# sick goat



## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

:help I have a very sick goat. Pita, my fb togg, is not eating, not standing (except to feed kids then back down again), and when she does stand she is wobbly on her feet. She acts a like she's had too much to drink! I don't think she has a fever although I have no way to tell. She actually feels cooler than all the other goats. (I had to do something so I felt all the goats to see how warm they were as opposed to Pita. They all felt about the same, she felt cooler.) What do I do? I have been searching through my vet manual and all the goat info sites I know. I do not know what is wrong. I've never had a sick goat before. Does anyone have any suggestions. I'm getting desperate.
Thanks in advance,
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Sounds like hypocalcimia she needs CMPK asap am guessing her temp is very low so keep her hydrated and get the calcium in her. injectable from a vet is best and works the fastest but even homemade will help. you may be abel to buy cmpk injectable there in OK at a feed store I don't know but here in TX it is and RX


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## Guest (Apr 3, 2008)

I was also thinking CMPK. I lost a goat last winter that had the same symptoms, before I learned this about CMPK and hypocalcimia. No time to waste! Hope she makes it.


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Vet on the way.....going to get some tums!
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

it'll take a heck of alot of tums


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Well!!!!!!!!! The tums helped until the doc could get here. He had to IV her. She had milk fever or hypocalcemia. whatever ya wanna call it. She was almost a goner. whew............ Thanks guys for the help!
Andi


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

Keep monitoring this animal, she may be doing well since the IV, but can go down again in a few hours. You need to have some CMPK on hand!!!!


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

He said he gave her CMPK. She got the IV and a shot. He said he wasn't just rehydrating her, it was the meds too. Do I still need to see if I can get some. I don't know if I can buy it anywhere close. I know the feed store doesn't have it and that is the closest place for a long way. 
Andi


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Sondra,
How do you make the homemade kind??
I'm going look in the other sections and see if it's in there.
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Believe you need to get it from your vet but one shot probably isn't going to be enough she most likely needs it everyday for a while.

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,27.0.html 
homemade


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## baileybunch (Oct 26, 2007)

I use oral CMPK from the feed store. It is also called Oral Cal MPK. I mix it with same amount of warm water and add a Tbs of molasses and give as a drench. The oral calcium is caustic and burns. Diluting seemed to help. I haven't tried to get the RX from my local vet. She will likely need CMPK until after she freshens. Keep monitoring her temp. Read Sue Reith's article on Hypocalcemia in Goat 101.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

Don't let those kids drain her of milk. You actually might need to pull the kids off of her. Her body is drained of its calcium and it is pulling it out of her bones and muscles for her own body's use and trying to make milk for the babies. Call your vet back and ask him if you can come get a bottle of injectable CMPK. You will need to get her a 30 cc sub q shot of it every day for several days. Do you have some propolyne glycol or some Goat Nutra Drench? Some of this given orally for energy will help a lot too. Probios a 2 inch strip given orally 2-3 times a day for a few days also. Back her off her grain to a minimal amount and make sure she is getting plenty alfalfa/alfalfa pellets at least 3 - 4 pounds a day. She needs a 3 cc shot of Vitamin B Complex for about 3 days in a row. When she starts getting her strength back then you can start gradually increasing her grain back up to a couple pounds a day for a large breed goat. If it is going to be cold in your area tonight, put a sweatshirt on your doe to help her retain her body heat and put her in a nice warm stall or barn.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I would pull those kids off her asap!!


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Christine,
Thank you very much for so much detailed info. I am giving her the homemade cmpk twice a day in a drench. I didn't realize there was so much to this. I guess the vet didn't either. I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that out. I will do my best to get it all together in the morning. Thanks for the warning on the weather. I'll go now and put her sweater on and get her in the sick stall. I just layered it down in fresh bedding today...just in case. 
Andi


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks for the warning on the kids. I didn't know. How do I feed them now? Will they take a bottle at almost 4 weeks old?? 
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Well it will be real hard but can be done. Are they eating any thing at all now?? If they are hungry enought they will take the bottle. Try taking them away from mom tonight and feed them whole grocery store Vit D milk warm it to 102 degrees and try feeding them in the morning abt 9am they should be good an hungry by then. Bet the dam isn't producing enough for them anyway. and it is draining her.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

The vet is probably mostly a cow vet. Goats metabolisms are different and unless they are really familiar with goats, they tend to treat like a cow and move on. At 4 weeks old they might not take to a bottle. Are they eating any hay or feed yet? You could try a bottle with just regular whole milk from the grocery store, but... if not, I would put feed and water and hay in front of them. It is almost certain though unless you take the strain of having to produce so much calcium, off of her, you might lose her. A goat with depleted calcium could go into cardiac arrest. She is going to need some TLC to get through this. Good luck with her.


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

:thankyou
Pita is now in the sick stall, nice and cozy. The babes are bedded down with my boer doe (babysitter) and Mudd the LGD. They are all hollering for each other, but are safe and warm. I will try to feed the babies in the morning. I really, really appreciate this. I know what you mean about the vet being more cow than goat. I asked him if he thought my obie was pregnant at all and he bumped her like a cow! I almost laughed. LOL BTW--she actually is pregnant. 
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

how did it go with the bottle feeding?


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

Bottle feeding actually went great! It's amazing how much easier it was to feed these two than my buck was at 2 weeks. I thought they were harder as they got older. That buck fought me for 2 days before getting hungry enough to give in. These girls are almost 4 weeks old and it only took them overnight! Good goats!
Andi


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Good!! bucks just like men are hard headed


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I've noticed that when I've had a sick doe or lost a doe, for some reason it's been easier to get those kids to take a bottle than when the kids were pulled to sell either them or their dam. Kathie


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## Becky-DixieDoesAlpines (Oct 26, 2007)

Glad things are working out. Just one thing, you should get a thermomometer now before you have another sitaiution where you need one and don't have it!
I love the 9 second digital one from Jeffers, it is less than $10.
Becky


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## andiplus5 (Feb 14, 2008)

oh good. I was about to order from Jeffers online. I have a list. After the outrageous prices I paid today at the local feed store I decided to make a list and go shopping online!! Thanks for the info!
Andi


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