Pinoyagribusiness

One common goat problem is External Parasites,this is a make at home formula I found on the net.
dissolve in 1 litre of water 1.25 grams Neguvon,0.3 litre of cooking oil and 1/2 teaspoon soap powder and mix well,soak a clean cloth in the mixture and rub it all over the goat(s) body.Would be nice if other producers would share information on this problem with us.

Proud Independant
mikey

Over Crowding:
This is from personal experience:goats do poorly when stressed in confinded spaces,goats need approx, 20 square feet each.I prefer 25 square feet each and in their own pen,our pens are 5x5 each ,25 square feet each pen.crowded goats will stop eating if the inside temperature reaches 30c in the barn.Remember a goat will eat at night if you leave a light on for them,they can eat a fair amount through the night.

Always seperate the pregnant goats from the non pregnant goats,more goats loose their babies this way (fighting).Always better to keep the buck(s) separate in their own pen or house.Always bring the doe in heat to the buck for breeding.

Hoof trimming,goats do from time to time need their hoofs trimmed,important to maintain good health.

Problems Which Can Frequently Be Related To Nutrition:
PROBLEMS                                           POSSIBLE NUTRITIONAL
Milk Fever                                           Ca/Phos,ratio,vitamin D,
                                                         inorganic sulfate

Downer Milk Fever                                 The above plus magnesium
Grass Tetany                                        Magnesium
Knuckling Fetlocks/weak hindlegs              Vitamin e,Selenium,copper
Nerve Loss                                            Copper
Ataxia                                                  Copper,copper-molybdenum

Orginally published in Agribusiness Dairyman

Independant Producer Region 7
mikey

Pregnancy toxaemia,also known as twin disease or twinning disease,is a serious metabolic condition of pregnant does.It affects does in the last month of pregnancy and is associated with the presence of a large single kid or multiple pregnancies.The does health deteriorates steadily.Treatment must be prompt or the condition will be fatal.Fat does in the last month of pregnancy are at risk particularly if they are kept in small areas with limited exercise.Watch how much grain you give your does.
By NSW Agriculture:
Independant Producer Region 7             Support the goat
mikey

Mastitis in ewes and does is one of the more common health problems affecting sheep and goats.Severe cases can result in death of the ewe,but more often it takes it toll in the form of treatment cost,premature culling,and reduced performance of lambs and kids.Mastitis is an inflamation of the mammary gland (udder).It can be caused by physical injury or stress or by bacteria which invade the mammary gland.The bacteria which are known to cause mastitis in cows,sheep,goats are STREPTOCOCCUS SP.,STAPHYLOCOCCUS SP., PASTEURELLA SP., and COLIFORMS,such as E.COLI.
By:Susan Schoenian
Cleaniness of floors and feeding areas are important.
mikey

Impacted Meconium:By 24 hours of age,newborn kids should be passing a dark yellow stool.If not,they may not be eating enough or,more commonly.the black feces in the bowel at birth (meconium) may be difficult to pass.This is more of a problem with small or weak kids.Use a 6 cc syringe (without a needle) to give enema of 3-5 cc of warm water.Never give oil orally to relieve constipation.Oil has little taste or feel in the mouth and is easily inhaled,resulting in a fatal foreign-body pneumonia.
By: Dr. Kay Orlando,DVM
mikey

Heat Stress:
nearly every life form is affected in some way by high temperatures.Goats are no exception.It is not heat alone that causes stress to the goat,but it is the combination of temperature and humidity when some crucial limit has been reached,which shuts down all bodily functions other than those critical for survival.
By: Extension Goat Handbook USA
Prevention:supply shade and good ventilation,fresh clean water with minerals.

Bacterial Pneumonia:
direct contact from infected or contaminated udder,navel infection,gential or intra infection of the dam,contaminated environment.
General Symptons:
fever,inability to suckle,nasal discharge,coughing and respiratory distress,gradual emacoation may terminate as pneumonia enterits.
Prevention:
proper nursing in clean,dry environment necessary,early case respond to antibotics,BUT DEATH IS COMMON.

Infectious Arthritis:
direct throught mouth,open wounds,or via umbilicus
Symptoms:
swollen knees,lameness,pain if pressure is applied on affected area.Fever at times,affects the joints,hock,knee,elbow.Animal prefers recumbency,appetite affected with grudual deterioration.
Prevention and Control:
treat open wounds to minimize infection (castration,navel) dressing,hygiene management espically in areas of confinement,treatable with antibotics and sulfa drugs.

HMD:
direct and indirect contact with other infected animals.carriers,implements arid infected materials,blister fluid,saliva and other bodily discharges.
Symptoms:
fever vesicles.erosion in between hooves,teats and udder.oral mucosa and tongue raw ulcers,foamy saliviation,smacking of the lips,difficultry in feeding,staggering gait.lameness,abortion usually in pregnant does.
Prevention:
immediate notification of Authorites,quarantine the farm,no movement of livestock,disinfect with commercial disinfectants or lye caustic soda.Keep animals on dry ground and treat lesions with mild antiseptic ( 5% formalin),mass immunization and no movement of livestock.

Ear Mites:
ear mites are quite common in kids if the adults are infected.When they scratch their ears and shake their heads at an early age,the goats should should be examined and treated with a miticide.The infected ears often show a scaly,greyish material in the ear canal.The mites can be easily examined with a magnifying glass on a piece of black cloth.If you treat one ,treat them all.

Brucellosis:
ingestion of contaminated feed and water.Aborted fedal membrane,placenta,urine and uterine discharge are main sources of infection.Infected males can transfer disease through natural or artifical breeding.
Symptons:
inferility,abortion,retained placenta,persistant vaginal discharge.In males,swollen and painful testicles with subsequent infertility/sterility.
Prevention:
blood tests and the removal of infected animals,vaccination may be tried,antibiotic medication found to be impractical.

If the animal have brucellosis better to cull it. this disease could transfer to humans.

Hemorrhagic Septicemia:
ingestion or inhalation of infective agent.Maybe normally present in the nasopharyngeal area but predisposition causes flare up of infection.
Symptoms:
high fever,loss of appetite,respiratory distress,salivation,nasal discharges,swelling of the throat and brisket congestion of mucous membrane,diarrhea becoming bloddy later.
Prevention:
prophylactic vaccination,removal of predisposition when possible,early treatment with parental antibiotics and sulfa drugs.

Anthrax:
direct ingestion of infected material,biting flies,indirect,through contact with materials and carries.
Symptoms:
sudden onset of fever,depression and loss of appetite,swelling of the chest,head,belly and legs,blood diarrhea,death is common in the early stages,colic,abortion in pregnant goats,blood stained discharges and convulsions,
Prevention:
dead animals should be cremated or buried under a layer of lime,antibotic treatment may only be effective in the early and mild cases.

Blackleg:
infection initiated by trauma of the body and oral muxosa.Cases in larger ruminants maybe source of infection in the area.
Symptoms:
sudden deaths in acute cases,less acuate,depression,fever,rapid respiration and suspected ruminatism,swelling in thigh and leg muscles (typically not painful).Crackling sensation of palpation of swelling due to gas in tissues,lameness in affected limb.
Prevention:
Vaccination,cremation of dead carcasses,early isolation and treatment with massive doses of antibiotics.

Tetanus:
direct infection due to the introduction of a organism in open wounds.Castration,old ulcerating wounds,dehorning complications.Not contagious to other livestock.
Symptoms:
early stages,rigid and stiffness of muscles.Gait will be off.Late stages,tetanic convulsions,prolapse of the 3rd eyelid,stiff tail,head and neck thrown back,bloat and other nervous signs.
Prevention:
treat open wounds with a oxidizing antiseptic until completely healed.Always use clean instruments in casteration and dehorning.Some farmers give a injection of antibiotics prior to casteration as a safety measure.

Pinkeye:
is a condition where the eye clouds over and becomes opaque in colour.Some research indicates that a lack of vitamin A in the diet may play an important factor in the onset of pinkeye.
Symptoms:
the eyes becomes watery,clouiness of the eyes is usually noted within a short period of time.There is no cure but several remedies for pinkeye,like the common cold it will run its coarse.
Treatment:
oxytetracycline,oxytetracycline of penicillin used in conjunction with eye drops.Treatment used to prevent secondary infection from taking hold,The area around the eyes should be treated daily,wash with a soft,damp disposable cloth at least 3 times per day.
Caution:
pinkeye is contagious to humans as well as other livestock.Persons handling a goat(s) with pinkeye should be extremely careful.Left untreated will lead to blindness.Flies can spread pinkeye from 1 goat to the entire herd.Separate the infected animals.Pinkeye in goats is different from pinkeye in cattle.There is one old fashion treatment for pinkeye and that is flushing the goats eyes with vinegar and water mixture 3 times daily.Wash your hands with vinegar to kill the bacteria or alcohol after handling infected livestock

Lice Infestion:
direct or indirect contact with infected animals through environment or facilites.
Symptons:
constant scratching and rubbing to relieve itching and irritation,scrufy coat (dandruff) and encrustion of exudate with scabby deposit.loss of hair,raw skin and bruises in severe infections.Goats become unthrifty.poor thriving,weak and anemic.
Prevention:
use insecticide,Asuntol,Ciodrin,Diazinon,Neguvon,Supona,Nankor.Use in a dust or solution form,one should repeat the treatment in 10-14 days to kill the nymphs that hatch out.Also spray pens and litter.Isolate treated goats from untreated goats.
By:Special Thanks to the Philippine Govt.for this information.(support the goat)

Mange;
direct and indirect contact with infected animals.
Symptons;
marked itchiness and irrition with animals constantly rubbing or licking the affected areas,maybe patchy or generalized.Skin becomes hairless,thickened or scabby.
Prevention;
periodic examination to detect cases,regular spraying with acaricides such as malathion,trichlorfon,fenthion,diasinon,crotoxyphas,coumaphos.Interval of treatment should be 7-10 days with 2-3 applications to destroy mites that may have hatched after each treatment.
By;Special Thanks To The Philippine Govt.

Bloat: kinds of bloat;
green legume bloat-from eating fresh chopped green grasses.
hay legume bloat-from eating whole chopped,ground or pellet grasses which is conducive to bloat.
free gas bloat-the inability of the animal to eructate usually associated with systemic disease or due to foreign bodies with escape of gases and favor its accumulation.
grain concentrate bloat-from feeding bloat producing concentrates such as corn,soybean,barley.

Symptoms;
RETENTION OF GAS IN THE RUMEN,INCREASED INTRA-ABDOMINAL OR INTRA-THORACIC PRESSURE CAUSED BY INTRACTIONS OF PLANTS,ANIMALS AND MICROBIAL FACTORS.DISTENTION OF THE ABDOMEN.ANIMALS BECOME UNEASY,MAY ALTERNATE BETWEEN STANDING AND RECLINING POSITIONS,BREATHING BECOMES DIFFICULT AND SHALLOW.RUMINAL MOVEMENT IS PROMINENT.

PREVENTION  and TREATMENT;
good management and medicinal regiment in feeding avoid grinding the hay or other components too finely.Stomach tube should be passed into the dorsal part of the rumen to remove any free gas.Administer 0.5-1 litres of mineral oil or vegetable oil

CAUTION;goats have been known to chock to death on mineral oil,mineral oil has no taste,in NORTH AMERICA many goat farms add BAKING SODA to the feeds and your goats will never get bloat,prevention is always the best management system too follow.The goat usually dies within 24 hours,if not treated.
By;Special Thanks To The Philippine Govt.       support the goat

Acute Ingestion of Grain Overload:
non-contagious
Symptoms:
signs appear fron 10-36 hours after dietary changes.Depression,loss of appetite and abdominal distention causing pain and discomfort.Diarrhea develops,rapid respiration and pulse,weakness,coma and death.
Prevention:
avoid sudden dietary changes.Treatment is generally unsatisfactory.Early cases may respond to high antibiotic levels given orally to reduce population of acid forming bacteria (acidosis).Indigestion maybe treated with anti acids like sodium bicarbonate,magnesium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide given orally in warm water 1 gram/kg. of body weight to neutralize rumen acidity.Systematic acidosis requires intravenous injection of acid neutralized like 5% sodium bicarbonate repeatly given.
By: Special Thanks To The Philippine Govt.         support the goat:

Dehydration:
in baby goats,this is usually the result of a prolonged battle with diarrhea.There are numerous other causes relating to sodium,potassium.The kid may appear unthrifly,the skin will lose its elasticity,if severe,the eyes will be sunken.Dehydration is always a very serious situation.,not only must you restore the fluid levels to the proper amount.One must deal with the diarrhea.Fluid level,one can do this by oral fluids,buy a commercial prepared mix,or make your own at home with salt and soda mixed with coconut water.

Diarrhea (neonatal)
always regard diarrhea as a SYMPTOM of more basic illness which can take many forms.We need to start treating the symptom right away so things do not get out of hand.We need to be constantly trying to discover the real root of the problem.This can be an organism,environment factor or something as simple as too much milk.We have to rely on certain clues based on experience to help us figure out what is wrong and what to do about it.Iteams for treating diarrhea,kaolin pectin,pepto-bismal,summet,terramycin,scours tablets,there are a broad spectrum of injectable antibiotics.
Prevention:
make sure the kid is not overfed or underfed.
give the mother vitamin a/d 3 weeks before kidding.
cleanliness is real important,careful cleaning of birthing stalls,,bedding,bottles,udders to eliminate ingestion of organisms wherever possible.
cut milk amounts in half at the first sign of loose bowels,for 1 or 2 feedings only.

False Pregnancy:
false pregnancies are fairly common in goats.If you raise any number of goats you will probably see 1 or 2 cases in your lifetime.
Symptoms:
udder enlarges as in a normal pregnancy,but usually does not fill up with milk.The doe may search for or call for the missing kid.The uterus and stomach may increase in size and/or fill with fluid,but will contain no fetus.This accumulation may be carried past the normal 5 months and spontaneously expelled.
Treatment:
better to do nothing,do not milk her,do not increase or reduce her feed.Do not give her an orphan kid  to try and raise.Again,do nothing.Watch for uterine infections and mastitis.Do no attempt a breeding if the doe is still expelling fluid from the uterus.

Foot Scald,Foot Rot & Founder:
foot scald is termed as the onset of Foot Rot and is caused by improper levels of copper and sulfur in the goats diet.As the scald progresses into rot,one will notice a foul smell and may see some discharges from the hoof area.This needs to be treated as qucikly as possible.There are a number of treatments used to correct hoof rot,most common is to trim away the rotten part of the hoof,using care not to trim away good tissue.Scrub the area with a copper wash consisting of 2 tablespoons of copper sulfate and 1 tablespoon of vinegar mixed into 1 litre of water.You can also apply copper sulfate powder directly to any lesions or scabs and leave covered for at least 24 hours.In addition to the above treatment.prepare a solution of a 1/2 teaspoon of copper sulfate and 1 teaspoon of dolomite lime mixed with 2 teaspoons of vitamin C powder,give to the goat(s) for 2 days.Check your feeds to make sure your goats are getting the proper amounts of copper and sulfur and adjust accordingly,if these amounts of minerals is not properly adjusted,the foot rot/foot scald will return.
Founder:(laminitis):
shows up as a sudden lameness where the feet are warm or hot to touch.Causes for founder are basically low magnesium or sudden intake of high protein,(sudden change in diet etc.)Treatment basically giving affected goat 1 or 2 tablespoons of Epsom Salts and adding Dolomite Lime to the feed.Once the mineral ration has been stabilized with proper balance,founder should not be a problem.
Note:dolomite lime for animal use only,do not use dolomite lime that is used for farming,they are different.
By: Goatworld U.S.A.

Floppy Kid Syndrome:
newborn kids seem to do well for a few days after birth,then start to show depression and weakness of limbs that progress to flaccid paralysis,drunken appearance.No signs of diarrhea or elevated temperature,possible distension of the abdomen.
Possible cause,too rich of the dams milk,or E Coli.
TREATMENT #1:
remove kid from source of milk immediately for 24-36 hours,dissolve a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water.With a syringe administer between 20 and 50 cc of the solution orally.Do it slowly so the kid has time to swallow.Repeat the treatment at 1,3,6,12 hours from initial treatment.Feed electrolytes as alternative until returned to milk.Also administer a wide spectrum antibiotic to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
TREATMENT #2:
treatment is one half tsp. baking soda,mixed with electrolytes and one half teaspoon Pepto-Bismol.Repeat in 6-12 hours.Not required to pull from mothers milk from this solutions perspective.
TREATMENT #3:
if the kid can walk,but is wobbly give 2 cc long acting penicillin orally and 500 mg thiamin (vitamin B1).The B1 is mixed with the penicillin,is imperative to recovery.This should work in 6 hours.If the kid is comatose,give 5 cc 50% dextrose (molasses will work) orally and keep warm.Give the penicillin and B1 for 3 days once a day.

Thanks to J.Mauldin for the help on this one.Thanks buddy.

Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis  CAE
CAE is a chronic joint disease in adult goats,in the past dairy breeds were most commonly associated with CAE,now with crossbreeding between dairy and meat breeds,CAE is showing up in these breeds.
SYMPTOMS:adults with visible signs of CAE often have swollen over sized knobby knees,sitting down is painful,goats do not wear the hair off their knees,smooth knee pads may be a indication of CAE.Does may have hard udders, sometimes without any milk.Fatal pneumonia,progressive crippling arthritis in older goats.A doe can infect her kids through infected colostrum.Symptoms with kids will usually show up in 1 to 4 months of age.Encephalitis seizures, usually kill infected kids quickly.
Goats can be infected with CAE their entire lives and never display visible symptoms.This disease is seen more in adult goats.CAE is also called the silent killer,can be very costly to goat producers.
I am not sure if they test for CAE in the Philippines.

SUPPORT THE GOAT:

C.L. Contagious Abscesses:
contagious abscesses (CL) is caused by Corynebacterium of several types,spread by contact with the pus from a draining "lump".Should the bacteria get into the lymph nodes,the goat may develop new abscesses for months or years to come.Abscesses can grow on internal organs and kill the goat.External abscesses are ugly,but the goat may stay in good health otherwise.Occassional abscesses will develop inside the udder,this milk should not be used for humans.There is no cure for C.L.A good program of cleaning the ripe abscess with rubber gloves and cleaning with tincture of iodine,isolating the goat can reduce the incidence of abscesses in the herd.Abscesses caused by imbedded foreign particles or small cuts infected with Staphlococcyus,C,pyogens,are not a contagious herd problem.
By: American Meat Goat Association

Abortion
1301



Our doe just had an abortion (or delivered dead babies), her udder is very hard and I can’t get any milk out; what is going on?


You have worked very hard for a couple of years to get Suzie Q raised up and bred and you were so eagerly looking forward to watching her with her first little ones only to have her abort. All you have to show for it is a couple of dead little things that you have to dig a hole for. She doesn’t feel very well, refuses to eat; her new little udder is hard, sore and she doesn’t want you messing with it. You have kicked the dog, blamed your spouse, yelled at the kids and, when no one was looking, had a little bit of a cry.
And if you think that that is bad, consider this scenario: You have developed your herd to the point where you now have thirty or so does, all with real good breeding, good udders, wonderful personalities and all that. It is delivery season and almost all of them have delivered stillborn or very weak kids; you have an obvious epidemic on your hands—a crisis not only for the goats but also for your own sanity.

In any of these situations, it is easy to become totally overwhelmed. You’ve looked at books, talked to sympathetic friends and called the vet. But you still can’t make heads or tails out of the whole mess. All the descriptions of the diseases which can cause abortion are so confusing and you discover they’re talking about cows anyhow. But you know you have some horrible bug crawling around your farm wrecking havoc on everything in sight.

In this introductory section we will try to:


Familiarize you with the causes of abortion or weak kids
Acquaint you with some of the options
Cover some of the causes of reduced milk supply that can accompany an abortion
Help you develop the confidence to overcome the problem and get on with the enjoyable task of raising goats

Start by reading all the way through this first section. One of the reasons for trying so hard to present a unique discussion of this topic is that we have been down this abortion epidemic road. The learning process was very agonizing. We may not be able to hit upon an exact diagnosis for you, but hopefully we can ease the frustration just a little bit. Having a look at a broad overview of the topic is a much better way to start than to dive deeply into each specific disease.

Causes of abortion, a preliminary overview
An abortion or the delivery of very weak kids that have little chance of survival can be the result of serious generalized infections of the dam wherein the abortion is only a "minor" or secondary symptom. These diseases include:

Anthrax
BVD
Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia
IBR/IPV
Listeriosis
Mucormycosis

There are several infectious diseases where abortion is the primary symptom; these are generally considered as diseases of the reproduction process and frequently occur in epidemics known as an "abortion storm." These are the things that generally send shivers through all livestock producers and cause millions of dollars in losses to the agricultural community each year. And, unfortunately, some of them are rather frequent visitors to the goat raiser. If you have multiple abortions in your herd, chances are pretty good that the cause will be found in this short list.

Aspergillosis
Brucellosis
Campylobacter fetus (Vibrio or vibrionic abortion)
Chlamydial abortion
Epididymitis (Brucella
Leptospirosis
Nocardiosis
Salmonellosis
Toxoplasmosis
Trichmoniasis

The following deficiencies can lead to abortion, weak or stillborn babies:

Caloric deficiency
General nutritional deficiencies
Hypoprogesteronism
Iodine deficiency
Manganese deficiency
Protein deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency
White muscle disease

Poisonings can also be the cause of abortion:

Nitrate/nitrite poisoning
Selenium poisoning
Sweet clover poisoning
Western yellow pine poisoning

There are a few other, rather weird miscellaneous disorders that can cause these problems but which don’t fall into any neat, tidy category:

Border disease (Hairy shaker)
CNS congenital anomilies
Myopathies, general
Myodysplasia
Rift Valley fever

Make a note as to when the abortion takes place. These periods are generally referred to as the first third, middle third and last third of gestation. Furthermore, an "abortion" may show up at the end of a very normal appearing pregnancy, causing delivery a few days early or on time but with stillborn or weak offspring or a fetus which has obviously been dead a long time and which probably have to be manually removed.

And now for a further complication of the problem:
Abortions or the delivery of dead/weak kids are frequently accompanied by severe problems in milk production. Some examples: the doe may never produce any milk (not a single drop!); she may appear at first to have some milk and then dry up; she may produce just a small amount of milk; she may produce a lot of milk, have no babies to take it and have a rapidly growing and very painful udder. It may be nearly impossible to determine if the problems with the udder are related to the disease which caused the abortion; in some cases they will be and in others they may not. (Now your vet won’t talk to you that way, will he/she?) Nevertheless, you will have to deal with the problem.

And for a final complication: it is relevant to ask what percentage of the herd is affected? Obviously, if you own only one doe and she has an abortion, you have a 100% abortion problem, but it would be hard to make guesses about the infection rate. But if you have 100 does and only one abortion, you can be fairly confident that you are not dealing with a serious infectious disease. You would, therefore, begin to look elsewhere for causes. But when you start having numerous abortions within a large herd, then the matter becomes grave. You have to start puzzling out which of the many causes is creeping through your herd like an invading army. You will want to enlist the aid of a qualified diagnostic laboratory to test the fetus, the afterbirth and the dam for indicators of the more common abortion-causing diseases. You may, depending on the results, want to test all members of the herd. By the time this whole process is over, you will learn a lot about disease, antibodies, titers and all sorts of technical terms you may have never heard of before.

Now, let’s take a moment to summarize what we have covered so far:


In using the term "abortion" we are talking about a large number diseases or disorders which can include the delivery of dead or weak offspring.
The defining event can occur at any time during the pregnancy and may also be the culmination of a gestation of normal duration.

The causes of abortion include:


Generalized infections
Infectious diseases where abortion is the primary symptom
Deficiencies
Poisonings
Miscellaneous

An abortion is frequently followed by problems in milk production, which may or may not be related to the cause of the abortion.
The percentage of the herd affected by abortions may be helpful in determining the cause and the level of response to it.


General treatment considerations

When you have an abortion or delivery of stillborn or extremely weak kids, you should do as much as you can to try to discover the cause. A fetal death in late pregnancy is almost always infectious in origin; if more than one doe aborts, then you definitely have to consider the presence of a disease. In these cases, the fetus, afterbirth and blood from the doe should be submitted to a diagnostic laboratory by your veterinarian.
Abortions in early gestation are fruently due to the ingestion of toxic substances from plants or environmental contaminants. Other non-infectious causes include: malnutrition, Vitamin A deficiency, crowding, injury, fatigue, shock, drugs (including some wormers), poisons or chemicals.

In an abortion, there will not be the usual enlargement and discharges from the vulva. There will be little falling of the sides by the root of the tail. Frequently, there will be no preparatory signs whatsoever, especially if early in the pregnancy.

After an abortion, the afterbirth and bedding should be burned. She should be isolated from other members of the herd until a diagnosis has been completed. Treat her just as if she has delivered, with lots of "TLC." The abortion causes page may suggest some treatment measures for specific abortion-related diseases. Otherwise, give the doe a long-acting broad spectrum antibiotic such as LA200® or 48hr penicillin. Taking her temperature may provide some information about the seriousness of an infection (but not always). If she has a high temp or is in obvious pain, she can be given aspirin or other pain killer as recommended by your vet. Symptomatic treatment of other signs such has runny eyes or lameness may help her feel better.

If she has an infection of the uterus, that should be treated aggressively with Nolvasan® suspension or uterine boluses.

Pay careful attention to the cleanliness of the tail, vulva and back of the udder, keeping discharges frequently cleaned off.

Nutritional needs should receive careful attention. If she will not be producing milk, you will want to avoid large amounts of high protein feeds; but a well-balanced ration should be provided. It is extremely important that she not go "off feed" (stop eating) at this time of high stress. Make sure that she has access to her "favorite" treeats as well as leaves, branches, fresh grass, balanced concentrate ration and the like. If in doubt, it is much more important that she continue EATING than that she eat "properly." For once she stops eating, the situation can become grim real rapidly. If she has surviving babies to feed or if you decide to milk her, or at least to try, then she should receive a normal diet.

Pay attention to her general health. Has she been recently wormed? Does she need to be treated for liver flukes? Parasitic infections seem to blossom during times of stress.

Finally, there are some situations where it is probably best not to rebreed a doe who has aborted due to a serious disease. Even worse, the owner should consider removing from the herd a doe who could be a carrier of a serious infectious disease. These decisions are best made in consultation with your veterinarian.


For help in sending things to a lab, click HERE
DIMINISHED MILK PRODUCTION


Following an abortion or a difficult delivery, particularly if there are no surviving kids, a common sequela is a failure to produce a normal supply of milk. There may even be a total lack of milk production. This situation has to be "played by ear," since the udder may completely dry up no matter how hard you try. On the other hand, by keeping at it and gently mlking her two or three times a day, you can sometimes nurse the udder back to full (or near full) production.
For information purposes, the following is a list of some of the diseases which can cause a drop in milk production. Any of these can occur in combination with an abortion or unsuccessful delivery. In fact, the digestive disorders such as displaced abomasum, indigestion, etc. do occur quite regularly following a difficult delivery ("hard pull"): (The page numbers can be searched for, where the topics have been completed)


ANAPLASMOSIS 8022, 8070
COBALT DEFICIENCY 5011
COPPER DEFICIENCY 5021
CRYPTOCOCCOSIS 8160
DISPLACED ABOMASUM 8300
DISTENSION OF ABOMASUM 8304
DYSTROPHY CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS, VIT D 5141
FOOT ROT 2031
GASTRITIS 8292
HARDWARE DISEASE 8280
INTESTINAL TORSION 8336
KETOSIS 1341
LEPTOSPIROSIS 8610
LIVER FLUKE 4351
MASTITIS, COLIFORM 1466
MASTITIS, MYCOPLASMA 1466
MYXEDEMA (THYROID) 8574
PERITONITIS 8360
PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY 5061
POSTPARTURIENT HEMOGLOBINURIA 1366
SALT DEFICIENCY 5161
SIMPLE INDIGESTION 8244
TORSION OF ABOMASUM 8308

 


CONSULTANT ©   Cornell's Diagnostic program

Anaphylaxis (anaphylactic shock)
8019




Causes:

If you raise a whole lot of animals, sooner or later you will experience the horror of anaphylactic reaction. This is the sort of thing which you hear about in humans as a fatal reaction to a bee sting, or in some people who eat fish or shell food, or a severe reaction to some medications, especially powerful antibiotics injected in a hospital setting. It is, without a doubt, a critical life-threatening situation which, if left untreated, will usually result in sudden death. The typical scenario on the farm is that a perfectly healthy, normal animal is given a vaccination and in 5 to 30 minutes is completely and irreversibly dead.
For the goat raiser, the most likely causes of an anaphylasctic reaction are: vaccinations (especially if outdated or previously opened),injectable antibiotics (especially pencillin) and insect bites. Just because there was no reaction to the first exposure does not mean that the second onewill be safe; in fact, the second one may be more dangerous in that the animal has been "sensitized" by the first one (which is part of the technical definition of anaphylaxis).


Symptoms:

The first sign that you will notice will be a slight difficulty in breathing. This will gradually worsen and, as airways become more restricted, you will begin to see foam coming out of the mouth (and possibly the nostrils). By this time, the animal will be recumbant (down) and weakening rapidly. In some species there may be hives, "plaques" or other unexplained swellings in the skin (but we have never observed this in farm animals). As the "critical" point approaches, the eyes will be noticeably sunken and the tongue (which will become blue) may protrude from the side of the mouth, which may now show a considerable amount of foam. If untreated, death will follow shortly, sometimes preceeded by convulsions or trembling.
Many sources indicate that there can be "mild" cases of anaphylaxis. This is, perhaps, a dangerous concept. Whenever you are presented with the collection of symptoms described above and which can obviously be linked to a recent vaccination, antibiotic injection, insect bite or other known activity of this sort, it is best to assume that you are NOT going to be witnessing a "mild" anaphylactic response.

Other diseases to consider:

Difficulty rating:   [bold type applies]

DEFINITELY a matter for your veterinarian
Do these things until you can reach the vet
You may be able to handle it youself; for the moderately experienced
Fairly simple; give it a try!

Treatment options:

Make no mistake about it: anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening situation. However, if you act with haste, you can become a genuine "hero." This is where you will be grateful that you have purchased all the items suggested in our Medicine Cabinet page and have periodically weighed all of your animals. For each 100 pounds of body weight, inject subcutaneously 1 ml (1 cc) of epinephrine. This can be given along the neck, shoulder or back, whichever is easiest. If you have no idea of the weight of your patient, a typical full grown doe will weigh between 120 and 150 pounds; therefore 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 ml will be a good guess. If all goes well, your "near death" patient will be up and walking within a few minutes to an hour or so. The response is really quite spectacular. If the response is less than desirable, you can given a second shot an hour or so later. But remember that epinephrine is a very potent drug and can provide a little too much stimulus to the heart.
If you do have a true "mild" case, which might better be described as a regular allergic reaction, human anti-histamine tablets will help to reduce some of the symptoms; but be sure to have the epinephrine ready!


Prevention

Always make sure that you do not use vaccines that are outdated or have been opened (previously had a needle stuck in them) for any length of time. If you are careful to observe each animal for about an hour after every shot, you will be able to administer epinephrine before the situation gets completely out of hand.
Additionally, now that we have convinced you to keep a bottle or two of epinephrine in the refrigerator, be sure to check the expiration date and reorder when necessary. And please remember that epinephrine is a very powerful drug (hormone) and should never be used carelessly. Over-administration can cause rapid death.

CONSULTANT ©   Cornell's Diagnostic program

Anaplasmosis
8022




Causes:
Anaplasmosis is quite rare in goats; but when an infection occurs, it is usually caused by invasion of red blood cells by the blood parasite (rickettsial) Anaplasma ovis. In cattle, the disease is caused by A. marginale or A. centrale. Transmission is through insect vectors, especially ticks and flies. There is also some evidence that it can be transmitted to the fetus in the womb ("in utero").
Symptoms:

The important symptoms are fever, anemia and icterus (jaundice or yellowing of the mucous membranes will be obvious). In cattle, the severity of the disease is directly related to age, with adults showing the greatest difficulty. Additionally, a drop in milk production, weight loss, depression, dehydration, constipation and lack of appetite may be observed. Some animals which recover remain weak and emaciated through life.
Other diseases to consider:

Anthrax.
Difficulty rating:   [bold type applies]

DEFINITELY a matter for your veterinarian
Do these things until you can reach the vet
You may be able to handle it youself; for the moderately experienced
Fairly simple; give it a try!

Treatment options:

LA200® and "TLC" along with a lot of help from your vet and rigid control of insects.
Prevention

The disease can be spread at dehorning and castration; always use sanitary procedures and try to avoid bleeding. Also, always try to keep flies and ticks to a minimum.



CONSULTANT ©   Cornell's Diagnostic program



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bluetongue
8072




Organism:  An insect-transmitted virus
Symptoms:


Tongue cyanotic (blue) and swollen; salivation; mouth lesions (ulcers), exfoliate, necrosis; lips, ears, neck and nose, hyperemia (red and swollen); shortness of breath; pneumonia; corona, vesicles; lameness; depression. Can also have: conjunctivitis, hair loss, high fever, yellow discharge from nose, crusts on upper lips.
Other diseases to consider:

Photosensitization, mycotic stomatitis, vesicular stomatitis, soremouth, foot and mouth disease.
Difficulty rating:   [bold type applies]

DEFINITELY a matter for your veterinarian
Do these things until you can reach the vet
You may be able to handle it youself; for the moderately experienced
Fairly simple; give it a try!

Treatment options [from "goatwisdom"]

Bluetongue is mostly a disease of sheep, but it can be found in goats. Most important thing is prudent insect control, especially "no-see-ums" or gnats. Most will recover on their own. Vaccinations are available, but these should be used ONLY after consultation with your vet since they can cause a lot greater harm than good.


