| Author | Message | ||
     Ann Flickinger New member Username: annflickinger Post Number: 25 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
My 9 month old wether was acting strange yesterday, he would not run and play with the other 2 goats and he wouldn't even run with me. He was eating good, but is very shy and I always stand with him while he eats to make sure he gets his full share. This morning he would not eat at all so after the others were finished I got him more fresh food and put scratch(cracked corn oats and a little bit of barley)in with it. I went back in, took him to a quit corner in the barn and he ate almost all his normal ration. Then he immediately laid down and did not eat much hay. I sat beside him and coddled him and he started nibbling hay. I ran to the store got a digital thermometer and his temp read 102.4 and he seemed to be acting more normal. I saw him both urinate a fine stream and he had completely normal looking droppings. He has had a slightly runny nose since I got him in August and I have checked his temp. before and it was about the same. I figured he has some slight allergy and may grow out of it as he matures. Although he is the middle of the road age and size to his 2 buddies he does not have a single aggressive bone in his body to the point that I have seen him run under the horse for protection from the other goats. Could this be a case of extreme shyness and not illness? His is a bit of a picky eater and I have to feed him a 10% all grain feed, because he won't think of eating his pellets. The only think that has changed recently is the weather as gotten cooler (30 degrees F day and 20's at night) and on Friday he got CD/T and rabies vaccine-first time for the rabies. I checked his body all over for tenderness and his belly is soft, so he seems fine there, but last week he was dropping his back away from me when I ran my fingers done his spine. I do have a somewhat hard time keeping weight on him, but I see him almost constantly running from the older wether. I do add less then 1/8 tsp. of ammonuium chloride to all the goats grain to help balance possible urinary crystals. I have checked all the angles I can think of and everyone else says that goats will find a pecking order and are fine, but I am not so sure, because this is going to the extreme. Any ideas as to what is really going on would be greatly appreciated. I want to make sure he is not ill. I can do my best at protecting him from the other goats and at some point in the near future (due to his breed and his present size) his is going to be the biggest goat in the bunch. Please help, I don't want to lose him and I think this is very possible especially in the winter if this keeps up. Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to describe as much as possible. | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 159 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
Check his inner eyelids for color. They should be bright rosy pink, nearly like ours, and not hard to see this color at all. If they are pale pink or white, he is anemic, likely from worms. This will make a goat have a poor appetite, and could be why you have trouble keeping weight on him. I recommend deworming with Ivomec Injectable for Cattle. Give at least 1 cc per 25 pounds but give it orally. Do this for 2 days then repeat in 2 weeks. The vaccines may also be making him feel a bit down. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Ann Flickinger New member Username: annflickinger Post Number: 27 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Thanks, Maggie. His eyelids were fine and within a day he was acting normal other than his regular shyiness. At this point he is getting a little braver and does not run so much from the adult goat. | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 190 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
Maybe a passing virus or something. Glad he is feeling better. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic |