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     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 24 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.205.236 Rating: N/A |
If she doesn't have a fever, your goat likely has goat polio, caused by a thiamin (Vitamin B1) deficiency. The only successful treatment is fairly large frequent injections of thiamin and these must begin very soon. This disease causes swelling of the brain and brain damage as well as nerve damage. Nearly ANY vet even a small animal vet will be able to give you some sort of injectable thiamin, be sure you get enough to continue treatment for many days. Many feed stores also carry B Complex injectable, get the Fortified kind if at all possible. If you have B complex injectable, look to see how much thiamin there is in each ml (ml=cc) and give the goat enough to give 5 mg/pound, by SQ injection every 4 to 6 hours for the first 24 hours, then 2 to 3 times a day for 7 to 10 more days. Regular B Complex injectable has about 12.5 mg/ml of thiamin, about enough for 2 to 3 pounds, Fortified B Complex usually has 100 mg/ml, enough for 20 pounds. You may see a fairly sudden improvement after the first dose or two, but do not stop treatment. You have to keep supplying the goat with the necessary thiamin she needs while her digestive microbes recover. Giving a probiotic will help. If she does have a fever (105 or over) she may have listeriosis. The treatment is much the same but you will need to add large doses of penicillin, 1 cc per 15 pounds given by SQ injection, on the same schedule as the thiamin. Goat Polio or polioencephalomalacia is caused by a sudden die off of the rumen and intestinal microbes that produce thiamin. This is most often caused by contaminated or moldy feed or hay, or a sudden change in feed or giving antibiotics orally. Check your feed carefully. If you recnetly changed feeds, or opened a new bag, or changed hay types or opened a new bale, this is likely the culprit. Even if it looks fine dispose of it. Do not feed grain for now, only good hay and water. Listeriosis is caused by a very common bacteria found in many soils. It infects goats that eat feed or hay contaminated with dirt. Feel free to call me at 919 596 0984 or email me privately, I am one of the capri medics. | ||
| (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.179.191.245 Rating: N/A |
i have a female goat, previously doing well, suddenly get sick, can't hold head up straight, shaking head around, falls over on the ground. grinding her teeth, twitching/shaking. very worried cannot get through to vet. has anyone ever encountered this with other goats?? what would be best to do, until contacting vet |