# Baby goat cant stand up!!!



## dixiedairy

My baby Goat was born yesterday at 10:00 am. The birth was fine. But the baby still cant stand up. Her legs are like noodles. I have been taking her out to momma and holding her up so she can nurse every four hrs. I was just wondering if anyone had some advise to help her! Thanks


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## MF-Alpines

Did you give her a shot of BoSe? 1/4cc.


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## Anita Martin

Do you know for sure she is getting enough to eat? Bo-se? Is she warm enough. If she can't stand up she probably does not have a good suck reflex either. If you are keeping her inside, why not just bottle feed her so you know how much she is eating? Did the mother get bo-se before kidding. Does your mineral have a good source of selenium?


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## Bernice

Was she your first kid of this year? A shot of BO-SE would certainly help. Are you giving her any milk at all or are you having her nurse off her dam? Here is what I do, now remember, what works for me may or may not work for you:

When we notice a kid born with difficulty getting up we usually give the Bo-SE (generally it's white muscle disease which causes that). Sometimes it's due to the kidding process itself and the pressure on the kid as it exits. Other times from a hard kidding so sometimes they need a day or two to straighten out. 

We also bring the kid into the house, which you too have done. I feed colostrum through a pritchard nipple, some will take the standard black ones, depends. If that doesn't work I syringe down milk in small squirts at a time. Once they get the, "knack" of sucking, and it won't take long, they will start to eat more. Once they eat more they gain strength in those legs and can stand. I have had kids take up to 2 days before standing. 

I hope this helps.


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## dixiedairy

Thanks for all the advice. I am new to goats and this is the first kidding experice I have had. I havent heard of B0-SE But I am willing to try anything at this point. I have her in the house and I am bottle feeding now. I went and bought some colostrum and gave that to her and tried the coffee, dextrose, electrolytes mixture to try to boost her. She is spunky and got energy but just cant get those legs to do what she wants them to do. I have her in a sling contraption I have it hanging from the sling and got all four legs thru holes in a towle where her legs dangle down and barley touch the floor to try to make her put pressure on her legs. I have been puting pressure on her front legs to try to keep them from buckling under her, from her not using them. I took her to the vet today to take a look at her. She waighed 6.2 He said there is nothing broken and nothing felt out of place. He said that there is a good chance that she has a neuroilogical problem going on. But he said that not to give up hope that maybe she could be a little premature and to give her a week. If she's not walking then I should put her down. I do not want to believe that. Please help if there is anything I can do to get her to walk I would love to try it.


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## swgoats

A couple deficiencies can cause a newborn not able to rise - Selenium deficiency can be treatable with BoSe. Copper deficiency can also make them unable to walk, and it is untreatable in a young kid that can't rise because the spinal cord won't be formed right. (Got this info from a phone call with a vet at Washington State University.) Be advised both conditions can affect the heart. I think the vet's advice is sound but ask him for BoSe. It is worth a shot.


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## Caprine Beings

BoSe and Vit E!


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## Guest

Bo-Se and vitamin E (every day) until better...


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## Caprine Beings

If this little one is early and it has developmental problems, you won't know enough without the Vit E and BoSe. Once you have given that and given it time to work we will want an update. 
Tam


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## dixiedairy

Thank you so much for the help! How much of the BO-SE and Vit E should I start with?


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## Trysta

I would absolutely not put her in a sling. Muscles that don't get to work never get stronger. Just keep her in a small box (old sweater on the bottom for better grip then straw) and set her on her feet several times a day, slightly supporting her belly, but then look if she can hold her own being somewhat supported by the sides of the box. I had a big buckling that couldn't stand a few weeks back, but with the box method he was standing up within a day. Slings are used for animals with structural injuries, not for newborns that need to build muscle strength! Bo-Se and such are very good, too, but I just wanted to pipe in here, because very often there's really nothing majorly wrong with an animal that can't immediately stand, so don't mess it up by letting the muscles totally 'fall asleep'!


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## Ashley

I've had one kid like that Bo-se and she was up in a matter of minutes.


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## Caprine Beings

1/4 cc BoSe and 1 capsule of 400IU Vit E. 
Tam


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## hsmomof4

Bo-Se: 1/4 cc SubQ (you have to get it from your vet) and for Vit E, just get the capsules for people from the grocery store in the vitamin section, snip off the end, and squeeze the contents into her mouth. 1x/day.


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## dixiedairy

I gave her the BO-SE and the Vit E a few min ago. I am continuing to work with her. So I guess we just wait and see! As far as the cause of this whole mess! If the baby has a deficiency does that mean the momma is low on something too? Momma isnt running a fever and she eats Alfalfa hay, feed, and grazes ect. She seems in over all good health. Nothing abnormal with her. Is there something that I should of done to prevent this, or should be doing for her to make sure she is in good health and to prevent this from happening ever again? Thanks to all for all your help.


