got home she seemed to look better. It was dark and raining so I didn’t put a lot of stock in it as I wasn’t sure I could see well. But this morning I went out to check our goats and sheep and deal with our babies and she looks fabulous. She’s back to her old self. We do have one girl who is pregnant and has gotten a bit more pushy with the food. Wondering if she just wasn’t getting enough. I am making sure to take extra care watching her and making sure she continues to look this good.

For those who asked: her eyelids looked healthy (know how to check) and I didn’t just check her berries because I wouldn’t know which were hers since she’s with others and I hadn’t pulled her to our sick pen yet.
 

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Well, update: last night when I got home she seemed to look better. It was dark and raining so I didn’t put a lot of stock in it as I wasn’t sure I could see well. But this morning I went out to check our goats and sheep and deal with our babies and she looks fabulous. She’s back to her old self. We do have one girl who is pregnant and has gotten a bit more pushy with the food. Wondering if she just wasn’t getting enough. I am making sure to take extra care watching her and making sure she continues to look this good.

For those who asked: her eyelids looked healthy (know how to check) and I didn’t just check her berries because I wouldn’t know which were hers since she’s with others and I hadn’t pulled her to our sick pen yet.
So how do you know her fecal is good without a fecal check? Eyelids are only good for barberpole not any other kind of parasite.
You mention thin in the hips
Her hips seem bony, like they are more prominent. It’s like she’s too thin there,...
Good she is acting more normal but if she is looking thin to you don't delay, get a fecal.
 

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