Worryingly Lethargic Goat

Latestarter said:
I may be speaking out of turn here, but from what you describe it almost sounds like goat polio to me. Maybe not a full blown case but mild and degenerating. If this is the case, she needs thiamine... soon.
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0065/UNP-0065.pdf

ETA: It is NEVER a good idea to just "worm everybody" as this is a major reason why we now have worms that have evolved and no longer die with certain drugs. You should always determine IF there is a worm problem first and if so, then narrow it down to what worms are causing the issue. Then follow recommended dosages and application requirements for the specified drugs to deal with that particular parasite. All goats are going to have worms. Some handle it better than others and it's not an issue. Others don't handle it and are always needing to be wormed, and those animals should be culled.
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Or listeria. Symptoms are the same, but polio is more common in kids and listeria is more common in adults.
 
Lanthanum said:
My girl Addy is acting VERY strangely. Starting a few days ago she has been very slow to react, and almost like she doesn't know what's going on. She usually is very jumpy when any human gets close but she has been doing things like standing or laying in the same place for almost hours on end, and I've been sure to feed her separately from the others but I am still VERY worried. Can someone please tell me what this is??
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Lanthanum said:
A small amount of chicken feed could've been consumed yes but not a huge amount. No one has been checked for worms because everyone seems fine. She is eating small amounts at a time and is drinking A LOT. I haven't been with her enough recently to know if she's been passing correctly either, and I don't own a goat thermometer. All the goats diet is the same, which is a half scoop of sweet feed a day, (about a cup each) and a day out in the yard once a week. As far as I know she is not pregnant, and that possibility is extremely slim. The other goats have been headbutting her when she tries to eat but I seperate them during eating time. Maybe she got headbutt too hard? She is able to move independently but it is very slow when she does and when she lays down she never wants to get up. I can even get close enough to pet her and she won't budge, she just looks like she wants to but can't. She also turns her head really slow when a noise is made and her head when she is laying down is always tilted slighty back. I went out there this morning and everyone came running except her, and she was laying down in the shelter so I called her name and she very slowly just turned her head to look where the noise was coming from. She is also pretty..uh..Stupid. Doesn't know how to go through the gate even when I lead her to it, doesn't understand why she can't go through the fence, etc etc.
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Not enough data to really say what this is. Could be many things at this point. Could be listeria, polio, m worm (doesn't really sound like it, but not much info has been posted).
She could have a raging infection causing her to act so lethargic. Could be an injury. She could be riddled with parasites, causing these issues. Could be she IS bred and has dead kids… many, many things.

We cannot help if you can't even take her temperature. You can get human digital thermometers very cheap.
How are her eyelids?

You haven't mentioned anything about her body condition. How does she look?

I have a hard time saying what I think it is. Not enough information, and if more cannot be provided we simply can't help.
 
Latestarter said:
Yes, good point... The goat polio documentation says equally juvenile and adult... But Listeriosis can mimic it... so how to know which is which? "GOAT POLIO OR LISTERIOSIS? Different Causes, Similar Symptoms, Similar Treatments" http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/listeriosis.html
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It really depends on what "documentation" you read.

Truthfully, when dealing with a polio or listeria, you don't really know. Having dealt with this personally, you don't wait around.
 
If you have livestock you will need a vet at some point. No matter how well you take care of the animals there will come a time when you have to call in a professional. Especially now that some things can no longer be obtained without a prescription.
It is wise to put away some cash in a savings account that is ear marked for the vet. You can just about figure approx. $150.00 per event. So for typical farm stuff your account needs to get built up to $500.00 or so more if at all possible. This way you can be proactive and bury fewer animals.
There is a wealth of knowledge online so use it to your advantage. Study up on things so you can do your job as herd manager effectively.
 
Hope she has improved.

We have a special credit card (carecredit) specifically for major vet bills for this reason. The unknown. two weeks after getting it as a "just in case" we had a major health crisis with my then 9 year cat and it came in handy when he was hospitalized for 3 days. I am one who is "against" leaving out of our means and off credit but for an emergency it has been a huge help in case something else has happened to drain the savings and we haven't saved enough up to replace it.
 
I have been watching her condition and she seems to be doing better but not entirely, "all there". She still kind of aimlessly wandering around and is losing a bit of her appetite. However her head is no longer hanging and her overall physical condition is seeming better. Not sure about mental though. Could she be depressed?
 
norseofcourse said:
@Lanthanum how is she doing? And the others?
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I just posted her condition, and the others are doing fine. Bonnie is being a great mamma (this is her third baby, second living one) and she is nursing her when she needs it and coming when called. Scout seems great mentally and she is seeming like her normal bouncy self. However her vulva is very swollen and it looks kinda painful. Doesn't seem to bother her though. And of course the boys are fine, after all they weren't the one's that just gave birth haha
 
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