Posted by Janet Seville on February 01, 2001 at 20:28:45:
Hi GoatWorld
While doing this morning's chores I found 11 month old Diane stretched out in the bedding with her legs and neck hyperextended and her horns pretty much touching her back at times. She's due to kid sometime between the end of February and mid March. My vet came quickly. He gave her diluted glucose IV, a calcium supplement SQ, and a thiamine inj., not sure if the first was IM or IV. The sugar was for possible Pregnancy Toxemia, the calcium for calcium deficiancy, and the thiamine for Polioencephalomalacia. He told meif the thiamine helped she'd be up and about pretty quickly, and if it was the sugar she needed it would take a little longer to see an effect.My vet left shortly before 1100, and by 1115 Diane was able to keep herself upright, lying down, looking about with a dazed expresion. By 1345 she was up on her feet, unsteady quiet and confused looking. I gave her further IM's of 5cc's of thiamine at 1500 and 1900 and will give her another at midnight and again in the morning. I also gave her a drench of 30cc's of karo syrup with a third of a cow capsule of probiotic mixed in. She's getting better all the time, and when I gave her the drench she was hard to hold on to. She's still quiet and a little off but I thought I was going to lose her this morning. My vet was wonderfull,I thought she had a tetnus infection - I had a colt die that way when I was a kid, and her posture and distress when I found her reminded me of him - but my vet assured me that since she had been vaccinated with Glanvac 3 in August and July she should still be safe from tetnus.
Am hoping for some direction in what comes next in managing this little doe. I think I should take her off oats completeley, my hay is pretty rich alfalfa, and I am guilty of increasing her oat ration over the past couple weeks. Found a good article at Onion Creek Ranch site and feel I understand better what we're dealing with, but I'm not sure if I can hope for a full recovery. My vet said she might not even lose the pregnancy, and there are no signs o that happening yet.
Please advise - Janet