Sick or injuries saanen

[N.Idaho Saanens]

I'm new to goats and I have a 1 yr old sable saanen wether named Clyde and a 1 year old lamancha doe named Bonnie. Three days ago I noticed Clyde was walking around very slowly and that his front legs were cracking when he walked, I hadn't noticed this before. I trimmed his hooves thinking it may help but it hasn't. I didn't notice any swelling or hoof rot, they looked normal. Over the past couple days I've had to help him to his feet in the morning so he could eat. He does get up on his own during the day but he struggles. Yesterday I noticed he was holding up his right rear hind quarter when he walked or stood. Today I was feeling up his leg from his hoof and when I got to the second joint it seemed to bother him. He still eats, drinks, poops, and urinates normally. He pees a steady stream and his poop is in the form of pellets like normal. He does look like he may be losing weight and he still chews his cud. I feed them both 1st cut alfalfa or orchard grass hay. I don't give them any grain and they've never had any mineral or protein blocks. I have also never given them any de-wormer or vaccines. However I've been doing some reading and have read that they should have a mineral block of some sort, and that they should also be wormed every 3-4 months. I'm thinking Clyde may have worms, but would worms affect his ability to stand and the soreness in his leg? Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[NH homesteader]

Hi and welcome to BYH. They should have loose minerals available. I use Manna Pro loose minerals from Tractor Supply. Has he been tested for CAE?

You should take a fecal sample to a vet and have them check for worms. Deworming on a schedule can cause parasites to become drug resistant and you need to choose the correct dewormer for the type of worm that is present.

 

[N.Idaho Saanens]

Never have had him checked for CAE. Our friends that we got them from have never had an issue with CAE.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Never have had him checked for CAE. Our friends that we got them from have never had an issue with CAE.

90% of the time CAE is asymptomatic, so you don't know you have it. It is a lot more common than you may think.

I would definitely have a vet do a fecal. It is not very expensive and you can ask about his limp.

 

[N.Idaho Saanens]

I was checking Clyde out again today and after further inspection I noticed his right ankle (around the torsal bones) was swollen and felt hot compared to his left ankle. I'm thinking he injured his leg running and jumping off their structure. It has been pretty wet and slick with the snow melting and all the rain we've been getting has made it very wet. Especially since the ground is still frozen 6" below the surface, so the moisture has no where to go. Looks like I'm gonna take him to the vet.

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYH. Sorry your boy is having difficulties. Worming for the sake of worming, or because it's been a set time period, makes no sense. You should always do a fecal first to determine if there is a problem and if so what the problem is so you can provide the right medication to correct the issue. It's also a good idea to do a follow up fecal to ensure that the recommended course of meds did indeed do what it was supposed to do. Most areas of this country are low in the minerals needed by goats and sheep as well as most other ruminants and large animals, to thrive. Even the feed that is grown on the mineral deficient soil will be mineral deficient. That's why blocks are provided for horses and cattle etc. Goats need many minerals but specifically selenium, copper and a few others. A block is very hard on their teeth as just licking it doesn't provide what they need, so they try to chew it. Loose minerals are best and you want to make sure you get the kind specifically for goats as the generic or sheep minerals do not contain the amount of copper needed by goats, which is too much for sheep and can kill them.

There's a wealth of information and experience shared here in the various threads. Please browse around and make yourself at home. We have a really great group of active goat folks and you'll get to "meet" many of them through your reading. Hope you'll stick around and update us on Clyde's outcome. Hope it's nothing serious. We're all a bunch of picture addicts too, so if you'd be willing to share some, that would be great!

 

[N.Idaho Saanens]

Thanks for all the good info. Turns out Clyde has a sprained ACL, and should be healed with in a couple weeks. The vet gave me some pain injections to help make him more comfortable. They also got their annual CD-T vaccination. She also recommended I worm them twice a year and give them probiotics plus the following day. I'll try to get some more up to date pics.

 

[ZSchriefer1]

I'd like to help you, Stick RPG 2 but I don't know how to handle this.

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYH @ZSchriefer1 from NE Texas. Can't say much as I'm about to be pounded with T-storms. Please browse around and make yourself at home. If you have a chance, please go over to the Social Section and post a new member introduction so we can welcome you properly