Washington State
CONSULTANT ©   Cornell's Diagnostic program



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coughing
8080


[This page will later be moved into a section on "Respiratory Diseases."]
Coughing

Coughing usually indicates one of 4 things:

--Choking on food. Some goats may be eager eaters, crowd together and fuss and stew; they tend to choke and cough and snort and sneeze and have an awful time.
--Vitamin A deficiency (See "Deficiencies" section).

--Allergies, dust, etc. Change feed, ignore for a while. There may be a lot of coughing during the late summer months as things tend to dry up and there is more dust in the environment.

--Respiratory infection: Will probably also have sniffles most of the time. Can be bacterial, fungal, viral. Look to see if there are other symptoms. Coughing at feeding time is usually related to choking. Rub front of neck (brisket) and throat to see if you can elicit a cough by doing that. If she coughs again put your ear against the side of her ribs and try to listen to where any sounds are coming from. If it's an infection of the lungs, you will hear a watery rattling noise that is quite unmistakable.


I have a regular routine that I use for all our animals who develop respiratory infections. Day 1: LA200 at 4.5 ml IM per 100 lbs. Days 2, 3 and 4: LA200 at 2.25 ml IM per 100 lbs. If not all better, Days 5, 6 and 7: Tylan 200 at 4 ml IM per 100 lbs. If still not all better: Days 8, 9 and 10: Tylan 200 at 4 ml IM per 100 lbs (once per day) PLUS Penicillin Procaine G at 4 -5 ml IM per 100 lb twice per day 12 hours apart. If this doesn’t work, then either try sulfa boluses or consult with your vet about the possibility of a fungal infection. All of these remedies are accompanied by a liberal application of Vicks® around the nose and throat with a small amount placed on the back of the tongue.

If fungal, it takes a very special Rx from Vet. Nothing will help viral infections. Don’t be too hasty to doctor until you have a fairly good idea as to what you are dealing with But don't wait too long, because you then get to deal with pneumonia.

There is growing evidence that coughing in goats can be caused by one of the mycoplama organisims. For some brief comments on this topic, see our page on Mycoplasma. The above treatment regimens do not apply.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



 

Infertility
1101



The term infertilility can refer to a number of situations and we need to be careful to specify just what we are talking about. These include:


Failure to conceive
Aberrations of the estrus cycle, including dysfunction of the ovaries, hypothalamus or pituitary gland

Prenatal death (including abortion), which may be undetected

Perinatal death, which means death at less than one week of age


Remember than proper nutrition goes a long way in helping the doe begin a healthy pregnancy. Another problem can be that the owner simply fails to observe the heat. Sometimes the doe has to be watched very carefully, especially if she is not near a buck. The heat may last only a few hours while others have heats that can last for a full day or two. In short, there is a vast difference in how does go about having their heats and even the same doe may exhibit heats of different lengths. So if someone tells you that this or that must happen when a doe is in heat, you can be assured that they have not been around a lot of goats.
Silent heat

This confusing term means that the doe ovulates normally and does all the functional things perfectly right, but just doesn’t make a psychological display of what is going on. She can become pregnant if bred at this time. [We will have to confess to restraining does in order to enable a breeding even though they do not show overt signs of heat; they may or may not be cooperative in these endeavors.]

Infectious diseases
Abortion-causing diseases can make it look like the doe hasn’t bred.
Inflammation of the cervix; must be treated with product such as Nolvasan ®.

Inflammation of the vagina: yellow nodules inside lips of the vulva. Paint daily with iodine swab.

Signs may include: lethargy, anorexia, frequent urination, excessive thirst.

Ovarian problems
Ovarian cysts are quite common in goats. They seem more common in "middle-aged" or older does. The doe with ovarian cyst(s) may exhibit "nymphomania," meaning that it seems she is in heat all the time. Or there can just be frequent heats or heats with irregular distances between them, or even masculine behavior. Generally, she will look pretty healthy. This condition can sometimes be treated with hormone injections, which are only available through your veterinarian. Treatment is not always successful. In cattle, the cysts can be manually ruptured, but this may be a whole lot more difficult in goats.
She may have non-functioning ovaries, which will be small. This can be due to low energy feed intake, stress or illness.

Ovarian difficulties can also take the form of too much or too little hormone production which can lead to disturbed cycles, hair loss or constant heat and even reduced growth.

There are also a few cases where the doe will cycle every 42 days, which may indicate problems with one of the ovaries.

Any of these situations usually indicate that you need to discuss the matter with your vet.


Anestrus or irregular cycles
From injuries, endocrine problems or from some disease. In goats, Vitamin E and Vitamin A may help.
Death of fetus
This is possibly the most common cause of infertility. Death occurs 10 or more days after conception, with a mummified fetus and "pyometra" (pus coming from uterus). It may persist for a year or more. The doe will usually expel the fetus. . .eventually.
Retained afterbirth
Can lead to infertility.
Feeding
Don’t feed heavily right after mating. Avoid feed high in estrogen (e. g. alfalfa).
The Buck
The male may be too young or too old, or have other problems.
Obesity
Any overweight animal may have trouble conceiving.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inherited and Congenital Defects
When babies are born which are in less than perfect condition, it is said that they have a congenital defect. There are a number of things which can cause birth defects. Environmental factors can cause problems, such as when a pregnant cow eats some species of lupine, she is apt to produce a calf with skeletal defects known as "crooked calf disease." In our "Goats in the News" section you can read of researchers who are able to produce kids with cleft palates by means of chemical interventions. Some disorders can be inherited from through a gene or a combination of genes. These present a problem for all whole raise animals because they can be passed on to future generations. It is generally assumed that if they appear, the animal should not be used for breeding purposes.

Here we will list a number of congenital anomalies; those which can be heritable are marked with . Where there are known causes, these will be noted in double parenthesis.

1002 General


Lethals and sublethals
Jaws, undershot and overshot

Double or supranumary teats (common in goats)

Rectal prolapse

Entropion (inverted eyelids)

Cryptorchidism ( retained testicles)

Skin folds

Cheiloschosis (cleft lip)

Palatoschisis (cleft palate

Agnathia (lack of mandible)

Abnormal number of teeth

Premature shedding of baby teeth

Dilatation of esophagus

Abdominal hernia

Umbilical hernia (Also caused by hard delivery)

Inguinal hernia

Scrotal hernia

Perineal hernia

Atresia (no opening) of colon

Rectovaginal fistula

"Crooked calf disease" ((lupines))

Arthrogryposis, hydranencephaly and ataxia ((Bluetongue virus in dam))

Cerebellar dysplagia, brachygnathia, alopecia, dysmyelinogenesis, hydrocephalus, optic neuritis ((BVD virus in dam))

Goiter ((Iodine deficiency))

Enzootic ataxia ((Copper deficiency))

Limb deformities ((Manganese deficiency; Akabane virus))

Rickets ((Vitamin D deficiency))

Vision defects ((Vitamin A deficiency))


1003 Musculoskeletal
Usually from toxins or viruses during pregnancy

Brown atrophy (masseter muscles and diaphragm)
Double muscling

Muscular steatosis

Congenital articular rigidity (joints fixed)

Hydrocephalus

Contracted flexor tendons (walk on front of feet, repairable)

Dyschondraplasia

Femoral nerve paralysis (from hard pull at delivery)

Limber leg (incompletely formed muscles)

Osteogenesis imperfecta (fragile bones)

Polydactyly (Dew claws missing, toes may be fused)

Syndactyly (Fusion of toes)


1004 Reproductive

Cryptorchidism (Failure of one or both testicles to descend, don’t keep)
Prolapse of prepuce (from trauma)

Deviation of or corkscrew penis

Hermaphroditism

Double cervix

Rectovaginal constriction


1006 Skin

Albinism
Skin fragility

Epitheliogenesis imperfecta

Imperfect keratogenesis (rash on legs, scaly skin folds)

Congenital ichthyosis ( no hair, horny plaques, lethal)

Hypotrichosis (some lethal, teeth missing)

Dermatosis vegetans


1008 CNS
Most congenital disorders of the central nervous system come with names too long for the average intelligent person to understand and with symptoms that simply cannot be treated. These are more common in cattle and fairly rare in goats. We’ll mention just a few.


Convulsions
Anencephaly (Failure of cranium to develop, prolonged gestation, cleft palate, no tail)

Exencephaly (Brain exposed)

Hydrocephalus

Epilepsy (Appears in 2nd year)

Spastic paresis


1010 Urinary

Kidney cysts
Renal dysplasia and hypoplasia

Ectopic ureter

Spadias (urethra opens on side of penis)


1012 Metabolic
These are progressive and usually fatal during the first few weeks of life. (And, I have no idea what some of them are.


Mannosidosis
Gangliosidosis

Glycogenosis

"Maple syrup" urine

Goiter

Parakeratosis (edema disease)

Osteogenesis

Cardiomyopathy

Dermatosparaxia

Errors of bone and cartilage growth


1014 Dwarfism

Extremely rare in goats.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mycoplasma
8000




Mycoplasmas are slow-growing micro-organisms, members of the mollicute family, and are characterized as virus-like infectious agents, somewhere between a virus and bacteria. They lack the normal rigid peptidoglycan cell wall of bacteria, which allows them to invade all the tissues and organs of the body, including the brain, causing complex symptoms. There are hundreds of different mycoplasma subtypes and strains.
The two most common isolation sites in humans are respiratory and genito-urinary tracts, although isolation from synovial fluid and other anatomical sites have been reported. Mycoplasma are currently under intense study as being at least a cofactor in the causation of AIDS, Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), Gulf War Illness (GWI), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

Mycoplasmas are known to cause serious and often fatal illness in goats. These are caused by several different subtypes and strains. These include M. capricolum subsp capripneumoniae, M. capricolum subsp capricolum, M. conjunctivae, M. mycoides subsp. capri, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides LC, M. putrefaciens, M. yeatsii, A. oculi. For those who like to surf for pictures, the following links to some of the more common types are provided:

A test for detecting Mycoplasma in the blood, known as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been developed, but it may not be available through all labs at this time. Although they have probably been around for a long time, mycoplasma infections appear to be on the increase in goat herds and will certainly be receiving increased scrutiny in the future.

In goats, the disease tends to lead to five basic problems:


Respiratory (Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia)

M. agalactia, M. mycoides mycoides LC, M. strain F38, M. mycoides capri
This disease appears to be increasing in frequency among adult and baby goats around the world. It is extremely contagious and results in a very high percentage of deaths in a herd. First signs are cough, shortness of breath, runny nose, loss of appetite and severe weakness. It can be accompanied by a high fever, with the head lowered and/or extended and an arched back. Since the causative agents can also be found in cases of mastitis and abortion, it is indeed possible that the disease can be transmitted from an infected dam; although it is generally presumed to be spread via aerosol droplets. Likewise, another of the symptoms that can accompany CCP is arthritis, but this will be discussed below. There are some forms of the disease which show no respiratory signs, but merely weakness and a high fever (septicemia, see below).

Arthritis (polyarthritis)

M. agalactiae, M. capricolum, M. mycoides
This is the situation most likely to be seen by goat herders. Healthy young kids will suddenly start limping, hunch their backs, stop eating, go down crying in obvious pain and die within a few hours. Blindness has also been reported. In some instances, the mothers will be obvious cases of mycoplasma mastitis (see below), but the link is not always guaranteed. The diagnosis must be differentiated from enterotoxemias of Clostridium perfringens C and D and "navel ill."
Mastitis ("Contagious Caprine Agalactia")

M. agalactiae, M. capricolum, M. mycoides, M. putrefaciens
This topic has been covered at our page on mastitis. The dam will show the signs of mastitis discussed there (with the odor of putrification if caused by M. putrifaciens), but the kids may show any or all of the mycoplasmal symptoms of pneumonia, arthritis, conjunctivitis (with yellow discharge), septicemia, fever, weakness, etc. leading to a very high mortality rate.
Conjunctivitis (Infection of the lining of the eye)

M. agalactiae, M. conjunctivae, M. mycoides
It will be practically impossible to tell this type of conjunctivitis from the many other common types, unless it occurs with some of the mycoplasmal symptoms mentioned above. We have had some people report a yellow discharge in cases where this disease has been suspected, but this does not have scientific support.
Septicemia

M. capricolum, M. mycoides, M strain F38
This is a really serious perdicament wherein the infection has more or less penetrated throughout the entire body. It frequently results in rapid death and will resemble the situation discribed under arthritis above. It can probalby be the end result of any of the above.
Treatment
There are some sources which recommend the strict culling of all cases of mycoplasma infection due to the fact that successful treatment may result in the creation of carriers which can later infect new additions to the herd or someone else's animals if the carriers are sold. This may be a matter of personal choice and we do not have enough information to judge the validity of these claims.

If there is going to be any success at all, treatment must be immediate and vigorous. All showing any of the above signs should be isolated at once. All members of the herd should be started on a course of antibiotics. Most authorities recommend the use of tylosin (Tylan200®) IM for 3 or 4 days. Others have had success with high doses of tetracyclines such as LA200®. (We would choose the Tylan®.) There is some evidence that penicillin may do more harm than good. We STRONGLY suggest that you follow the advice of your veterinarian.

Supportive therapy is also important. If the mother has any signs of mastitis (or any of the other mycoplasmal symptoms), the kids should either be bottle fed off other dams or her milk should be pasteurized.

There is currently some speculation as to the transmission of mycoplasmas to humans. Although there is increased attention to possible human disease implications, there has not been enough solid evidence that we know of to justify the classification of mycoplasma as a true zoontic disease. None of the subtypes discussed above have been mentioned as being present in human patients that we know of. But more research in this area is certainly in order and will probably be undertaken in the future. Milk taken from an infected doe would best be disposed of and normal precautionary measures such as milking known sick animals last should always be followed.

Comments

In preparing for this page, I have been deeply fascinated by this topic. It is one which shall certainly hold a lot of interest for veterinary (and human medical) researchers in the near future. There are obviously an awful lot of blank pages to fill in. In our "Symptoms pages"  you will notice the Heidi Disease listed quite frequently. This is a disease which went through some of the kids in our herd a few years back. I was never able to make a definite diagnosis, but in preparing for this page, I have an inkling that it may have been the result of one of the types of mycoplasma.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Off Feed



This is a brief outline of some of the things that I have gathered together that can cause an animal to go off feed. It's not meant to be an exhaustive list. Just some ideas to explore.

MOUTH

Stomatitis
Dental/peridontal problems (check molars)
Cleft palette
Salivary gland abscesses
Pharyngitis
(Whenever an animal is off feed, it is very important to do whatever it takes to get a good look inside the mouth [teeth, tongue {top and bottom}, gums, cheeks, lips]. This is generally a job for two people.)

DIGESTION

Simple indigestion
Moldy or bad food leading to indigestion
Vagus indigestion
Grain overload
Bloat
Acidosis
Gastritis
Obstruction
Abomasum, displacement
Abomasum, distention
Abomasum, torsion
Abomasum, Impaction
Abomasum, Ulcer
Telescoping of intestine
Loop in intestine
Peritonitis
Moldy lupine
(Except for major surgery, there's not much you can do for some of these.)

PARASITES

Coccidiosis
Nematodirus
Stomach worms
Strongyloides
Stomach flukes
Cestodes
Tick infections
(Most worm infestations seem to happen in herds that have been wormed, but not properly. Rotate wormers to avoid resistance to products. Also, the worm medicine can depress rumen flora and it's a good idea to give probiotics after worming.)

INFECTIONS

Emphysema
Chlamydia/transmissible serositis
Vulva/vaginitis
Tuberculosis
Trichinosis
Salmonellosis
Toxoplasmosis
Foot rot
Clostridium perfringens B and C
Clostridium septicum
Clostridium haemolyticum
Actinomycosis
Anaplasmosis
CAE (Canine arthritis and encephalitis)
Babesiosis
Pneumonia
Cryptococcosis
Leptospirosis
Listeriosis (Most of these diseases require antibiotic treatment, which in turn can depress the activity of rumen flora. It's a good idea to add Probiotics to the treatment regime.)

IMBALANCES AND DEFICIENCIES

Ketosis
Calcium/phosphorus imbalance
Anemia (iron)
Vit B1 deficiency (polioencephalomyelitis)
Salt deficiency
Zinc deficiency
Protein deficiency
Cobalt deficiency
Phosphorus deficiency

POISONS

Bracken fern
Copper
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
2 4-D
Mycotoxicosis
Tall fescue poisoning
Oak leaf poisoning
Tannic acid poisoning
Petroleum products
Rodenticides
Selenium poisoning
Senecio poisoning

PREGNANCY AND DELIVERY, ETC

Pregnancy toxemia (delivery may resolve)
Full of large babies (feed small amounts more frequently)
Milk fever
Uterine infection (a very common cause of anorexia)
Retained afterbirth
Mastitis (easy to overlook)

MISCELLANEOUS

Urinary calculi
Heart problems
Hardware disease

TREATMENTS FOR ANOREXIA

Green roughage, cud material from "donor", molasses on feed and in warm water, Nutri-Drench(R), Glucose, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B Complex, Probiotics, put in with a good eater, uterine wash if infected, mild exercise. If antibiotic is used, consider use of LA200 because it sometimes help stimulate appetite
If the animal is chewing it's cud, that is a sign of a good prognosis.
The sooner you start trying to turn things around, the better the chance of success.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prolonged gestation
1291

Delivery takes place when the baby releases cortisol, a hormone which signals the mother to begin those activities which result in the expulsion of the fetus. In goats, this takes place on about day 151 of the gestation. The "normal" range is anywhere from 146 to 155 days. If you raise a lot of (full size) goats, you will find that nearly all deliveries take place between 150 and 152 days. The longest gestation that we have experienced is 158 days. Parturition can also be initiated by the death of the fetus, which, although unfortunate, can only be considered a blessing in that it reduces the number of incidences wherein you have to perform this very unpleasant task yourself.

Luckily, a genuine case of prolonged gestation is extremely rare in goats, unlike cattle. It is caused by genetic factors or by maternal consumption of certain plants. A lesion develops in the fetus which prevents the release of costisol.

Symptoms

Obviously, the normal number of days of the gestation period are exceeded. The baby will continue to grow until death takes place, which initiates a half-hearted attempt at labor. There will probably be some udder development with little or no milk production.
Treatment and follow up
The first thing to do when you suspect prolonged gestation is to go back to your records and very carefully review your dates. Chances are good that there's an error in your computations. Also, consider a date 21 days later than what you expected on the assumption that she really bred on the next heat cycle.
If you are sure that you do have a case of prolonged gestation you can get an injection from or by your veterinarian to induce parturition or there is a chance that a Caesarian delivery can be performed to save the dam, but there is a good likelihood of a less-than-perfect offspring. The options need to be carefully discussed with your vet.

Since this disorder can be inherited, you may want to cull the doe.







 

Dermatosis
3151


This fancy word simply means any skin disease; it should not be confused with dermatitis which means inflammation of the skin.
The following are some of the non-infectious causes of skin disorders. Very often a symptom appearing on the skin is only an indication of an underlying condition, which has to be discovered and treated before the skin symptoms will disappear. A little detective work will be needed to figure out exactly what you are dealing with. Fortunately, most of these are not life threatening. . .at least for a while. In addition, most of them will be accompanied by loss of hair (alopecia).


Nutritional deficiencies: vitamins, proteins, fats, minerals. Trace element deficiencies, such as zinc, can cause skin problems in goats
Disorders of internal organs: kidneys, liver, uterine infections
Poisoning: hyperkeratosis, rat poison, ergotism, mercury, iodine
Hormones: thyroid (hair loss, dry scaly, folded skin); pituitary (loss of hair in armpits [axilla], rib cage and abdomen); adrenal (skin changes); hypoinsulinism (diabetic itching). Fortunately, hormone problems, especially of the sex hormones, as not nearly as common in ruminants (like goats) as in dogs and cats

General observations
3002



Random general comments regarding skin ailments:

Most bacterial skin infections are not contagious.
Areas affected by causes:


Inhalant allergy: face, axilla (armpit), feet
Food allergy: dermatitis and lower back, perineum
Endocrine disorders: truck
Sex hormone: dermatoses, lower back, groin, perineum, folds of flank, axilla, feet, face
Seborrhea: edges of ears, trunk, perineum, groin, umbilicus, nipples, interdigital
Contact dermatitis: feet, scrotum, groin, axilla, lips

Causes sorted by area affected
Face: autoimmune, pyoderma, demodectic mange, contact dermatitis, ringworm, scabies, seborrhea
Feet: neurotic dermatoses, pyoderma, demodectic mange, atopy (inhalant allergy), hookworm, vasculitis
Lateral elbows: scabies, calluses, pressure point pyoderma
Trunk: pyoderma, seborrhea, demodectic mange, cheyletiella, endocrine problems
Ears: scabies, seborrhea, autoimmune, hives, pyoderma, vasculitis, drugs given nursing dam
Lower back: flea allergy, food allergy, hyperesthesia
Groin: pyoderma, autoimmune, contact dermatitis, atopy, seborrhea

Skin remedies
3002

On the introductory skin page we mentioned that there will be situations where it will be impossible to determine the exact causative agent for the problem at hand. Here, we will list some of the items in the medicine chest and some hints for their use. One needs to remember that in some situations it is against the law to use drugs in a manner different from and for a species different from what is specified on the label.

Bag balm® (Udder balm):
Great for rubbing into skin of udder and teat; use for those situations where the skin needs to be kept soft and pliable. Do not use when you want the injury to be kept dry. Is a mild antiseptic, but do not use in the presence of pus or oozing fluids. Will sometimes help to relieve itching from bites. Can use as a rub for stiff joints (benefit may be more from the rubbing).

Benzocaine topical spray:

Topical pain killer to spray on wound or bite to keep animal from chewing on itself. May be getting hard to find. Can use one of the products such as Anbesol®, designed for gum or dental treatment in people.

Betadine (Povidone Iodine Solution):

A tremendously useful mild iodine and soap preparation (surgical scrub) that can be used in cleaning wounds and for the treatment of a multitude of skin ailments where regular iodine is just too strong for frequent use. Great for those mysterious little sores that appear on udders. Can be used safely on serious injuries.

Blood stopper:

Effective in stopping minor bleeding in emergency situations. Always have handy when you trim feet. Frequently, kids will knock off the buds a few days after dehorning and this can cause profuse bleeding. It some situations such as this it is helpful to put the powder on a bandage which is then used to apply pressure to the bleeding area. Sometimes, you will have to hold the bandage in place for quite a long time. This product also contains an ingredient which helps prevent screwworm and maggot infestation of the injured area.

Cattle dust:

Useful for external parasites such as lice, flies, etc. Goats are not as much bothered by flies as much as most animals. Helpful for those mysterious summer-time bald spots that sometimes happens to does who are heavy milkers or under stress.

Eye ointment:

Terramycin ophthalmic ointment is the one most available. You always need to have this on hand for eye injuries and infections. Whenever there is redness of the eye, discharge, bruising, cloudiness or infection, ointment should be applied (inside the lower lid). Whenever there is clouding of the eye, ointment should be applied, at least until the exact cause has been determined. In most instances this will prove to be some sort of injury or foreign body, which will have to be located and removed before improvement will be noted. If the cloudiness does not disappear in two days, then you should again examine the eye (especially behind the third eyelid) carefully for stickers or other objects that are scratching the surface, consider one of the serious systemic diseases that can cause cloudiness or have your veterinarian check for cataracts.

Eye ointments can be used very effectively outside the eye because of the safety factor. For example, a small injury or infection near the eye can be treated with eye ointment without having to worry about getting some strong preparation (such as iodine) into the eye. This would also be the case with the prepuce, the vulva, anus and other sensitive areas.

Since the tubes are very small, it is wise to have two or three on hand (preferably refrigerated).

Fungisan® (or some other brand of liquid fungus treatment):

Many of these preparations can be found in the dog section of supply catalogues. Most of these are quite safe if used according to label instructions. Many skin ailments, not just ringworm, are fungal in nature. These are typified by loss of hair with or without white crusty covering. If there are no ectoparasites found in a skin scraping, one should consider a fungal infection.

Fungus ointments:

Sooner or later you will have a case of ringworm. This should always be considered a serious problem and treated immediately and properly. For ringworm, use one of the standard people fungus remedies. An effective approach is to alternate daily treatments of iodine and fungus ointment. Generally, the ointments are more effective than the liquids and a preferred for the more serious problems.

Hemorrhoid ointment:

Do goats really get hemorrhoids? Probably not. But does frequently develop swollen and/or injured vulvar tissues before, during and after delivery. Remedies sold for the purpose of "shrinking" hemorrhoids in people do wonders to reduce swelling in this delicate area, sometimes within a few hours. Many contain anaesthetic ingredients which will also help relieve discomfort.

Iodine:

Good old extra strength 7% tincture of iodine will be the most used item in your medicine chest. It is effective against many bacterial and fungal ailments. It is probably much cheaper to purchase it from your local feed/supply store because many shippers are charging high fees for shipping "hazardous materials." It should always be applied to the navel of all newborns. Many sources are now recommending that lanced abscesses be flushed with iodine rather than hydrogen peroxide. Iodine will be effective against most fungal disorders. Any cut, laceration, abrasion should be doctored with iodine until the wound is sealed. When banding is used as a method of castration, iodine should be applied to the area that becomes raw every couple of days. Iodine can be applied daily to most foot problems.

Do not use iodine on delicate tissues, mucous membranes, in or near eyes. Should iodine get into the eye, vigorous flushing with water will be necessary. Even with this precaution, there is a good chance of permanent blindness. Help from your vet may be in order.

Some animals, especially the young, will show redness with or without an "ashy" border because of overuse of or sensitivity to iodine. This problem can usually be reversed with daily applications of udder balm (and, of course, cessation of iodine). Be careful in applying iodine to only put it where it is needed.

Kopertox®:

A foot treatment intended for horses, that is, animals not used for food production. It is effective against foot rot and for ailments of the skin on or about the feet that are caused by the same organisms which cause foot rot. You have to remember that no foot treatment is going to be beneficial until the affected hoof material and the exudate that is formed by the disease are removed. This product is highly toxic and should be used with utmost care.

Nitrofurazone Dressing

This is another product not recommended for use on animals intended for food or milk production. It is highly effective on wounds which have become infected and resist healing, when no other product seems to be making any progress. It should always be used as a choice of last resort. Where the location permits, the wound should be covered by a bandage, which is changed daily. Injuries to the birth canal which occur during a difficult delivery respond well to this product. (Any necrotic [dead, brown] tissue should be scraped away first.)

Nolvasan® (Uterine) Suspension

This is the trade name for chlorhexidine hydrochloride. Although sold as a treatment for post delivery prevention and treatment for the uterus, it is a good antibacterial product for injuries of delicate areas such as the vulva and anus.

NTZ Puffer

Although fairly expensive, this is one of the handiest products to have handy in the barn. It was originally used as a treatment for pinkeye in cattle. Now use is federally prohibited in "food producing animals" in that it has been shown to be carcinogenic. It is excellent for dusting horn buds that become injured after dehorning. Being a powder it helps to reduce bleeding. It can be used for eye infections that do not respond to milder ointments. It is a good topical antibacterial agent wherever a liquid preparation such as iodine is not appropriate.

Oti-Clens®

This wonderful product is great for cleaning ears, especially all the junk that gets in the ears of dogs. One of the effective characteristics is that of being a drying agent. This is very helpful when you need a product that is drying to the skin. If there is an undiagnosed minor skin ailment that resists all sorts of remedies, this is a very safe product that can be used as a wash.

Pen G

Some have found it helpful to apply a small amount of penicillin directly to an infection on the skin.

Screwworm preparations (Lindane)

Lindane is a highly dangerous product, the use of which is prohibited in most situations. On the other hand, there is nothing more disgusting than to come across an animal that has been victimized by thousands of squirming little maggots. Lindane preparations should be kept on hand for these emergencies. Usually, only one small application is needed and can be followed with iodine. If there is a large or deep injury during fly season, it may be a good idea to use a small amount as a preventative measure.

Triple antibiotic ointment

This is a very mild preparation. It can be safely used in nearly all situations, except in the eyes. There are three problems with its use: (1) Some infections should not be kept moist, (2) as with any ointment, it seems to attract dust and dirt to the wound, and (3) it is not very strong and may give the user a false sense of security. It probably should not be used in the presence of pus or other discharges.

Vaseline®

Many skin ailments will cause terrible drying and cracking. To soften these so that the scabs or crusts can be removed and healing begin, a product such as petroleum jelly will be needed. Just make sure that you are not covering up an infection which needs exposure to the air in order to be treated.

Vetrap®

The biggest advantage of Vetrap® or other similar products is that it doesn’t stick to the hair. It can be used for minor strains and sprains; it can hold splints in place; it can be used rather creatively to hold all sorts of bandages in place. It will do a fairly good job of keeping dirt out of a wound. The biggest danger is that it will be left on too long and do a whole lot more harm than good. The bandage always needs to be removed and the wound cleaned on a daily basis. It is so easy for necrosis to set in underneath any wrapping.

Vicks&reg:

Although not a skin remedy, it can be applied around the nose or on the chest as a respiratory treatment as in people. Vigorous rubbing of the chest and ribcage are always helpful in cases of pneumonia. We have also found a very interesting use for Vicks®: When a animal experiences severe choke, either from milk, grain, or medication, they will frequently go into paroxysmal gaspiong for breath with an extreme amount of foam coming out of the mouth. A dab of Vicks® placed on the back of the tongue has always brought quick relief and probably saved a few lives.

Eyes
8456


Blindness


Blindness can be a symptom of any of the these disorders: Pregnancy toxemia; helminth or their larvae in CNS; deficiency of copper or Vitamin A; poisoning by bracken fern, lead, arsenic, salt, rodenticides, selenium, St. Johnswort; botulism; Haemophilus somnus; shipping fever; meningitis; optic nerve damage; Listeriosis; mycotic pneumonia; snake bit; elaeophorosis. Each of these cannot be covered here; the owner should be observant of other symptoms and events of recent history that would help in the diagnosis.
If a baby goat has severe diarrhea and/or a high temperature, it is not unusual for this to be accompanied by temporary blindness. Once the primary illness has been resolved, eyesight usually returns to normal.


Trauma

Injuries to the eye are fairly common in goats of all ages. This may first come to your attention due to a watery eye or redness. Or the lids will be closed.
If there has been a bruise, you will probably notice a red-purple discoloration where the iris meets the white. There isn't much you can do for this. An ice pack may help. Eye ointment is always helpful to prevent infection and is mildly soothing. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the redness to go away.

 A very common eye problem in goats is hay awns (seeds or "stickers"). These frequently lodge behind the "third eyelid" (nictitating membrane). The lids will be closed and there will be a lot of tearing. When you open the lids you will probably see some redness and a lot of water. The sticker usually escapes casual inspection. There is probably some cloudiness, which indicates surface irritation. You have to forcefully examine all parts of the eye. The accompanying photo shows how to pop out the third eyelid so that you can see behind it where the sticker is usually located. You can use tweezers to pull out the hay seed, but I prefer using my fingers to avoid further injury. A cotton swab can also be helpful to pull one end out so you can grab it. Try to remove it slowly and firmly so that you get the pointed end which may be embedded in the tender tissues. Always check the situation after you have removed a sticker because there may be a second one awaiting more action. Always use eye ointment 2 - 4 times per day for about two days after you remove a hay seed, especially if there is clouding.



Inverted Eyelids
1706


Entropion is a condition where the eyelids turn in and rub against the eyeball. This is usually first noticed because of a watery and partially closed eye. It is a good idea to check for this right at delivery. If found, manually roll the lid out and give the lashes a little bit of a pull. Do this every couple of hours for a little while. If there is still a problem, then you must intervene. You can seek help from your veterinarian who may do one of several procedures.
If you want to correct the problem yourself, you can inject with a fine needle a small amount of Pen G, sterile saline, or air into two or three locations of the offending lid (1/2 cc pen G 3/16" from margin of eyelid). It takes a real steady hand and a little bit of courage. I like to use Pen G to help guard against infection, although it is a little hard to get through a fine needle. You may have to repeat the procedure once or twice, but this is not usually the case. Inject enough into each site to cause the lid to puff out a little. If the process is succesful, this will keep the lid from rolling back in.

Another option is the use of clips or staples designed for this pupose which can be optained from Pipestone. I have have no experience with them and cannot comment on their effectiveness.


Always follow up any treatment with ophthalmic ointment several times per day.
This is apparently an inherited disorder and you may not want to keep the victim for breeding purposes.


Rolled Out Eyelids

This largely congenital disorder will cause minor difficulties for the rest of the animal's life. The floppy lower lid allows for the accumulation of dust, dirt and other foriegn particles with possible subsequent inflammation and infection. The only real teatment is surgical intervention by a qualified veterinarian.
On the other hand, we have kept goats for many years which have had real floppy lids and some haven't had many problems. Occasionally, they get some dirt in the cavity and need a brief treatment with ophthalmic ointment.


Keratoconjunctivitis ("Pinkeye")

This is not anywhere as serious a problem in goats as it is in cattle. Partly, this is due to the fact that flies are nowhere as numerous on goats and there is less likelihood of infection spreading. Those affected tend to seek the shade and will have watery to purulent discharge. There may be a small ulcer on the surface of the eye, but this is rare in goats. (Be sure to check that there is not some foreign object in the eye, which, in goats, is more common than "pinkeye.") Most of the causative organisms are susceptible to penicillin. A couple of drops in each eye for 3 - 4 days will usually reduce the infection. Some of the more popular eye "puffers" are becoming more difficult to locate, but these work well also. We prefer to start with the penicillin.

Eyes
8456



Blindness


Blindness can be a symptom of any of the these disorders: Pregnancy toxemia; helminth or their larvae in CNS; deficiency of copper or Vitamin A; poisoning by bracken fern, lead, arsenic, salt, rodenticides, selenium, St. Johnswort; botulism; Haemophilus somnus; shipping fever; meningitis; optic nerve damage; Listeriosis; mycotic pneumonia; snake bit; elaeophorosis. Each of these cannot be covered here; the owner should be observant of other symptoms and events of recent history that would help in the diagnosis.
If a baby goat has severe diarrhea and/or a high temperature, it is not unusual for this to be accompanied by temporary blindness. Once the primary illness has been resolved, eyesight usually returns to normal.


Trauma

Injuries to the eye are fairly common in goats of all ages. This may first come to your attention due to a watery eye or redness. Or the lids will be closed.
If there has been a bruise, you will probably notice a red-purple discoloration where the iris meets the white. There isn't much you can do for this. An ice pack may help. Eye ointment is always helpful to prevent infection and is mildly soothing. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the redness to go away.

 A very common eye problem in goats is hay awns (seeds or "stickers"). These frequently lodge behind the "third eyelid" (nictitating membrane). The lids will be closed and there will be a lot of tearing. When you open the lids you will probably see some redness and a lot of water. The sticker usually escapes casual inspection. There is probably some cloudiness, which indicates surface irritation. You have to forcefully examine all parts of the eye. The accompanying photo shows how to pop out the third eyelid so that you can see behind it where the sticker is usually located. You can use tweezers to pull out the hay seed, but I prefer using my fingers to avoid further injury. A cotton swab can also be helpful to pull one end out so you can grab it. Try to remove it slowly and firmly so that you get the pointed end which may be embedded in the tender tissues. Always check the situation after you have removed a sticker because there may be a second one awaiting more action. Always use eye ointment 2 - 4 times per day for about two days after you remove a hay seed, especially if there is clouding.



Inverted Eyelids
1706


Entropion is a condition where the eyelids turn in and rub against the eyeball. This is usually first noticed because of a watery and partially closed eye. It is a good idea to check for this right at delivery. If found, manually roll the lid out and give the lashes a little bit of a pull. Do this every couple of hours for a little while. If there is still a problem, then you must intervene. You can seek help from your veterinarian who may do one of several procedures.
If you want to correct the problem yourself, you can inject with a fine needle a small amount of Pen G, sterile saline, or air into two or three locations of the offending lid (1/2 cc pen G 3/16" from margin of eyelid). It takes a real steady hand and a little bit of courage. I like to use Pen G to help guard against infection, although it is a little hard to get through a fine needle. You may have to repeat the procedure once or twice, but this is not usually the case. Inject enough into each site to cause the lid to puff out a little. If the process is succesful, this will keep the lid from rolling back in.

Another option is the use of clips or staples designed for this pupose which can be optained from Pipestone. I have have no experience with them and cannot comment on their effectiveness.


Always follow up any treatment with ophthalmic ointment several times per day.
This is apparently an inherited disorder and you may not want to keep the victim for breeding purposes.


Rolled Out Eyelids

This largely congenital disorder will cause minor difficulties for the rest of the animal's life. The floppy lower lid allows for the accumulation of dust, dirt and other foriegn particles with possible subsequent inflammation and infection. The only real teatment is surgical intervention by a qualified veterinarian.
On the other hand, we have kept goats for many years which have had real floppy lids and some haven't had many problems. Occasionally, they get some dirt in the cavity and need a brief treatment with ophthalmic ointment.


Keratoconjunctivitis ("Pinkeye")

This is not anywhere as serious a problem in goats as it is in cattle. Partly, this is due to the fact that flies are nowhere as numerous on goats and there is less likelihood of infection spreading. Those affected tend to seek the shade and will have watery to purulent discharge. There may be a small ulcer on the surface of the eye, but this is rare in goats. (Be sure to check that there is not some foreign object in the eye, which, in goats, is more common than "pinkeye.") Most of the causative organisms are susceptible to penicillin. A couple of drops in each eye for 3 - 4 days will usually reduce the infection. Some of the more popular eye "puffers" are becoming more difficult to locate, but these work well also. We prefer to start with the penicillin.

Freshened Doe
General Aftercare

1281




The purpose of this page is to discuss some of the things that can go wrong with the doe as she approaches or the first few days after delivery. Some of the ailments involve some pretty serious metabolic disorders that may require the diagnostic skills of a veterinarian and/or pharmaceutical products that can only be obtained through a licensed vet.
Obviously, the doe should have lots of good feed and water available to her at this time of stress. She should be kept warm because she is susceptible to shock at this time. She should be kept clean, especially the teats, udder and vulva. Until the passage of the placental membranes (afterbirth), you may have to remove the babies from her. She may dig at her bedding, pace nervously around the stall and generally behave in an obnoxious manner. She may exhibit aggressive behavior toward the kids. We frequently put the babies in a large tub or box so that she can see them but not have contact. This seems to help her calm down.


Prolonged Gestation
1291


This may be due to a glandular problem in the fetus which interfers with the release of cortisol, which is necessary for the start of labor. Some plants when eaten by the pregnant doe can also cause this. The eventual death of the fetus will usually stimulate delivery. Otherwise, the veterinarian will need to inject glucocorticoids or perform a caesarean delivery. This is very rare in goats. The normal gestation range is 149 - 153 days. We have had normal deliveries after a gestation of 159 days. Beyond that, we have no experience. [This topic is duplicated here.]

After an Abortion
1301


The general topic of abortion is discussed in our "Diseases" section. [Link to abortion.] When you have an abortion or delivery of stillborn or extremely weak kids, you should do as much as you can to try to discover the cause. A fetal death in late pregnancy is almost always infectious in origin; if more than one doe aborts, then you definitely have to consider the presence of a disease. In these cases, the fetus, afterbirth and blood from the doe should be submitted to a diagnostic laboratory by your veterinarian.
Abortions in early gestation are fruently due to the ingestion of toxic substances from plants or environmental contaminants. Other non-infectious causes include: malnutrition, Vitamin A deficiency, crowding, injury, fatigue, shock, drugs (including some wormers), poisons or chemicals.

In an abortion, there will not be the usual enlargement and discharges from the vulva. There will be little falling of the sides by the root of the tail. Frequently, there will be no preparatory signs whatsoever, especially if early in the pregnancy.

After an abortion, the afterbirth and bedding should be burned. She should be isolated from other members of the herd until a diagnosis has been completed. Treat her just as if she has delivered, with lots of "TLC." The abortion causes page may suggest some treatment measures for specific abortion-related diseases. Otherwise, give the doe a long-acting broad spectrum antibiotic such as LA200® or 48hr penicillin. Taking her temperature may provide some information about the seriousness of an infection (but not always). If she has a high temp or is in obvious pain, she can be given aspirin or other pain killer as recommended by your vet. Symptomatic treatment of other signs such has runny eyes or lameness may help her feel better.

If she has an infection of the uterus, that should be treated aggressively with Nolvasan® suspension or uterine boluses.

Pay careful attention to the cleanliness of the tail, vulva and back of the udder, keeping discharges frequently cleaned off.

Nutritional needs should receive careful attention. If she will not be producing milk, you will want to avoid large amounts of high protein feeds; but a well-balanced ration should be provided. It is extremely important that she not go "off feed" (stop eating) at this time of high stress. Make sure that she has access to her "favorite" treeats as well as leaves, branches, fresh grass, balanced concentrate ration and the like. If in doubt, it is much more important that she continue EATING than that she eat "properly." For once she stops eating, the situation can become grim real rapidly. If she has surviving babies to feed or if you decide to milk her, or at least to try, then she should receive a normal diet.

Pay attention to her general health. Has she been recently wormed? Does she need to be treated for liver flukes? Parasitic infections seem to blossom during times of stress.

Finally, there are some situations where it is probably best not to rebreed a doe who has aborted due to a serious disease. Even worse, the owner should consider removing from the herd a doe who could be a carrier of a serious infectious disease. These decisions are best made in consultation with your veterinarian.


Toxemia and Ketosis
1341


These serious ailments are very difficult to discuss in a format such as this: they are very complex problems, web page viewers come with a wide variety of backgrounds, and I only understand a small part of what I know about them. Many sources describe different symptoms and terminology for the these diseases in cattle, sheep and goats. Furthermore, some of the treatment options can only be obtained from a veterinarian. Our emphasis, therefore, will be on early recognition of the symptoms and differential diagnosis from other similar disorders.
Another introductory comment: Pregnancy toxemia is not to be confused with the enterotoxemias produced by infections caused by Clostridium perfringens Type B and C. Pregnancy toxemia and ketosis are metabolic malfunctions and the other are caused by actual toxins produced by the micro-organisms, against which there are vaccines available.


Ketosis

This is a technical term referring to the presence of "ketones" in the blood and urine. It is readily recognized by the odor of nail polish remover. Generally, it is felt to be caused by a reduction of carbohydrate absorption. Whenever the body resorts to the breakdown of fat to meet its nutritional needs there is a danger of ketosis. It can be the primary cause of illness or the result of another disease (secondary ketosis). It is usually seen shortly after delivery and the symptoms include: lack of appetite (which only makes the problem worse), laziness ornervousness, drop in milk production, weight loss, constipation, a staring expression and some problems with coordination. Treatment involves glucocorticoid injections (vet only) and glucose, with or without oral propylene glycol (available through most suppliers). Prevention is easier to deal with: proper nutrition of the doe before and after delivery. Since the illness usually occurs in over-fat animals, the early stages of pregnancy should not be accompanied by overfeeding. The feed (especially grain) can then be increased during the later stages of pregnancy (when the babies are growing rapidly in the womb) and even more after delivery (when milk production begins in earnest).

Pregnancy toxemia

Although the term "ketosis" generally refers to a condition which occurs after delivery and although "pregnancy toxemia" refers to a condition of the pregnant animal, the terms are often used interchangeably and this results in a great deal of confusion. This is because one of the major symptoms of toxemia is ketosis, the presence and odor of ketones. This is predominant a disease of sheep and cattle, it can occur in goats. Early detection is difficult because the signs may not be clear-cut. She may just appear a little "odd;" the classic description is that they act "stupid" and this is really the thing to watch for. There may be a certain listlessness, grinding of the teeth, leaning against objects and slight loss of appetite. If the situation gets more serious, you will see incoordination, recumbancy, coma and death.
The important differential is between toxemia/ketosis and milk fever, which is a deficiency in calcium due to milk productivity. With milk fever the animal will appear "drunk" as opposed to the "stupidity" of toxemia. Milk fever will cause as definite coldness of the extremities, which will not be found in toxemia. There will not be any odor to the breath and urine in milk fever, but there probably will be with toxemia.

Treatment is much more difficult than prevention. If delivery is near, it should be induced. Oral propylene glycol by itself may or may not be helpful. At any rate, you should consult with your vet.


Summary

Although pregnancy toxemia is not common in goats, attention should always be given to the proper nutrition of the pregnant doe. During the first two to three months, keep her "lean and mean." Then gradually increase the feed up to delivery, giving more grain during the last 6 weeks of gestation. If at any time during the last couple of weeks of pregnancy she should show any of the above symptoms, stress her a tiny bit by making her do some serious walking for a few minutes. If the symptoms become more pronounced, then this means that you could be on your way to a problem. Immediately increase her grain and maybe add a little molasses to the ration. If this solves the problem, then you may be turning things around. Keep careful watch of her and be ready to turn things over to the vet if they get worse. Problems with ketosis can occur after delivery as well and the demands of milk production require that you maintain a high level of nutrition.
As we indicated above, ketosis is basically a symptom. It can also be present in a large number of other disorders where there are metabolic disturbances and liver malfunction, such as poisoning, diabetes, etc.

Note to veterinarians: Should any veterinarians be willing to add comments or corrections to any of the material presented here, it would be greatly appreciated. This condition is obviously hard for the amateur to describe and deal with. A link to my e-mail address is provided at the bottom of the "main page."


Obesity
1345


A non-professional cannot attempt to describe the metabolic processes involved in sustaining the life of all animals. The basic thing that we need to understand is that overfed animals mobilize fat from body deposits and this leads to some really disastrous results. In the pregnant or recently delivered doe this can result in ketonuria, lack of appetite, weakness and even death. At the other extreme, underfeeding can cause an equal number of problems. So, pay careful attention to maintaining the proper weight level in your pregnant doe.

Milk Fever
1351


Milk fever (postparturient paresis) is neither an infectious disease nor is it characterized by a high fever. It can occur shortly before or after delivery. It is a calcium deficiency that results from the movement of calcium from the body of the doe to the milk in the udder. It can occur before delivery as the udder expands. It is a fairly common occurance in high producing dairy cattle. Generally, you'll expect that there will be more of a tendency for milk fever to happen in those does which have large udders. Overzealous milking of the recently freshened doe, no matter what the size of the udder, can trigger a case of milk fever.
The first symptom that you will probably notice is an unsteady gait that will remind you of a drunken person. The eyes are dull, defecation will cease, appetite will completely disappear if standing they will rock back and forth, if lying down they may grind their teeth or assume a strange position and be unable to get up on their own. The doe may fall off the milk stand. The most diagnostic signs at this time are that the ears and extremities will be very cold to the touch and the doe may be shivering. If treatment does not begin immediately, she will lapse into a coma and die.

At this point you need to either get a veterinarian right away or provide her with an IV or IP injection of calcium gluconate. Do NOT try any of the old-fashioned remedies such as inflating the udder with a bicycle pump. I have only treated this disesase in cattle; I would start with about 75 ml in a goat. The calcium should be administered very slowly because of a very real danger of heart failure. It is best to monitor the heart rate throughout the prodecure. (An SQ injection is much safer, but will take longer to take affect and the dosage will have to be divided into 3 - 5 different sites.) If she doesn't get up in 8 to 12 hours or has a relapse, repeat the dosage. If everything goes well, you will feel like a real hero because recovery is rather dramatic.

(We will provide more info at a later date on giving IV and IP injections.)

When you milk the newly freshened doe you have to be careful to take out the right amount. Taking too much milk can lead to milk fever; not taking enough can cause mastitis. Our basic rule is "one-fifth per day," which means on day one, take one fifth of what's there, on day two take two fifths and so forth until you get to day five when you should milk her all the way out. The new pastes designed as preventive remedies in cattle work very well (adjust the dosage). Avoid sudden changes of feed in late pregnancy and avoid rations too high in alfalfa. In fact, alfalfa, clover, corn and other feeds high in calcium should probably be totally withdrawn from the diet during the last few days of gestation. Some say that a Vitamin A/D shot before delivery helps to prevent milk fever.


Vaginal Prolapse
1356


The first time you witness a prolapse, I guarantee you will be very shocked. All this strange stuff will be hanging out of the back end of your dear Suzie Q! It can be her vagina and cervix, her uterus or her anus. None of it is very pleasant to think about. And YOU have to put it ALL back in!
Generally, a prolapse that happens before delivery is vaginal (aka cervical). It usually happens in overweight animals. It seems to have a genetic predisposition. If it happens once in an animal, there is an increased chance of it happening again. Although fairly common in sheep, it is good to know that it rarely occurs in goats

We have had it numerous times in sheep and that is the limit of my experience. Thay make devices called "Ewe Savers" or "retainers" which after you clean and push the vagine back in can be tied to the wool. This isn't possible on a goat and if you use one of these devices (which do work very well in sheep) you would have to get pretty creative to keep it installed. Standard procedure is to clean and reinstall the vagina and keep it in by means of sutures placed in the vulva. You obviously have to leave room for the passing of urine. The worst problem is that she will be straining quite vigorously while you are doing this. And, the sutures have to be removed prior to delivery and the presentation of the first baby should always be checked.

Uterine Prolapse
1361


A prolapse of the uterus is a more serious problem. It is more likely to occur if there has been a difficult delivery. If the animal is straining a lot due to constipation, this may increase the chances of prolapse. Diagnosis is fairly obvious. I really recommend that you get help from your veterinarian unless you are familiar with the procedure.
But here are the details if you want to try. First, separate the afterbirth from the uterus. If the bladder is exposed, empty it with a catheter. Wash the whole uterus with warm water and a mild antiseptic. It is said that sugar helps reduce the size. With your closed fist start pushing the thing back in. The uterus is very delicate at this time and will tear if you use your fingers. Push in between strains (which will be considerable in strength). It is important to make sure that both horns are pushed to a forward position. While holding everything in, insert a dosage of Nolvasan® or some suitable antibiotic. Then close the vulva with sutures, leaving a slight gap for urination. You will need to give penicillin or some type of systemic antibiotic for 5 days. Unless you are skilled at this procedure or have some pretty good luck, prognosis is grim.


Retained Afterbirth
1371


Your darling Suzie Q has delivered nice healthy babies. You are real proud of yourself because you followed the instructions here at goatwisdom and reached in there and pulled one of them out. And then you sit with her waiting for something to happen to this big ugly purplish thing that is hanging out of her rear end. Every time she turns around she swats one of the babies in the head with it. And you wait. And you wait. You heard somewhere that you're not supposed to grab it and pull it out. You go in and have dinner and when you come out, it's still hanging there.
You start getting tired and finally go to bed for a short nervous night's sleep. You go back out the next morning and, oh my gosh, it's still there. But now it has begun to stink. Oh, now what? You start calling vets asking what to do. They all tell you to leave it alone. And now poor Suzie Q is a stinking, disgusting mess. "This just can't go on like this," you say.

