I am posting for a friend.....she raises Boers. 3 otherwise healthy kids at 2 -3 months suddenly become depressed, decreased appetite, and drop temps. They then pass "very large" loose stools, dk brown in color. Seizure like behavior noted in some kids, very rapid decline. Some of the kids were bottle raised and some dam raised. She has tried sulfa, Corid, and Pig Pump (Spectinomycin). Thoughts? She says she was late vaccinating all her kids for CD+T, didn't do it until yesterday. Julie in OK
I hate doing friend posts...we never get the whole story. If she is in your area it's almost always worms, then cocci takes hold and finally the kids die of pneumonia. Considering most folks don't worm until the goats are ill, then they don't use enough of any sulfa or especially corid. Couple that with now vaccinating severely anemic dehydrated goats, without tremendous lifesaving help the kids will die. Deal with the dehydration first, subq fluids. If she won't do a fecal, worm...use panacur or safeguard at triple the dosage and then Ivermectin or Cydectin or Tramisole...given at the same time, not mixed. Cocci, use treatment level of corrid (found in goatkeeping 101) Naxcel, Nuflor or penicillin if she doesn't have a vet, banamine for bringing the fever down and making the spastic gut stop. She must know the correct dosages, ask. Lots of really good grass hay, no grain period until they are 100%. Once blood diarrhea starts, which is red seen in diarrhea but black also when they are free bleeding, dark brown poop is dead blood from their intestines or the worms die off, the kids really are ruined. She may want to think about butchering them now so the meat isn't wasted, unless she has used other drugs you didn't list. Get her on the forum. Prevention is always less expensive than dealing with crisis like this. Vicki
Thanks for the help, I appreciate it. She says she wormed with Cydectin 2 weeks ago, at the rate of 10cc/100 lbs. She has tried Nuflor on the other two but they went down so fast I don't think it had time to work. She is a paramedic so she had some IV fluid on hand to give Sub Q. Will keep you guys posted.
She says she wormed with Cydectin 2 weeks ago, at the rate of 10cc/100 lbs. ................. Cydectin dosage is 1cc per 22 pounds so with her using it at nearly over double the dose, I bet she overdosed them. Did she give it orally or poured on? What she is seeing right now is liver failure. Sorry. Vicki
Question, not an answer- could this potentially be copper involved? wondering because its about the age that maternal copper stores would be depleted IIRC? Would bolusing be appropriate? Is this a situation where it would be worth sending off a liver biopsy on one the dead kids to see if you can extrapolate herd status from it?
Bump.......I'm bumping for 2 things,,,,,I would like to know how these goats are doing? and if Laura's question was reasonably answered by me. Thanks....Whim.
Well she took in a stool sample from a dead kid and the vet (not a goat vet mind you but he's all we've got) said little to no worms of note, but did have "neurological cocci"......and that there is little to nothing to be done when cocci reaches that stage. She has not been feeding her weaned kids pellets with Deccox so I suggested that.....
Pelleted grain with meds does no good unless you can get them all to eat the amount recomended. She is far better off treating by mouth. She also needs to get her dosing right . Patty
Even being fed at the correct dosage on the bag...1 pound per 30 to 50 pounds of body wieght, Decoquinate is still a cow dose and not enough to keep cocci at bay in your goats. Now rumensin out here and lasalocid are both dosed correctly. Vicki
Oh, OK, so she should just get the feed with rumensin or lasalocid in it? Her kids are mostly dam raised, so when would you guys start Corid or something like it on those kids?
By 3 wks here and I don't even us feed with meds as you don't know who is getting how much to do any good. Corid or Demethox 40% is the way to go. May be a pain but at least you know you did your best. IMHO and don't use a feed with rumensin in it and also use decox-m or demthox 40% am not sure abt corid/ the combo can be deadly quote below from someone elses ph call with Associated Feeds
