| Goat Health and Safety |
Basic Goat safety: (know at least 5!) * Secure predator proof fencing is needed. * Check fence line daily. * Use breakaway collars on goats. * Check for and remove any garbage, string, or any inedible item for goat area. * Check goat houses for hazards such a spiders, splinters and loose wood. * Have a veterinarians number and the number of a goat mentor on hand at ALL Times. * Do not hesitate to call for help! * Keep feet trimmed. * Feed clean, dry hay. * Provide fresh clean, unfrozen water. * Provide loose minerals. Basic Goat health - must know temp and one other! Healthy temp: between 101 and 104. - taking your goats temperature is vital to diagnosing problems with their health. - take the temperature of a few healthy goats as well and compare. - in general a sub-normal (low) reading indicates a problem with metabolism (digestion) and a high reading indicates infection (usually treated with antibiotics.) - Never ignore an abnormal temperature reading - contact your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY! Pulse rate : 60-80 - A high pulse rate can indicate pain. A low pulse can indicate illness or poisoning. Reparations : 15- 30 per minute - Shallow breathing (quick breaths) can also indicate pain. Rumen (gut sounds) - about 1 per minute - Goats are constantly digesting food - if their rumen stops working for too long acids can build up and cause illness or death. Goat disease: Common Signs of illness- (must know 5) * off feed * depressed * alone * diarrhea * white gums * hunched up * laying down and not getting up * standing stiffly - reluctant to move * grinding teeth * fever * dilated eyes * low temperature or * ANY weird behavior Golden Rule of Goat Health - CALL THE VET! (must know!) Having a “wait and see” attitude often results in a sicker goat with less chance of recovery even with veterinary care. Early care is less expensive and has a better chance of working! It is important to only get your goat from stock that is healthy. Have your goat tested for CAE and CL, and only buy from herds that are “clean” meaning they are aware of and test for disease and practice proactive prevention. Both of these diseases are very costly to deal with and it is best to avoid them entirely. Every goat owner must know about CAE and CL (Know Both) CAE - No cure available - Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis - Passed through milk. Young goats develop paralysis. Older goats (over one year) develop arthritis in their legs, swollen joints, rough coat, and sometimes develop pneumonia.. Goats in milk suffer from a hard congested udder, making it difficult (impossible) to milk. CL - No Cure Available - Caseous Lymphadenitis - Causes large (golf ball sized) highly infectious abscesses to form in the lymph nodes (behind the jaw, shoulders, above or behind the mammary system) . When the abscesses rupture the disease is easily spread. If abscesses are internal (lungs, kidneys, mammary system) the disease can be spread from coughing, urine, or milk. This is a disease that can be picked up at goat shows - prevention is to tarp the pen, spray bleach water on all surfaces, and avoid sharing fence lines with unknown goats. Other Diseases/Health issues Goats can get - (Should know five!) Pneumonia - Symptoms include fever, green snot and coughing Treatment - antibiotics, veterinary care Prevention - clean, well ventilated, draft free areas for goats to escape the weather, do not overcrowd goats, be sure they have access to good food and water (not frozen!) Bloat - Symptoms - Distended rumen, difficulty walking, crying, labored breathing. Treatment - Vegetable or peanut oil orally to break up the bubbles forming in rumen. Massage, gentle exercise. Goat must burp or die. Prevention - Baking soda offered free choice, do not make sudden changes in diet. Coccidia - coccidiosis - Symptoms - hunched up kids, diarrhea, anemia, weakness. Treatment - Albon, Di-methox or Sulphamezathine (all the same thing) Prevention - keep water and feed clean. Enterotoxemia (sometimes called Entero) - Symptoms - high fever, diarrhea, screaming kids, refusal to eat, sudden death Treatment - Clostridium perfringens type C & D anti-toxin (note - in acute cases, most animals will die) Bio-sponge to absorb toxins. Prevention - Clostridium perfringens type C & D vaccinations given to mother a month before kidding. Vaccinations for kids. Hypocalcaemia (Milk fever) Symptoms - a newly freshened goat suddenly becomes weak. Low temperature, shivering after milking. Treatment - calcium gluconate - Sub Q injections (slowly) or orally. Prevention - Provide adequate calcium to pregnant does as they approach kidding. Feed alfalfa, Tums and a good loose mineral. Mastitis - Symptoms - hot udder, decreased milk production, clumpy, bloody or watery milk, positive California Mastitis Test (CMT) result, affected milk samples may be taken to the lab to help decide best course of treatment Treatment - frequent milking, hot compress, udder massage, Vitamin C tablets orally, Peppermint oil applied topically to the udder, mammary infusions of Today or Spectramast, antibiotics. Prevention - sanitary milking procedures, Good diet /loose minerals available, post milking teat dip or spray with Fight-Bac after milking. Mange or Ringworm - Symptoms - hair loss Treatment - iodine for ringworm, Veterinary treatment to determine type and effective treatment for mange. Prevention - avoid affected animals, practice bio-security at shows. Worms/ parasites/ lice - Symptoms - white gums and eyelids, weight loss, diarrhea, rough coat, hair loss, rubbing on the fence. Treatment - run a fecal or examine skin to determine parasite and treat with an appropriate wormer or insecticide that is safe for goats Prevention - clean pens, good diet, loose minerals, stress free environment (we know this is not possible, all goats get parasites, but the healthier the goat, the better they deal with parasites. Herbal wormers are good for prevention. Summer clipping helps with lice. Tetanus - Vaccinate for tetanus - use anti-toxin during tattoo-ing, castrating, and disbudding. Vaccines are cheap - treatment is not. UC - Urinary calculi (urinary stones) Symptoms, straining to pee, kicking at belly, inability to urinate - blood in urine. Treatment - veterinary care, surgery may be required. If animal is still urinating small amounts they maybe treated with ammonium chloride and have food withheld for 24 hours. Prevention - overfeeding rich food to wethers or inappropriate mineral blend is the cause of UC. Add ammonium chloride to feed to prevent stones . Pregnancy toximia/ ketosis- Symptoms - Affects pregnant does or does who have recently kidded. Off feed, depressed, muscle weakness, sweet smell to urine and breath. Positive Keto-check reading. Treatment - feed sugars, karo syrup, molasses, to restore energy levels. Nutri-drench, Fortified B-Compelx injections, probiotics. Increase feed gradually. Prevention - do not overfeed does early in pregnancy - slowly increase grain during last month of pregnancy to meet energy demands. Vitamin E/ Selenium deficiency - White muscle disease Symptoms - seen in kids, weakness, stiff gait, hunched back, inability to stand, may affect the heart Treatment - selenium and Vitamin E - open Vitamin E gel caps and squirt into mouth of baby goats. Bo-Se injection (available through Vet.) Prevention - Good loose mineral - May give does Bo-Se injections as short term solution. Poisoning - Poisoning can take many forms - local plants, windblown leaves, chemicals around our homes - if you suspect poisoning call the vet immediately. Some common poisonous plants to our area: * any wilted leaves from a tree or plant that produces fruit with pits - cherry, plum, apricot, etc. * Some other common toxic plants include Oleander, Lupine, Jimson Weed (Datura), Oak, Azalea. * Any new food introduced in large quantities can cause toxins to build up in the rumen. Symptoms - Salivation, lack of coordination, convulsions, dilated pupils, change in pulse or breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, grinding teeth, etc. Treatment - Veterinary assistance depending on type of poison suspected. Prevention - Keep goats away from toxins, well fed goats are less likely to eat toxic plants |
DECEMBER 10th, 2011