Some preliminary comments:

There is no one definite cause for a "retained" afterbirth. It commonly follows a premature delivery, a long labor or difficult birth, certain nutritional deficiencies or a uterine infection. But it also happens totally unexpectedly. Sometimes you will think that the doe has eaten it (a separate subject), only to find later that she has not passed it. Usually, if there is a retained afterbirth it is partially inside and partially outside, with the outside part about even with the ground.

The established protocol

You probably have a vision of the trusty old vet with his arm in a big old cow spending several hours releasing a retained afterbirth. Almost all textbooks now recommend that you should leave it alone and treat it with systemic antibiotics (tetracyclines such as LA200®). Traditional manual removal is no longer popular. Therefore, we will say that manual removal is NOT recommended.

You didn't hear it here...

If 12 hours have passed, then you can probably assume that she will not pass it on her own. If you decide that you are going to remove it, NOW is this time to get on with it. After this, it is very difficult to get your hand through the constricted cervix to do any work. To me, it just makes no sense to allow her to drag this thing around with her for several days.

There are two kinds of problems to deal with. One is failure to release the cotyledon (buttons) from the uterine wall. The other is blood vessels and membranes that fail to break loose. (None of this description will be technically accurate!)

If the cotyledons are still attached the afterbirth will not be just floating loose in the uterus. They must be "unbuttoned" one by one. This is done in much the same manner as you button a jacket, except that it is done with only one hand, in a place that you cannot see and with an animal abjecting in various ways. Utmost gentleness is required. The longer it has been since the completion of delivery the harder it will be to get you hand inside. Do it very slowly and with lots of lubricant. She will object strenuously and push against you all the way. Once you have all the buttons released you should be able to gently ease the placenta out through the cervix. If you feel any resistance, stop right away and re-evaluate the situation. NEVER pull on the afterbirth. As it comes out, gravity should be enough force to do the work. Always do this with the doe standing so that you can feel the pull of gravity.

The second problem is one that I have only experienced in goats and I do not know the technical terminology for the details. In this situation, the major part of the afterbirth will be dragging around behind with a taught string-like thing being the only thing attaching it all to the doe. By reaching FAR forward on the lower part of the uterus you will find a point of attachment to the uterine wall. If the cervix is still well dilated and if the vessel is about the size of your little finger, leave her alone for 4 - 6 more hours. Then, if it hasn't broken free, reach to the forward point of attachment, come back toward you a couple of inches, place the cord between your thumb nail and middle finger. By sliding the thumb nail back and forth you will be sawing through the cord. When completed, the afterbirth will be free and can easily be removed the rest of the way.

After either or both of the above, immediately use a pipette to insert a half tube of Nolvasan® or similar product and give pen G or LA200® for 4 - 5 days. You will want to give the doe lots of "TLC" and it would be good to take her temperature daily.

"Plan B"...

The following suggestion was sent to me by a reader who got the tip from her vet. I have not tried it, but it is supposedly an old farmer's trick that I was unaware of. He recommended that you tie a five pound weight to the hanging afterbirth and let the doe drag it around behind her. This may eventually help things along.

Please remember that the above procedures are not a substitute for consultation by a licensed veterinarian.


Laceration of Birth Canal
1376


During a difficult delivery there will sometimes be damage to the tender tissues lining the birth canal. In the excitement of getting the kids out, you may not notice that damage has been done. It is a good idea to make a quick check of things after each delivery. Any tears over &fract14; inch should probably be sutured. There is a significant danger of infection in any open areas and vigorous treatment with local antibiotics should begin right away. Nolvasan® is a good choice for internal injuries. NTZ® eye puffers are good because the powder tends to have a drying action. On external sufaces, iodine can be applied frequently. You may observe some bruising and there is little you can do about it. It is important to keep these areas clean in the face of uterine discharges and fecal contamination.

Metritis and Pyometra
1381


The terms metritis and pyometra are often used interchangeably. Metritis means an inflammation of the uterus. Pyometra refers to pus being retained in the uterus. For our purposes here we will use the single term metritis, and by it mean any uterine infection.
There are any number of organisms that can cause an infection of the uterus. Likewise, these infections can, in turn, compromise the uterus and lead to incidents of infertility and fetal death. Since the treatments available to treat these infections are quite limited in number, it may not be practical to worry about the identity of the specific germs by means of laboratory testing.

Incidents of uterine infection usually are first noticed a week or two after delivery. It is more common in those cases where there has been an assisted delivery, particularly if this has been a difficult event. Because of this, it behooves us to remember to practise extreme cleanliness whenever we assist in a delivery.

The first sign is usually a foul smelling vaginal discharge. This is different from the normal fluids that come out after delivery, which will not contain pus. This will frequently be accompanied by fever, lethargy, a drop in milk production and lack of appetite. Therefore, as in every post partem disorder, it is extremely important to do everything you can to keep the doe eating well. All others remedies are more apt to fail if she goes off her feed. You may also notice that the milk has an "off" flavor (kind of sour).

Treatment consists of antibiotic injections (broad spectrum such as penicillin or oxytetracycline) and local infusions. The uterus should be thoroughly lavaged (washed out) with a sterile solution, such as: one part peroxide and 10 parts sterile saline. This can best be administered via a pipette (like they use for articial insemination in cattle) carefully inserted through the cervix. (This may take a little practice!) A small catheter will also work. It is best to have the doe standing on a sloped surface with the rear end elevated. Take your time and wait for the liquid to drain out. Most of the old-fashioned remedies are no longer considered safe to insert into the uterus. We use Nolvasan® uterine suspensionfor this purpose. Since the tube contains sufficient amount to treat a cow, a goat would probably only need a half tube.

If the above treatment is not successful, you can repeat the procedure. In some cases, it is necessary to add hormone injections to the regimen and to do this you must consult with your veterinarian. An infection that has been ignored for some time is also more resistant to treatment. NEVER breed a doe where there is any suspicion of a current or recent infection.





Univ of Minnesota   [Pregnancy toxemia]
Univ of Minnesota   [Prolapse]

Feet
2001



Trimming Hooves


Before you start trimming feet, be sure to wrap your thumb with black electrical tape. This will reduce your chances of injury to yourself.
If you start giving attention to the feet when the little kids are born it will more than pay off in labor saved at a later date. The first trimming can occur as young as two weeks. At that time, with a very sharp knife trim off any loose edges, particularly on the inner surfaces. Check for any overgrowth at the back part and sides. Some congenital deformities can be overcome by early correction of the general shape of the foot. Watch for any little pockets that might trap dirt or manure and get them opened up right away.

 After the first trimming, all the goats can be scheduled for a monthly trimming. This is how a healthy foot will look a month after trimming, when ready for another trim. Regularly trim off the outside hard part and heel. I have always done this with a pocket knife, but others prefer shears, nippers or a variety of tools. Carefully clean any mud or dirt from between the back parts and look for areas of rot, inflammation or infection. These can be treated with bleach or extra strenth iodine. Some people use Kopertox® on serious problems, but that product is not approved for use on goats. About every three months or as needed, take a small amount off the dew claws to keep them nicely shaped.



The following drawing shows the angles of a properly trimmed hoof, done so that there is not undue tension on the tendons (thanks Anne!).
 

Foot ailments


FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE:
This viral disease is very rare in modern goats and characterized by sores in the mouth AND at the coronary bands (where the sides of the hooves meet the skin) and occasionally in the interdigital spaces. There will be a high fever, stringy salivation, smacking of the lips, lameness and decreased appetite. Pregnant does may abort. There are a couple of other diseases that resemble foot and mouth disease, so diagnosis may be difficult. Whenever you find sores in both locations, the mouth and the feet, you should check with your vet because if the diagnosis is conformed this ailment should not be treated; the animal should be eliminated at once since the disease is very contagious.

FOOT ABSCESSES:

Unlike other foot problems, foot abscess are distinguished by the ability to sqeeze pus out of the area. There will be severe lameness. The area above the hoof may be hot, swollen and painful. It is usually a sequel to untreated foot rot. Treatment consists of penicillin injections for five days and drainage of the affected area. The pus should be squeezed out if possible.

INTERDIGITAL DERMATITIS:

This is a severe inflammation of the skin between the back parts of the hooves. It is caused by wet weather, namely, mud particles grinding between the two surfaces. If caught early, the skin will be red and slightly swollen. If more serious, the tissue will become necrotic (dead, rotten). Generally, there will only be an odor of infection, not a sour odor as with foot rot. Treatment takes a long time, especially if the animal cannot be moved to drier ground. Carefully, clean the area as best you can. Bleach is quite effective in cleaning and it also helps to kill some of the infectious organisms. Dry the area and then apply iodine. This treatment really needs to be performed every day if you cannot avoid a muddy environment. We recently had an episode of this which responded only to DAILY dipping in a 50% bleach solution. It oftentimes seems to cure itself if the weather improves and the ground is dry.


FOOT ROT:

Contagious foot rot can be a severe problem in any hoofed animals, especially where rainy conditions dominate the winter weather. It does not appear to be as contagious in goats as it is in sheep. Furthermore, the goat owner is more apt to conduct a periodic check of the feet. Prevention is certainly a better course of action than cure. If feet are trimmed on a monthly basis, severe foot rot cannot take hold in overgrown hooves.

Usually, foot rot will appear as a slight lameness. Closer examination will reveal a separation between the horn and the soft tissues of the foot. This pocket will be filled with a dark gray to black greasy substance which has a characteristic foul odor. There is little or no pus and no swelling.

Unless you have a serious herd-wide problem, each animal can be treated individually. A program of foot bath treatments should be done in consultation with your vet or extension agent. Because of the curiosity of goats, especially little ones, these should be supervised very carefully. We live in a very wet area of the Northwest and have seen tiny pockets of genuine foot rot in animals as young as one week. In short, treatment consists of removing the affected area. The necrotic tissue underneath the black stuff must be exposed to the air in order for healing to begin. At times this may consist of some pretty serious cutting. Some bleeding will occur so be sure to have some blood stopping preparation on hand for emergencies. (Hydrogen peroxide will reduce minor bleeding.) If it looks like an extreme amount of trimming will be needed to get betneath all the dead tissue, it is helpful to divide this into two or three sessions. The blood vessels will seem to draw back so that you can trim a little deeper each time without so much bleeding. If you have severe foot rot and don't draw a little blood in cleaning it up, you probably haven't cut deep enough. For extremely serious cases where there is deep involvement of the flesh, a dehorning iron or heated welding rod can be used to cauterize the wound, which then can be filled with an antiseptic powder.

Try to keep the area as dry as possible. Apply bleach, iodine or Kopertox® as appropriate. If severe, penicillin shots can be given. Spreading hydrated lime (the kind people used to put in out-houses, not the kind you spread on pastures) on the ground seems to help reduce the spread between animals.

External parasites
4500



Be sure to see WARNINGS at the bottom of the page!


External Parasites
Name Symptoms Treatment
Lice (Pediculosis) [4511] On surface, eggs easy to see on pieces of hair (low-power microscope); itching, irritation, rubbing, biting, rough coat, skin may be scaly, hair loss, lowered milk production, mostly in winter Malathion or methoxychlor on non-milking animals, 2 treatments 2 weeks apart; if stronger (Ivermectin, fenthion) remedies, watch for host-parasite reaction; spray or dust in late fall to prevent
Mange [4531] Mites burrow in skin, chorioptic type most common in goats (hind legs, scrotum, toes, brisket)  Lime sulphur six times at 7 - 10 da intervals or Ivermectin pour-on.
Ticks [4601] Fairly easily identified, can get in ears of goats, may cause small sores that later contain secondary bacteria, transmit diseases to animals and man, rubbing, scratching, itching, biting Change patures, if in ears remove with wire loop; try methoxychlor, most remedies outlawed.
Flies [4615] Not usually a serious problem with goats Non-toxic fly strips are safest bet around milking goats; some powders are labeled safe for milking animals 
Maggots, screwworms [4621] Rapidly spreading, wiggling, mass of fly larvae usually in moist areas or wounds or where soiled by diarrhea. Loss of condition. Screwworms: now rare in US, overlap like shingles. Always use insect repellents on serious injuries during fly season. If maggots are present, scrub area, use ronnel or lindane¹ as directed, but be sure NOT to keep milk.
Fleas [4761] Those little jumping things you see on your dog and cat. In theory, should not appear on goats since they are supposed to be host specific to dogs, cats, etc. More likely, you are seeing a form of goat lice. Irregardless, we did have them on goats once. Use Sevin®.
Mosquitoes Rarely bother goats, but if so can be very annoying. Clean up breeding sources. Use Mosquito Dunks® to kill larvae. Apply Bounce® fabric softener or Neet®

1 Do not use Lindane on young animals.

Warnings

These are rough guidlines only, always read labels carefully and consult your vet if in doubt.
Never use any insecticide on any animal less than three months of age. The only exception to this is malathion which can be used very sparingly on those that are at least one month old.

Carbaryl (Sevin®): not more often than every 4 days.

Lindane: not recommended for lactating dairy animals. Do not use over 0.03% strength on any young animals.

Ronnel: not less than 2 weeks apart.

Malathion: never use on animals less than one month old.

Lime sulphur: if local irritation appears, bathe thoroughly with water but do NOT scrub with a brush

Final comment: Except for lice, goats are fairly free of external parasites in comparison with other animals. Since all insecticides are toxic to some degree, be sure that the remedy which you choose, either one of those listed above or some other product advocated by someone else, is not going to be of a greater risk to the animal than the parasite which you are supposedly fighting. Some of the newer preparations are extremely effective and also extremely toxic and can have very dangerous side effects.

Cornell Univ
Maryland Small Ruminant

Abortion Causes in the Goat
Abortion diseases:

An infection traveling through the maternal blood stream and making its way to the fetus (from the maternal blood stream). The most important of these (the "Big Three") are: Campylobacter (vibrio), Chlymdia and Toxoplasmosis.

The most distinguishing symptoms of each disease are highlighted in Red

CAMPYLOBACTER FETUS

aka: Vibrio, vibrionic abortion

SYMPTOMS

ESTRUS CYCLES LONG AND IRREGULAR
INFERTILITY (STERILITY)
ABORTION at 4 - 6 weeks before due
BABIES - WEAK OR STILLBORN
FETUS - BODILY CAVITIES FILLED WITH REDDISH FLUID

DIARRHEA (DOE)
RETAINED AFTERBIRTH
METRITIS (UTERINE INFECTION), PYOMETRA (PUS)

VAGINAL DISCHARGE
VULVA-VAGINITIS, PUSTULES, NODULES


This is a fairly common form of abortion in goats, but not so much as in sheep. The abortion will occur a little earlier than in Chlamydia. It is also to be suspected if there is difficulty in getting the doe to "settle" or conceive. Numerous attempts at breeding may be noticed. It is frequently accompanied by vulva-vaginitis and this may help to distinguish it from the breeding difficulties caused by an ovarian cyst (but, there are exceptions). It is about the only reproductive disease that may be accompanied by diarrhea.
Treatment consists of isolation of does which abort, antibiotics (but many strains are resistant) and vaccination of unaffected does. Aborting does develop an immunity which may be of rather short duration and it is generally recommended that an outbreak be followed up with routine vaccination. A preparation for sheep can be obtained without a prescription from most suppliers; from your veterinarian you may be able to obtain it in combination with Chlamydia psittaci. It would be our recommendation that laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis and discussion with your vet precede the use of either of these vaccines. Goats are not routinely vaccinated against these diseases unless there is a specific reason to do so.

CHLAMYDIAL ABORTION

aka: Enzootic abortion, kebbing abortion

SYMPTOMS

ABORTION, SOMETIMES FOLLOWED BY DEATH OF DOE
PREMATURE DELIVERY [21 days early]
MOTHER GOES OFF FEED
AFTERBIRTH COMMONLY RETAINED
COTYLEDONS NECROTIC [Dead, brownish]

BABIES WEAK OR STILLBORN
FETUS CLAY-COLORED, MUMMIFIED, WITH DISTENDED ABDOMEN

ASSOCIATED WITH TICKS, RODENTS OR BIRDS


This disease is one of the most common causes of abortion in goats. It is the one with the classic tendency to present you with dead or extremely weak babies almost exactly three weeks ahead of the scheduled due date. Anomalies of the cotyledons ("leathery" or necrotic [dead, rotten, brownish] with thickened spaces between) and fetus (mummified or covered with "clay" colored flaky material; enlarged lymph nodes) are characteristic. If the dead fetus is carried inside the doe for a length of time, there is an increased chance that the mother will die.
It is commonly transmitted by ticks, rodents and birds rather than sexual contact, but its incidence seems to increase when new members are brought into the herd. It must always be considered when you have an abortion epidemic. Treatment consists of segregating all aborting does and using LA200® (or other tetracycline) on ALL does and surviving kids. The good news is that those who abort will usually breed successfully the following year and deliver with no difficulty. However, if they are infected very late in pregnancy they may deliver normally this time and then abort next year.

