# Goat with fever



## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

1 year old wether, fever of 104.9 yesterday afternoon, 106 last night. Only other symptom
is he was coughing a few times a day or so ago. He eats with gusto, poops and pees fine, drinks as well.
No snotty nose, no rattly sounds in lungs. Was wormed 1 month
ago and fecaled last week. (By me, nothing of note on there.)

Last night gave him banamine, b-complex and Bo-Se. This morning temp is 104.2. (Herdmate
is 101.9)

Should I go ahead and treat him for pneumonia? Was hoping to see if it was viral and he
could fight it off himself. 

It never rains, but it pours. This on top of a cocci outbreak in a doeling and a doe that busted
a horn off and had emergency surgery! Bah!! Blasted goats


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Yes I would start antibiotics, myself and lots of Vit C


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

If you have Nuflor, I would use that, in conjunction with the banamine.


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## helmstead (Jun 19, 2009)

x3


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Viral and you would be seeing symptoms in other goats at 36 hours...if you do not have a dramatic relief of symptoms after 24 hours on nuflor please start another antibiotic. Make sure also your dosages are enough that whatever the thread you found the nuflor used in, there was recovery afterwards. Do not stop the banamine, use fortified b complex (or use your b complex until you buy fortified and then throw the b complex away).

And I am exactly like you, even with 104 as long as banamine will keep it down to 104, I will also not use antibiotics, my herd is vaccinated for pasturella which is the only pneumonia we have ever been diagnosed with, the girls will usually fight it off quickly with banamine, an antihistamine from the vet, FBcomplex, bo-se boosting...especially since he is showing no loss of appetite or lethargy and as long as I don't have to hydrate him. Vicki


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

I hesitate to use antibiotics unless they are necessary. If he had any other
signs, I would not hesitate. But there is no nasal discharge, no fast breathing,
no lung noises, nothing. Just a fever. At noon today, his temp was 103.7, this
afternoon after being out in the sun (his choice) 104.6. 

I do not have Nuflor, Naxel or Excenel. I have Biomycin, which worked on
another girl I had get pneumonia two years ago. Has anyone ever used
Di-methox for pneumonia? I know that is what is used in cattle and I have
it as well. 

I did give him the BoSe, along with an extra E gel. Do I need to give that more
than once? Been stuffing him with Vit C as well. The banamine has probably worn 
off by now, so shall check temp and give that this evening.


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

Banamine is best given every 24 hours. If you are using it for pain relief, then folks generally give 1/2 doses every 12 hours.

And any good vet will tell you that if you aren't getting results in 24-36 hours, then you need to switch antibiotics. Biomyicin "may" work - and is certainly better than nothing.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

Is he drinking plenty of cool water in this heat and has a nice cool shady place to get in during the day?


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

We don't really have heat like you do. Our weather has been extremely cool and wet.
Hottest it has gotten this year so far is 77. But it goes from one day being 55 and
raining all day to next day hotter than hades (to me) blazing sun and 75, then next
day back to 55 or so. 

They have fresh,cool water several times a day. I have 5 gallon water containers so
have to check them regularly. (On purpose, that way I know they are getting fresh
daily) And they have a lovely shaded area in their pen as well as their barn with a fan.

I checked his temp this am and it was 101.5. :crazy Hoping it is as good this pm.
He is not thrilled with all the temp taking. :biggrin Perhaps it was a fluke? I don't know.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

how was his temp last night?


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

Temp at 8 pm was 101.9. This am 101.8. And just as piggy and rotten as ever.
I don't know what it was, but I guess he is ok. I will keep an eye on him. He is
just a pet (my one token useless wether) but still hate to lose any of them.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

AH sounds good


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## Red Mare (Apr 23, 2011)

Glad to read that he is doing better. 
The goats are so different from the horses in that we treat before real s/s.

I was told by another goat person locally that you have to get after them sooner as they conceal illness so well-
So it's better to treat with antibiotics even though it goes against your mental trend. 

Was the cough the reason you decided to go ahead and get a temp on him in the first place?


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

No, it was not. I agree, goats do hide illness well. A lot depends on how well you 
know your goats and how attentive you are to any changes in behavior. I am in
my barn many times a day and everyone gets a once over at least once a day.
I know what their "normal" behavior is and if someone is "off", I can tell almost
immediately. I also check temps about once a week on everyone so that I know
what normal temp for each goat is.

He was eating fine, acting normal in other ways. The only thing different was
he spent more time lying down in the shelter in the pasture than usual. It has
not been hot or raining, so for him to spend so much time in it was odd. I only
mentioned the cough because I was kind of looking for something. (I think it 
was a new bale of more dusty hay than usual.) 

So, yes, it is good to jump right on anything that is odd. If his temp had stayed
up for a second day he would have been on antibiotics. I don't want to lose
someone because I waited too long to treat.


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## helmstead (Jun 19, 2009)

So glad he's doing better...


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## Red Mare (Apr 23, 2011)

NWgoats said:


> No, it was not. I agree, goats do hide illness well. A lot depends on how well you
> know your goats and how attentive you are to any changes in behavior. I am in
> my barn many times a day and everyone gets a once over at least once a day.
> I know what their "normal" behavior is and if someone is "off", I can tell almost
> ...


Excellent looking out. I am not able to be on our family farm most of the day, but I will adopt the temp readings once a week! 
I am thinking the goats are going to hate me shortly here!


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

They are like kids, some take it better than others! :biggrin
A couple of mine just stand and eat their dinner till we are finished,
a couple of others "Goat rodeo time!!". But I find that it helps me
a great deal to track temps on a sort of spreadsheet, then if one
is "off" you know what it "should" be. 

The daily once over really helps as well. Doesn't take a lot of time,
but can give you lots of information. Check noses for discharge, eyes
for goobs and color, a quick brushing alerts you to lumps, cuts, etc.,
feet check, and rear end check for regular berries. Watch them eat
(or start to) and see if anyone is chewing funny or not eating with the
same gusto as usual. I am amazed at people who say "But I didn't even 
notice he/she had diarrhea" :crazy

If you look at your goats at all, how can you not notice? 
Just a few minutes per goat every day has really helped me head off
anything before it gets too serious. Including hypocalcemia. Not saying
I have never had a sick goat, but they have all recovered relatively quickly.


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