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## swgoats

For Selenium deficiency you give BoSe to the mom - the protocol should be in Goat Keeping 101. For copper deficiency you have to begin copper supplementation of some kind. Most on here prefer copper boluses filled with copper oxide particles. More info is in Goat Keeping 101. (Copper sulfate is another option you will read about other places.)


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## carlidoe

Make sure your doe has free choice access to a good mineral. Giving a couple of doses of Bose during pregnancy can help as well. Read From Birth til Kidding under Goat Keeping 101. It gives very easy to follow management directions.


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## Trysta

I have very good experiences too with always offering free choice minerals to all my animals, but especially my milking does and dry does. They really do seem to regulate their intake themselves better than I could: I notice differences in how much of the mineral they eat depending on the hay quality I'm feeding, for example, and right now I have more high producing does than a few weeks ago and those does are also digging in the mineral feeder. It's a great system.

Did you take the kid out of the sling? Please do. I speak not only as a farmer, but also as an experienced soccer coach who has dealt with a lot of injury prevention and also recovering athletes: unused muscles are incredibly hard to get back in use, so the more your doeling stands up with or without your help, the better it is, but also repositioning herself while laying down is exercise for the muscles, and she doesn't get that while hanging in a sling. Just think of it as physical therapy! Good luck. Don't give up, because usually these kids will recover, get stronger and hop around before you know it!


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## racyford

Jamie, you will probably have to give 2 BoSe shots. It will probably take about a day to see the difference. I forgot twice to give does their BoSe shots while pregnant and both time have had a baby born like this. (Totally different lineage in the moms so it is not necessarily hereditary.) It is just herd management. I believe the BoSe also helps with easier birthing for the moms! They like that.  It will get better. If you have more pregnant goats, give them their shots now.


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## peregrine

I had two does give birth this year. They get the same care and diet. One doe is mature 4 y/o and the other is 1 y/o FF. The 4 y/o had amazing babies and easy birth. The 1 y/o had one dead baby plus 2 weak kids. The kids were unable to stand until the 2nd day and at day 5 one of them still has one leg with contracted tendons (but at least now he is running and standing and nursing and doing great, except for his weaker, braced, leg). I gave them both DAILY bo-se 1/4 cc per day plus a 400 IU Vit E each day until improved 100%. The weak leg baby is still getting Vit E and 1/4 cc bo-se every other day. I gave the both pregnant does bo-se about 3 months into pregnancy. Perhaps I should have given them another dose....


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## MF-Alpines

Yes, Alisa. BoSe should be given about 2 weeks prior to kidding. I also give BoSe to does earlier than that (or any time really) if I see their pasturns are dropped. The only does I gave this to that was not just prior to kidding was a dry 5yo and one other doe earlier in her pregnancy. I will repeat 2 weeks from kidding on this same doe.

Typically, I follow From Birth to Kidding in GK101.


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## dixiedairy

Thank you for all the advise. Well she has had a dose of BO-SE and vit E for the past two days. She's no longer in the sling. And have been working with her. Im starting to get discouraged cause she just isnt coming along like she should. She is still wobbly and noodly and cant stand up, when you stand her up her up on her legs, her legs just cave in under her. She is eating well and is in good spirits. I just dont know if there is anything else I can do.


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## swgoats

I had one once who we believed was copper deficient. I tried for three months with BoSe. Her twin seemed fine, then at three months died of heart failure. A week later the one that couldn't walk died. She was a learning experience. In my herd having a very hardy breed with lots of hybrid vigor, a kid that can't stand is not normal and prognosis is poor. I was actually kind of surprised at the advice to keep working with her. It just really depends on the herd I think and the reason the goat can't rise. 

Copper deficiency can only be diagnosed reliably with a liver biopsy or you might be able to see lesions on the spinal cord with necropsy. But symptoms can be rough bleached out coat, tails that are bald on the tip looking like fish tails, black goats start looking red, other colors can get bleached out, parasites can be a greater than normal problem, lice... Look at the whole herd. Look at your feed, minerals. Feed and minerals approved for sheep (or "all stock") do not contain enough copper for goats. Goats need alot more. The high levels in horse feed are just fine.


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## smithurmonds

Sorry for the hijack, but Angie I'm curious- how was heart failure determined as the cause of death? Necropsy? Thanks!


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## swgoats

I was holding the goat and listening with my stethoscope as the heart failed on the one that seemed just fine. She had no other symptoms. I heard her mama screaming and ran to the kid and saw she appeared to be having a heart attack. She just dropped, couldn't stand, labored breathing, heart beat was erratic, just took one last great breath, and then the heart slowed and stopped. It was just very sudden with no proceeding symptoms. I suppose I inferred heart trouble due to having researched the copper deficiency for the sister and knew it was a possibility. The one that could rise just got to a point when she wasn't improving anymore. She was always very sweet and loved her bottles. But one day she was just gone. She lived in the house so there was no possibility of death by worms or coccidia. I should have sent in the liver, but I was operating on emotion at that point.