There is a vaccine, available from your vet or Pipestone, which may be helpful. If you or others in your area have an outbreak, vaccination should certainly be considered. Some have found it very beneficial and for others the results have been somewhat disappointing. Most sources suggest that exposed does receive LA200® 2 weeks apart at mid-gestation. Consideration should also be given to the elimination of ticks, rodents and birds.

TOXOPLASMOSIS

SYMPTOMS


ABORTION AND PREMATURE DELIVERY
BABIES WEAK OR DEAD
ANOREXIA (LOSS OF APPETITE)
ATAXIA (INCOORDINATION) / PARALYSIS
CACHEXIA (WEAKNESS)
DEPRESSED AND/OR EXCITABILITY
DYSPNEA (SHORTNESS OF BREATH) AND COUGH
ENCEPHALITIS (BRAIN INFLAMMATION) AND C N S DYSFUNCTION
GASTROENTERITIS
ICTERUS (JAUNDICE)
TEMPERATURE - ABOVE NORMAL (NOT ALWAYS)
TREMBLES / TREMORS / MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS
WEIGHT LOSS

COTYLEDONS - WHITE SPOTS

CATS AND/OR RODENTS TRANSMIT


Toxoplasmosis is one of the most fascinating diseases that a livestock producer will ever encounter. It can lead to a delivery season which turns into a living nightmare as you watch one doe after another deliver weak and dead babies. Typically, if a doe has three kids, one will be stillborn, one will be small and very weak (and may or may not survive heroic attempts at rescue) and one will appear fairly normal. The disease is caused by a protozoa which lives in the blood which goes through several stages, at least one of which will usually be in the family cat which frequents the barn and uses the feed storage area for a bathroom. Getting rid of the disease in your goats may require the euthanasia of your favorite cat.
[In adult cats there may be no symptoms; if any there will be disturbances of the central nervous system. In kittens, there will be generalize acute illness with fever, respiratory signs, diarrhea and nervous signs.]

Another tragically interesting aspect is the wide variety of symptoms which can be exhibited by the doe. Some will appear perfectly healthy while others will be critically ill. Disturbances of the central nervous system (CNS) are the most typical. The doe may appear in coordinated or show paralysis which makes you think that perhaps she has suffered a stroke. She will commonly refuse to eat and develop severe digestive discomfort. She then may become more susceptible to other infections, such as worms or liver flukes.

Treatment is of limited value. However, it is our recommendation that you perform blood testing on all the adults in the herd. This may be fairly expensive, but at least you will be able to make critical decisions on the basis of factual data. Also, any cats which have access to the area should also be tested. The blood work will provide you with blood antibody levels, known as "titers." A zero reading indicates that the animal has probably not been exposed to the disease. Any titer level above 60 indicates a probable active disease state. Readings in the low range would be indicative of exposure with immunity possibly sufficient to prevent the disease. Of course, you should work in close conjunction with your vet in interpreting the results and also compare them with what you know about the fate of the offspring of the tested does. You would expect highest levels in those which had the worst reproductive results. The fetus and placenta can also be examined for active toxoplasmosis; cool (but do not freeze) them and transport to your vet for shipment to the diagnostic lab.

WARNING! This disease is transmissible to human handlers and can lead to abortion in pregnant females. If any members of your family are pregnant or could become pregnant and have been or may be exposed to toxoplasmosis, they should consult with their health care provider immediately. Additionally, unborn (human) babies can develop brain damage if the pregnant mother consumes undercooked or raw meat from an animal infected with toxoplasmosis. In fact, there is new evidence that more human cases result from the eating of contaminated meat than from cat feces. If you are unsure of the cause of any abortion in a farm animal and are pregnant, you should consult your veterinarian AND your doctor to see if testing is in order. It is possible to contract the disease from handling an infected fetus or placenta, from the feces of infected cats or rodents. The disease can also be transmitted to non-pregnant family members of either sex and we are definitely not qualified to discuss that situation; you should seek the advice of your doctor if exposed or feel that you have symptoms that may be related to the disease. In short, this is not a situation to be taken lightly.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of toxoplasmosis is that it eventually just goes away. It is debatable whether treatment measures have any role in creating this scenario. This means that if you get rid of the offending cats and if Suzie Q survives the ordeal, she will probably return to full reproductive vigor.

Comments from personal experience: We experienced a toxoplasmosis epidemic in our herd a few years ago. The results were disastrous; a majority of the babies were born dead or extremely weak. We had the does all tested and they showed a wide range of antibody levels with some way above the "disease" level. The buck tested positive as well. My antibody level was below the disease level but indicative of significant exposure. We instituted a rigorous program of treatment which I can provide upon request. But there is no way of knowing it's actual benefits since there are many cases of complete recovery without treatment.

SALMONELLOSIS

SYMPTOMS


ABORTION UP TO 6 WEEK BEFORE TERM
DIARRHEA
TENESMUS (PULSATING ANUS)/ NERVOUS
TEMPERATURE - 105 AND ABOVE OR VARIABLE AND INTERMITTENT
WEIGHT LOSS
ANOREXIA, LIGHT
DEHYDRATION
DEPRESSED


Although Salmonella is usually thought of as a leading cause of diarrhea, certain forms of the organism can also lead to abortion. It can easily be spread by new animals brought onto the premises or from babies with diarrhea being in contact with pregnant adults. It can also be brought in by rodents and birds. From the symptoms above, it is obvious that the doe may show signs of serious illness, which may even result in death.
Treatment begins with isolation of any animals which show signs of the disease. Tetracyclines (LA200®) or sulfa drugs are of limited benefit. Survivors should breed successfully in subsequent years but as carriers they can infect newcomers to the herd, which will abort. Isolation and prompt treatment of babies with diarrhea which may be of the Salmonella type will go a long way in preventing this type of reproductive disease. Crowding and poor sanitation, especially of the babies, greatly increases the chances of a Salmonella infection.

ASPERGILLOSIS

SYMPTOMS


ABORTION
LABORED BREATHING
FETUS - GRAYISH-RED AREAS THAT RESEMBLE RINGWORM
COTYLEDONS - THICK, NECROTIC WITH YELLOW, CHEESY PLAQUES


Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that is usually associated with respiratory problems, especially in man. However, in rare instances this and other fungal organisms can cause abortions which are fairly hard to diagnose. The ringworm-like lesions on the fetus and/or afterbirth may be the only noticeable symptom. The only effective remedies can be obtained only from your veterinarian.
The best prevention is to keep goats in areas that have not previously housed poultry.

TRICHMONIASIS

1336


ABORTION
ESTRUS CYCLES LONG AND IRREGULAR WITH FAILURE TO CONCEIVE
UTERINE INFECTION WITH PYOMETRA (DISCHARGE)

Most typically a vaginal discharge at breeding will be the only sign. This is basically a disease of cattle. I can't recall ever hearing of a case in goats.
Q-FEVER

1331


Coxiella burnetti, a Rickettseal infection

SYMPTOMS

ABORTION
PNEUMONIA
EYE INFECTIONS

Fairly rare disease which can affect all species of livestock and man. In fact, people can become carriers and pass the disease to farm animals. Anyone with flu-like symptoms on a farm where Q-fever caused abortions are present should see their physician. Organisms probably transmitted in milk (less often via feces, afterbirth or meat). Diagnosis is quite difficult and treatment with tetracyclines may be unsuccessful.
BRUCELLOSIS (BANG'S DISEASE)

SYMPTOMS


INFERTILITY
ABORTION IN 4th MONTH WITH PROLONGED VAGINAL DISCHARGE    AFTERWARDS
STILLBIRTH OR WEAK BABIES
RETAINED PLACENTA
MILK PRODUCTION FALLS
KERATITIS (INFLAMMATION OF CORNEA OF EYE); CONJUNCTIVITIS
BRONCHITIS
ARTHRITIS


Brucellosis is a "species specific" disease that can affect cattle, sheep and goats. It is of historical significance in being readily transmitted to people where it is known as "undulant fever" or "Malta fever" and was very common a century ago. Since then, rigid eradication programs have been very effective in nearly eliminating the disease from modern cattle. Brucella abortus in cattle, B. melitensis in goats and B. ovis in sheep are three very different diseases. It is quite rare in goats, where it is known as "Malta fever". Although the symptom is more common in rams, the organism can lead to orchitis (inflammation of the testicles) or epididymitis in billy goats. However, there may be no other symptoms except abortions.
Treatment consists of isolating the animal at once and discussing the situation with a qualified large animal vet. Culling may be the best option.

CAUTION:There have recently been a few cases of Brucella melitensis in Starr County, Texas. Goat raisers in that area can contact the Texas Animal Health Commission (or the USDA) for free testing to see if their animals may be carrying the disease and for other steps to take to assure the safety of their herd and handlers.

Vaccination Those interested in a new genetically engineered vaccine for Brucella melitensis for goats and humans can contact Brucellosis Research, NADC, P> O> Box 70, Ames IA 50010.

LEPTOSPIROSIS

SYMPTOMS

ABORTION
ANEMIA ANOREXIA, LIGHT (OFF FEED) PROSTRATION DYSPNEA (SHORTNESS OF BREATH) TEMPERATURE - 105 AND ABOVE HEMOGLOBINURIA (BLOODY OR CLEAR RED URINE)
ICTERUS (JAUNDICE) MILK PRODUCTION FALLS MILK - THICK, GRAY OR YELLOW, BLOODY WITH NO CHANGE IN UDDER

Leptospirosis is a very important disease in cattle; nearly all producers regularly vaccinate against it. It is less common in goats, but probably has not received the attention which it deserves. Some goat people have now included Leptospirosis in their vaccination routine. It can cause a generalized illness with bloody urine and abortions being the most notable signs.
Treatment is unsuccessful; vaccines are available and should be considered if the disease is found in the area. There is considerable evidence that it can be transmitted by wildlife (in addition to rodents), possibly deer. It can be transmitted to dogs and man.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
general infections where abortion can be a symptom
ANTHRAX


WOUNDS, ILLNESS FOLLOWS
MOSTLY LATE SUMMER TO FALL
EDEMA
CARDIOVASCULAR IRREGULARITIES
LABORED BREATHING
COLLAPSE
MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS, TREMBLING, STAGGERING
EXCITED, IRRITABLE FOLLOWED BY DEPRESSION
TEMPERATURE, 105 AND ABOVE
ABCESS, TONGUE
THROAT, SWELLING and LESIONS
RUMEN STASIS AND BLOAT
ABORTION
MILK PRODUCTION FALLS

SUDDEN DEATH
BLOOD, DARK , THICK, FAILS TO CLOT
BODILY OPENINGS, BLOODY DISCHARGE
RIGOR MORTIS ABSENT


Because of the rapid course of this disease, diagnosis almost always involves the observation of a dead animal. The characteristic finding is a bloated carcass with dark blood oozing from bodily opening and the lack of rigor mortis. (This is different from the small amount of normal-colored blood that many animals emit from the nostrils at death.) "Sub acute" cases may abort, but this will be accompanied by other symptoms which make it clear that the animal is extremely ill (high fever, refuses to eat, hemorrhages inside mouth, slobbering, weakness). In goats, there may be trembling, difficult breathing, and convulsions followed by death.
Whenever anthrax is suspected, one should not touch the carcass. Man is very susceptible to the disease. Your vet and/or local livestock authorities should be contacted as per local laws. Treatment should not be attempted.

CONTAGIOUS CAPRINE PLEUROPNEUMONIA


Mycoplasma

ABORTION
MYCOPLASMAL MASTITIS
ARCHED BACK
HEAD EXTENDED, LOWERED

COUGH
LABORED BREATHING
PNEUMONIA IN ONE LUNG ONLY
NOSTRILS, WATERY BILATERAL DISCHARGE

TEMPERATURE ABOVE NORMAL
WINTER


Mycoplasmal abortions can be the result of the same or related organisms which cause a terrible type of mastitis (and sick babies) referred to in the section on Udder Care. The distinguishing feature of Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia will be obvious respiratory distress and fever. The only successful treatment is isolation and tylosin (Tylan®); but there will be many losses.
LISTERIOSIS


"Circling Disease"

SYMPTOMS

ABORTION
C N S DYSFUNCTION
AIMLESS WALKING
CIRCLING
ATAXIA (INCOORDINATION)
LEAN AGAINST OBJECTS
BLINDNESS

ANOREXIA
SOLITUTDE - SEEKS
DEPRESSED

SALIVA - STRINGY
DYSPLAGIA (CAN'T SWALLOW )
THROAT AND JAW PARALYSIS
FACE - TWITCHING, TREMORS, PARALYSIS
EARS DROOP / ENCEPHALITIS (BRAIN INFLAMMATION)

STRABISMUS (SQUINTING)
CONJUNCTIVITIS

TEMPERATURE - 105 AND ABOVE
RODENTS


"Circling disease," while more common in cattle can be a problem for many types of livestock. The most easily seen signs will those of encephalitis of the neurons on one side, which causes the animal to walk off-course to the right or left, hence the name "circling disease." If the organisms invade the uterus, abortions and stillbirths are likely (with none of the usual pre-delivery signs). It reportedly responds to early treatment with high doses of penicillin. The disease can be transmitted to human, especially when handling aborted fetuses.
MUCORMYCOSIS

SYMPTOMS


ABORTION WITH PLACENTITIS
DIARRHEA
LABORED BREATHING
LESIONS OF BODY SURFACES, LYMPH NODES, GI TRACT

This is a fungal disease for which there is no known treatment.
NOCARDIOSIS

SYMPTOMS


DROOLING (EXCESS WATERY SALIVATION)
LACRIMATION (TEARS)
TEMPERATURE - ABOVE NORMAL
ABORTION
UDDER - FIRM AND SWOLLEN, POSSIBLE WITH FISTULAS OR SINUSES
NODULES - WHITE EXUDATE WITH SMALL WHITE LUMPS
LYMPH NODES ENLARGED


Nocardiosis is primarily known as a very dangerous type of mastitis which can cause rapid loss of condition. It can lead to a systemic illness with high fever, lack of appetite and frequently fatal results. It may spread to the lungs and lymph nodes, which will contain pus. Abortion may occur if the disease occurs during pregnancy.
Prognosis is guarded. Novobiocin infusions, lancing and treating of abscesses, and systemic penicillin may be of value>

B V D


Bovine virus diarrhea
SYMPTOMS

ABORTION AND WEAK BABIES
ANOREXIA
DIARRHEA WITH TENESMUS (STRAINING)
FECES, BLOODY, MUCOUS IN, FOUL SMELLING
RUMEN STASIS
BLOAT
DEHYDRATION

EYES, OPACITY (CLOUDINESS,CATARACTS), CONJUNCTIVITIS, CORNEAL ULCER
NOSTRILS CRUSTY
MOUTH - INFLAMMATION
TONGUE, SLIPPERY, EXFOLIATE

INTERDIGITAL LESIONS
LAMENESS

DEPRESSED
PULSE AND RESPIRATION RAPID
TEMPERATURE 104 - 106, THEN NORMAL OR BELOW


What is a cattle disease doing here? Two reasons: some may also want to refer to this section in dealing with cattle or other species and BVD is important in demonstrating the wide range of symptoms that a single virus can cause. I'm sure there are any number of as-yet undiscovered viruses out there that could cause problems (including abortion) in goats. Because there is as yet no treatment for a viral infection, one can only alleviate symptoms, prevent secondary infections (possibly with antibiotics) and prevent the spread of the disease through such measures as isolation. Therefore, the lesson to be learned is important: to look at the totality of any group of symptoms and not simply concentrate on the abortion as the only issue.
I B R / I P V

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis / Infectious pustular vulvovaginitis [herpesvirus]

SYMPTOMS
ABORTION, STILLBIRTH, WEAK BABIES
ANOREXIA
WEIGHT LOSS
DEPRESSED
DIARRHEA

TEMPERATURE - 105 AND ABOVE

DYSPNEA (SHORTNESS OF BREATH)
RESPIRATION - RAPID

LESIONS - MOUTH (ULCERS, GENERAL)
NOSTRILS - CRUSTY WITH WATERY OR BLOODY DISCHARGE
DROOLING, EXCESS WATERY SALIVATION

VULVA-VAGINITIS - PUSTULES, NODULES, SWOLLEN, EXUDATE
TAIL HELD UP


This viral disease of cattle is here for the same reasons as BVD, and it can cause an even more widespread list of symptoms.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deficiencies of various items can also cause abortions. For these we will list only the symptoms and suggest that you look at these topics in other sections where available.
CALORIC DEFICIENCY

APPETITE, NORMAL
BABIES WEAK
CONDITION, LOSS OF
GROWTH RETARDED
INFERTILITY
MILK PRODUCTION FALLS
PUBERTY DELAYED
STILLBIRTH
WEIGHT LOSS

GENERAL NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES:
ANOREXIA, LIGHT
INFERTILITY

HYPOPROGESTERONISM

ABORTION
ESTRUS CYCLES SHORT AND IRREGULAR

IODINE DEFICIENCY
ABORTION
ALOPECIA
BABIES, WEAK
GOITER (In mother and/or baby)
INFERTILITY
STILLBIRTH
THROAT SWELLING
THYROID ENLARGED