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## swgoats

This was the article I read and I contacted them at WSU to discuss the kid. They told me there would be lesions on the spinal cord and the kid would never recover.
http://www.kinne.net/cu-def.htm

Chart of copper deficiency symptoms:
http://www.saanendoah.com/nutritionalchart.html


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## LLB101

The little 1.1 lb doeling from a couple years ago that I had here... she couldn't stand and would just splay out every which way.

I put a rolled up towel under her several times per day on a non-slippery surface. It was kind of like training wheels. Didn't hold her up like a sling, it would collapse when she'd fall but not so far that she splayed out everywhere. She could struggle with the partial help of the towel and get one foot stable then another. She'd struggle quite a bit and really work her legs vs just going flat out splat and not able to start getting up again. It really seemed to help a lot to get her standing on her own.


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## goatkid

Sometimes it just takes time and to keep treating the kid. I was helping a friend with her goats and noticed one of her Boer babies was dragging her back legs around behind her. She was able to raise up on the front ones to nurse, but couldn't walk. I treated her with BoSe and Vit E. It took a few days, but eventually she could stand and she grew to be a normal, healthy kid.


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## dixiedairy

Well I would like to start and say thank you for all the great advice! Between the Bo-Se, Vit E, a lot of time and effort, my baby goat is walking! She started getting up on her own about 4 days ago and from there it was on! Once she figured out that she could get up she would take a few steps before she would fall down, then to walking and even running. Her back legs drag a little if she gets exsited and in a hurry but I think that will work its self out with time. If she takes her time she is walking fine. I am so thankfull that I didnt have to take the Vets advise and put her down! Im sorry I didnt have a chance to update you all sooner! But I would just like to say thank you!!! I have read all of the goat keeping 101 so maybe I wont have to ever do this again!


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## MF-Alpines

That is great news!!!!!


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## smithurmonds

That's great Jamie!


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## Trysta

SUPER!!!


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## Bernice

Jamie: how is thew wee one doing?


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## Ashley

Awesome!


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## Buffy Myers

dixiedairy said:


> Well I would like to start and say thank you for all the great advice! Between the Bo-Se, Vit E, a lot of time and effort, my baby goat is walking! She started getting up on her own about 4 days ago and from there it was on! Once she figured out that she could get up she would take a few steps before she would fall down, then to walking and even running. Her back legs drag a little if she gets exsited and in a hurry but I think that will work its self out with time. If she takes her time she is walking fine. I am so thankfull that I didnt have to take the Vets advise and put her down! Im sorry I didnt have a chance to update you all sooner! But I would just like to say thank you!!! I have read all of the goat keeping 101 so maybe I wont have to ever do this again!


I know this is an older post, but I'm wondering if someone can tell me how often to give the BoSe on a baby that can't stand? Is it daily? I know there is concern of toxicity.


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## greenTgoats

Start with 1/4ml and give a second dose the next day if needed.


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## Farrell

I am still relatively new to goats and jumping on here due to having a preemie birth last week from my Oberhasli Nigerian mix. Mom rejected the baby when he couldn't stand - but first issue was getting the little one healthy. Took the advise here for BoSe and vitamin e. Using a mix of mom's milk and supplement (after doing the colostrum replacer a couple days). First day - no walking. Couldn't stand. Next day, able to stand but very wobbly. Third day taking steps like a newborn. Almost a week later and he is healthy enough to bounce around like a kid should. The amazing thing... My one dog has acted like the momma. She keeps him clean after feedings and even pretends to "nurse". Then she made little Cosmic Charlie do exercise by nudging him while also supporting him until he could get around on his own. 

My one concern is I am still trying to get the mom to accept him and let him feed. He is accepted by the other goats, but I am concerned he relates better with the dog than the herd. 

In any event, I am sure they will figure it out but just wanted to thank everyone in the thread for a very helpful dialog!


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## srfotog

dixiedairy said:


> My baby Goat was born yesterday at 10:00 am. The birth was fine. But the baby still cant stand up. Her legs are like noodles. I have been taking her out to momma and holding her up so she can nurse every four hrs. I was just wondering if anyone had some advise to help her! Thanks


Probably selenium deficiency. Take her to a vet.


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## Michael Williams

I have a 4 1/2 month old doe who was laying down on her side this morning. I brought her inside and she is eating, but not standing up. Anyone have any ideas what is up? I gave her some fresh comfrey and raspberry leaves. I also gave her some baking soda at first and water. She looks great, just not standing up yet.


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