MANGANESE DEFICIENCY:
ABORTION
ANESTRUS
BABIES, BLIND
BABIES, DEFORMED
ESTRUS CYCLES - LONG AND IRREGULAR
GROWTH RETARDED
HEAL, FAIL TO
HEAT, SILENT
INFERTILTIY
JOINT, ENLARGED
LAMENESS
OBESITY

PROTEIN DEFICIENCY:
ANEMIA
ANOREXIA, LIGHT
BABIES - WEAK
CACHEXIA (WEAKNESS)
CONDITION - LOSS OF
ESTRUS CYCLES - LONG AND IRREGULAR
GROWTH RETARDED
INFERTILITY
MILK PRODUCTION FALLS
PLACENTA RETAINED
STILLBIRTH
WEIGHT LOSS
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY: ABORTION
ATAXIA
BABIES - WEAK
BLINDNESS, NIGHT
BRISKET EDEMA
CATARACT
CONVULSIONS WITHOUT PADDLING
CORNEAL ULCER
COUGH
DIARRHEA
HEAD HELD TO ONE SIDE
INFERTILITY
LABORED BREATHING
LACRIMATION
NOSTRILS - WATERY BILATRAL DISCHARGE OPACITY
PLACENTA _ RETAINED
SKIN - BROWN, GREASY EXUDATE
STAGGERING
STILLBIRTH
WEIGHT LOSS

WHITE MUSCLE DISEASE:
ARCHED BACK
BABIES WEAK
DIARRHEA
DYSPNEA
FEET - TOES SPLAYING
GROWTH RETARDED
NURSING STOPS, WON'T SUCKLE
PROSTRATION
STIFF
STILLBIRTH
SUDDEN DEATH


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poisoning as a result of ingestion of chemicals. The exact signs as they relate to abortion or damage to the fetus are highly dependent on the specific time in the gestation process when the event takes place.
NITRATE / NITRITE POISONING:

ABORTION
ATAXIA
BLOOD - BROWN (CHOCOLATE)
BREATH SMELLS OF KETONES
BREATHS THROUGH MOUTH
CACHEXIA (WEAKNESS)
CONVULSIONS WITHOUT PADDLING
CYANOSIS (BLUE SKIN AND LIPS)
DYSPNEA
HYPERESTHESIA
LABORED BREATHING
LUNG SOUNDS - CRACKLING, SPLASHING
NERVOUS
PULSE - RAPID
TEMPERATURE - SUBNORMAL

SELENIUM POISONING
ALOPECIA (HAIR LOSS)
ANOREXIA
ATAXIA (INCOORDINATION)
BABIES - BLIND
BABIES - DEFORMED
BABIES - WEAK
BLINDNESS
CACHEXIA (WEAKNESS)
CORONA - HOOFS CRACK AT
DEPRESSED
FORE LIMBS WEAK
HOOFS - ABNORMAL GROWTH, DISTORTED
HOOFS - CRACKED
LABORED BREATHING
LAMENESS
NOSTRILS - FROTHY DISCHARGE
PUPILS DILATED
RUN INTO OBJECTS
STAGGERING
STIFF
STILLBIRTH
TEMPERATURE - NORMAL, THEN SUBNORMAL
TONGUE PARALYSIS
WEIGHT LOSS

SWEET CLOVER POISONING
ANEMIA
BABIES WEAK
BLOOD - FAILS TO CLOT; FECES BLOODY (NOT NECESSARILY DIARRHEA)
LAMENESS
NOSEBLEEDS
STIFF
STILLBIRTH

WESTERN YELLOW PINE
ABORTION

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miscellaneous causes of abortion
C N S CONGENITAL ANOMILES

AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
CONVULSIONS WITHOUT PADDLING
HIND LIMBS WEAK
MUSCLES ATROPHY PROTOPORPHYRIA
RECUMBANCY
RELUCTANT TO MOVE
STIFF
STILLBIRTH
UREMIA
WEAVING

MYOPATHIES, GENERAL
BABIES WEAK
STILLBIRTH

MYODYSPLASIA
BABIES WEAK
GROWTH RETARDED

RIFT VALLEY FEVER
ABORTION
CACHEXIA (WEAKNESS)
DEPRESSED
DIARRHEA
STAGGERING
TEMPERATURE ABOVE NORMAL

OTHERS:

Poor feeding, malnutrition
Crowding
Trauma, injury
Fatigue
Shock
Drugs, chemicals, poisons
Overdose of iodine
Ticks (tick fever, paralysis)
 
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 June 2008 ) 
 
 

Sir good day bago lang po ako dito sa forum and about to start my own goat raising business.  pwede po ba magrequest ng photo ng goat pen?  ok lang din po ba kung made of bamboo ung pen nila, pero elevated pa din?  paki-send nlng po sa email ko pbsans@yahoo.com thank you po!

Pbsans
sorry but I cannot understand unless written in english,then I might be able to offer some help.
Thx.

ah ok sorry!  anyway, i would just like to ask for any links pertaining to pictures of goat pens.  i'm actually planning on starting my own goat raising business and i need some info on how to construct the appropriate housing for them.  is it okay if the pen is made of bamboo?  thanks and Godbless

pbsans
Hi,okay picture(s) of a goat house,will try and find you something.Yes you can build your goat house from bamboo, and bamboo flooring with palm roof.

thanks!

here's my email add

pbsans@yahoo.com

or just post the link

thank you very much!

pbsans
just sent you a message through this forum,check,if you do not get it let me know and I will email you okay.

Support The Goat:

got it sir mike!  thanks a lot!

i'll be sure to start with the construction asap.  i'll be sending you the pictures once it is completed

thanks again!  Godbless!!!

pbsans
you are welcome,once you build the goat house then you can build bamboo stalls inside for your goats.Hope to see your pictures once you finish your construction.

Good Luck
Support The Goat

Mycoplasma
Knowledge is Power to Fight This Deadly Goat Disease!

By Gianaclis Caldwell 


Author's note: I am not a veterinarian. All references to medications used in this article are for reference only as they relate to my personal experience. Please consult a licensed veterinarian when dealing with this or any other medical problem.


Mycoplasma is one of those diseases that most goat owners have heard of, but may not be able to tell you much about. Like so many problems, until it threatens your own animals, it remains a word in a book, a definition waiting to be looked up. Unfortunately, I know a lot more about mycoplasma than I would like to know thanks to the pathogen calling on our herd in the spring of 2005.

Before I tell the story of our own loss and learning, let me give you a short course on mycoplasma. I would first like to reassure you that mycoplasma is not the killer that it once was. The microorganism has apparently lost much of its virulence. So please read on without too much trepidation!

Mycoplasma—In a Nut-Shell
Mycoplasmas are simple microbial organisms (not true bacteria or viruses) that lack a true cell wall. While this makes it sound as if they should be easy to be rid of, unfortunately they are not. Most antibiotics work by attacking the cell wall, thus destroying the microorganism. Since mycoplasmas do not have a cell wall, not as many antibiotics are effective against them.

There are many members in the mycoplasma family. The most common typically cause mastitis and respiratory problems. Many animals never sicken after exposure, but remain capable of passing the pathogen to their offspring in their milk (the most common route of transmission). While many adults can remain asymptomatic, kids, especially those under stress, are the most susceptible to becoming ill after exposure.

Another problematic aspect is that there are no laboratory tests that guarantee your animals are mycoplasma-free. The pathogen is capable of lurking undetected within an a-symptomatic host. Unless an animal is "shedding" during the test your results will be negative. So while you may never have had any animals ill or with symptoms of mycoplasma, you cannot know for sure that your herd is mycoplasma free. Only when symptoms appear and tests are done specifically for mycoplasma will you know. Not a very cooperative little pathogen, is it?

The Stealth Killer
Even when an animal has symptoms that might be indicative of mycoplasma, it could easily be a bacterial or viral problem—and more often than not it will be. So you might treat the animal for what you think is pneumonia, joint-ill, or bacterial mastitis. The animal recovers and you never know that it might have been mycoplasma. Here's an example using one kid with three different treatment approaches:

Scenario 1: A six-week-old wether kid goes off his feed. You watch him, he looks okay so you wait until the next morning. You take his temp. It is 105.3°F. You give him a little Banamine (a pain killer and fever reducer) and check your antibiotic stock. If you are like most of us, you have LA 200 or Biomycin (both are oxytetracyline) on hand. You double check the dosage for this age and weight and start him on a course of treatment.

He is still taking his bottle, although with less than a kid's usual vigor, and his temperature is dropping. He doesn't like to stand up, but you figure he is just feeling poorly. By the next day, the antibiotics and Banamine seem to be helping. His temp is down and he is back to eating well. You figure he had a touch of pneumonia. You continue with the oxytetracycline and he recovers completely, never having any more problems.

Scenario 2: Your six-week-old wether goes off his feed. You watch him and he looks okay, but the next morning he looks a little listless. You take his temp, it is 105.3°F. You give him a little Banamine and call your vet. You also notice that he doesn't seem to want to stand up. After closer inspection, you see that his knees are a bit swollen—or is it your imagination? They are not soft and squishy, and he is very fuzzy. You mention all of this to your vet who suspects joint-ill (an infection that enters through the newborn's umbilical cord). Even though you dipped his cord right after birth the vet says that it can still happen. So he starts the kid on Naxcel (a newer, powerful antibiotic) and has you continue the Banamine. You have the little guy in your house to watch him closely and keep him taking fluids. By the next day, you think he is getting better, as his temp is within normal range at 103.2°F. But he isn't eating and seems so uncomfortable. You keep up the antibiotics. He won't stand at all by the end of the day and it is obvious the joints are tender. If you bend his knees for him, he cries out in horrible pain. That night, his temperature plummets, and he dies in your arms.

You are horribly sad, but know you have done all you can. You let your vet know. He suggests a post-mortem joint fluid culture taken to rule out other possibilities. He asks if the dam has had mastitis. She hasn't, so he suspects a bacterial infection which led to polyarthritis. The cost for the culture is high, you don't want to haul this dead kid to the vet, you have no other symptoms in your herd, so while you feel bad, your budget dictates that you pass on the cultures and bury him.

Scenario 3: A six-week-old wether kid goes off his feed a bit. By morning he looks worse, so you take his temperature. It is an elevated at 105.3°F. He also seems a bit stiff when he moves. You decide to take him to the vet. The vet gives you the possible causes after she notices that his knee joints are tender. One possibility is bacterial polyarthritis (also known as joint-ill), which she thinks is the most likely cause, even though his cord was properly dipped at birth. Since you have no mastitis in your herd, mycoplasma is not her first suspect. But just to be sure, you decide to go ahead and have a joint fluid sample taken. It is painful for the kid and you feel badly about the potential cost. The vet shows you the fluid under the microscope. It is obviously filled with pus, as it would be for bacterial polyarthritis. You and the vet decide that a sample should be sent to a lab for culture, just to be sure. The vet starts the baby on oxytetracyline (which is effective against mycoplasma) and sends you home with some Naxcel as well to switch to if he doesn't improve. The culture will take 7-10 days. Fortunately the kid improves within a day or two. The bill is $250.

Then the culture comes back positive for mycoplasma.

Our Story
Our story is similar to both Scenario 2 and 3. Our first kid to get sick was treated as was the kid in example two. He was a little buckling that we were keeping intact and were quite impressed with. When he died it was very difficult, both from the standpoint of the loss of the potential as well as watching a creature suffer. I know now that we didn't have to lose him or let him suffer. At the time I was convinced it was "joint-ill" as everything I read seemed to indicate that diagnosis and our vet thought so too. It was only when a few weeks later that another kid, a little wether, developed the same symptoms that I felt there must be something else going on. Even then, I was very doubtful of it being mycoplasma. We had never had a clinical case of mastitis. We milk all of our does twice a day, even when they have kids on them part time, so we are quite aware of their udder health. Everything I read and the vets that I talked to at the time, confirmed these feelings. Then the test came back positive for mycoplasma.

At first I felt like quitting the business. We had thought our herd was so healthy. We had thought we were free of any contagious pathogens. We did annual CAE and Johnes testing, put tarps up at shows, hadn't bought any new stock in some time, all of it. I was humbled.

We decided to have the sample cultured further to determine what exact mycoplasma we were dealing with. This took another few weeks and more funds. We also took milk samples from all our does and had them cultured for mycoplasma as well. Although, by this time we knew that the shedding of the microorganism can be intermittent and asymptomatic. We also knew that there was a possibility that we had spread it to other does via the milking machine. I felt so dismayed. I wondered how we could deal with this and still enjoy the farm.

The milk samples all came back negative. Nice in one way, not in another—at least a positive sample would have told us who our culprit was and given us something to act upon.

The joint fluid sample came back positive for Mycoplasma mycoides mycoides Large Colony (or MmmLC). This is the one that I had come to suspect after spending the intervening weeks reading everything I could find on mycoplasmas. It is also the one I hoped for (if you could hope for such a thing) as it seemed to be the least pathogenic of all of them.

Changes. We had to make them. We had to for our own assurance as well as for our buyers. We started pulling kids at birth and feeding heat treated colostrum and pasteurized milk. For the does in the milking string, we implemented a manual "back-flushing" regimen to sanitize the inflations between animals. We had more samples of milk taken and cultured after all of the fall fresheners were milking. All samples are negative and none of the other spring kids that received mixed milk have ever sickened.

Our two kids that sickened, received commingled (mixed from the whole herd) raw milk. One of the does had to be an asymptomatic carrier. She may never shed again, or she might. Had she passed it to other kids who never sickened, but are now carriers as well? We were suspicious of one doe whose SCC (somatic cell count) was higher than normal during the time the kids would have received her milk. Her tests all came back negative, but we placed her in a pet home anyway. We are now (at the time of writing) over three years out from our experience. None of the other goats, that received the mixed milk at the same time as the ones that were ill, have ever had any problems. We continue to not allow their kids to nurse and if we feed commingled milk, it is always pasteurized.

Mycoplasma Arthritis - How it Happens
When a kid receives milk with the MmmLC in it, the mycoplasma most often attacks the joints first. When this happens the kid's temperature spikes (a spike means a sudden increase followed by a rapid decrease). The front knee joints are often the first to be affected, with firm swelling, and seem painful when touched. Their gait becomes tentative and stiff. Very rapidly they become septic (a body-wide infection) and their temperature begins to drop (this is why you do not see extremely high temperatures with mycoplasma, it attacks so rapidly that their systems begin failing before their body can attack it with extended fever). For the less observant herdkeeper, the kid can even look as though it has enterotoxemia, with its hunched posture and painful cries.

For all animals with mycoplasma in their system, including the asymptomatic ones, stress can cause an active, symptomatic case. An unstressed animal can remain asymptomatic and healthy, but still shed the pathogen.

For our two kids, one developed it after a long transport (when you would also suspect "shipping fever" and might treat for that instead) and the other sickened just shortly after castration. All others (seven kids in addition to these two) that received the same milk at the same time, have never showed signs. But we will suspect them as carriers and not ever feed their raw milk to their kids.

Other Stories
In doing the research for this article, I called upon other breeders who had experienced mycoplasma in their herds. I received several private communications from breeders who have had proven cases of mycoplasma.

In all of the stories there was a common theme of unpredictability. For example, one doe had two kids with only one that sickened and died. The other kid never showed symptoms and never passed it on to her kids, nor did that dam ever have any kids sicken from it. In another small herd, one doe spiked a high SCC then died a few months later. Her necropsy cultures were positive for mycoplasma. She apparently never passed it on to her adult herd-mates or to her kids. These breeders felt strongly that mycoplasma is very opportunistic. It may be out there in many herds, but only strike the occasional animal that becomes stressed or is immune suppressed for some reason.

All of the breeders who kindly shared their experiences with me asked that they remain anonymous. Due to the past virulence of the disease and the stigma associated with mycoplasma positive animals, they are hesitant to openly share their experiences. Understandably so.

Conclusion
We live in a world where disease can spread rapidly and cause great financial loss to farmers and breeders. This fear of both the disease and the potential financial loss can lead to the lack of open information and therefore education for breeders. By sharing our experience openly I knew that we might lose sales. But I feel strongly that sharing information will lead to a healthier population of animals and a more informed buyer or breeder.

Given the fact that we had a "closed herd" that appeared vigorous and healthy yet one of the animals was a carrier, you can draw the conclusion that there must be many undocumented carriers of mycoplasma. Therefore, learning to identify the symptoms, prevent further spread, and gain knowledge of the organism is critical. Even if it is never eliminated, suffering can be alleviated and losses cut if we know what we are dealing with.

Once you come to terms with the likelihood that many herds could have undetected mycoplasma carriers; that these carriers might never spread the disease; that if spread the disease is not the death sentence; and that you can implement a highly effective preventative program if you choose, then the fear changes to knowledge and power. We owe it to our animals and to our fellow human-herdmates to share our experience.



 

website to pictures of worms affecting goats and sheep

http://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/binaries/18475%20Worm_Parasite%20Atlas_tcm130-126570.pdf