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Diseases-symptoms & possible treatments (meat goats)

List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
Diseases - Symptoms and Possible Treatments [ Physical/Skin ] [ Respiratory Signs ] [ Diarrhea Signs ] [ Temperature Signs ] [ Diseases & Conditions ][ Medication ] [ Poisonous Plants ] [ Symptoms ] [ Lessons Learned ] [ Home ] [ Port A Hut Distributor ] [ Contact Information ] [ Our Farm ] [ Directions to Our Farm ] [ Our Breeding Bucks ] [ Breeding - Semen Services ] [ Our Doe Showcase ] [ breeding schedule ] [ Bucks for Sale ] [ Does For Sale ] [ New Kids ] [ Congratulations to Winners ] [ Listing of Breeder Web Sites ] [ Quick Start ] [ Goat Health Information ] [ Management Information ] [ Schedule of Boer Sales ] [ Industry Info ] [ Cooking with Goat ] [ Related Goat Sites ] This is a summary of goat diseases & conditions with symptoms and possible
treatments for meat goats. You should consult your vet or goat medical books for
more details and appropriate treatments.
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Disease /
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Acidosis– occurs after
Depressed, hangs Stop access to food. Drench goat with something alkaline such as accidentally taking in
its head, drunken bicarbonate of soda. 2-3 ounces will help neutralize acid. Walking large quantities of
behavior, muscle goat has some value. Contact veterinary as needed.
twitching, bloat tends to occur, swelling on left flank, may grindteeth May respond to immediate treatment with penicillin or other Myositis) - caused by
antibiotics in large doses. In swelled head, need to have vet aid in the soil-borne bacterium,
draining of affected area. Clostridium chauvei.
The disease develops
times, high fever, rapidly in affected
lack of appetite, animals and often deaths
occur before the owner
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
has noticed any sickness
in the herd.
and swellingsthat appear in the muscles on various parts of the body. Sometimes the leg muscles are involved, or the muscles in theregion of theback, hip, flank, chest or shoulder. In the latter stage of the disease, these swellings spread and become quitemushy,producing a characteristic crackling sound when pressed with the hand. Bloat – gorging on
Tightly inflated Drench with Mineral oil (6-8 fl oz) for an adult, (2+ fl oz) for kids.
anything unsuitable such
Walk goat about, massage flanks. as wet grass pastures or
after raiding food bin
"Giving mineral oil is very effective in getting a goat that has over eaten grain to speed that grain on it's way.
Vegetable oil will add to the digestive load, and can causemore harm than good. Mineral oil is not digestible, and Ihave used it with no problems at all. Feed that is overeatenferments, causes gas, and acidosis to occur, which can leadto death. The object is to speed it out of there without adding to the digestive load." by Coni Ross Suggestion from visitor to web site.
Mix some baking soda in with the goat's feed they really enjoy it and it takes away bloat.
15cc Pepto-Bismol5cc Penicillin orally5cc SQ Penicillin5-7cc CD antitoxin SQ Then give another shot of CD ANTITOXIN and Pepto later that day as well to make sure all is okay.12-24 hours later List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
make sure you give the goat a probiotic to put the livebacteria back into the rumen.You will need to repopulate thegut once you clean it out Bottle Jaw - Caused by
Your worming medicine may not be effective or you may not have animal being infected
wormed recently. The animal needs to be wormed with a strong with blood-sucking
medication every 11 days for three times. It may also be anemic worms. Fluids are
swell especially and need iron and vitamins given. Their system will have difficulty leaking from blood vessels fighting off problems so you should use an antibiotic for several and flow to the lower parts days to help.
of the body. As the animal may not have the grazes during the day, the fluids build up in the head. because of being Over night the fluids may partially drain away from the head.
Isolate and remove animal from herd.
Encephalitis (CAE) –
Virus. Infectious to
wasting, hard udder. Pneumonia, chronic cough.
Abscesses of the Isolate and remove animal from herd. Many breeders will get rid of Lymphadenitis (CL) –
lymph glands.
animals with CL. Some breeders treat and manage animals with Infectious. Bacteria
CL. Abscesses can be lanced, remove discharge, and treated with enters animal through
abscesses are
iodine for several times. Wear rubber gloves and destroy all break in skin or mucous
CL. Your vet
discharge. Spread through the eruption of abscess and discharge membranes and localizes
can test the
being exposed to other animals. Vaccine available at PHL in lymph node
animals to see if
Associates, Inc.
the abscess is
CL or not.
Coccidiosis – coccidia
You can treat easily with Biosol. Depending on weight. Give parasites. A disease of
2-5cc to kids, and 7-10 cc to adults orally once a day for 5-7 young or stressed
in diarrhea, rapid days. Another treatment is with Corid liquid. We mix half Corid and half water and drench with 1cc per 4 lbs for 5 days.
dehydration, may Do not mix more than you will use in 3 days.
show straining in attempts to pass feces,dehydration and fever Colic – affect young
Kid is restless, Mild cases the pain quickly passes and returns to normal within kids when dietary
hours. If not, ½ pint of vegetable oil for adults and less for kids changes are made.
followed by 1 glass of spirits in 2 glasses of water, repeated hourly Mixing milk replacer at
until pain stops.
back arched or with its hind feet places well back.
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
Copper Deficiency &
CYSTIC OVARIES:
treat cystic ovaries quite successfully with an injection of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, an Rx) to correct the hormonal every 4-5 days.
imbalance. That is followed about 9-10 days later by an injection of come into a true,standing heat,and she will act‘bucky' Diarrhea (see article)
The prognosis for recovery is guarded in caprine enterotoxemia, even with treatment. Fluid therapy Clostridium perfringens
Depression and a providing mixed electrolyte solution with bicarbonate are indicate type D bacteria produce
in acute cases to counter shock, dehydration an acidosis.
the poisons responsible,
appearance. As it Commercially available type C and D antitoxins should be when conditions in the
administered. Antibiotic therapy may be helpful in reducing digestive tract deprive
them of oxygen.
proliferation. Oral sulfas have been used successfully and lies on side making paddling (see personal recommendation for treatment)
movements. High temperature. Very watery diarrhea Floppy Kid Syndrome
Remove kid from source of Milk immediately for 24 to 36
-Some people believe it is
hours. Dissolve a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of
caused by too much rich
water. With a syringe administer between 20 and 50 cc of the milk and others believe
after birth then solution orally. Do it slowly so the kid has time to swallow. Repeat that it is associated with
the treatment at 1, 3, 6, 12 hours from initial treatment. Feed electrolytes as alternative until returned to milk. Also administer a wide spectrum antibiotic to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
ANOTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTION Treatment is one-half tsp
baking soda, mixed with electrolytes and one-half teaspoon flaccid paralysis. Repeat in 6-12 hours. Not required to pull from mother's milk from this solution's perspective signs of diarrhea Third Solution - If the kid can still walk but is wobbly then give
2cc long-acting penicillin orally and 500MG thiamin. The Thiamin is mixed with the penicillin, and is imperative to recovery This should work in 6 hours. If the kid is comatose, give 5CC %50 distension of the dextrose orally and keep warm. Give the pen and thiamin for 3 days once a day.
Foot & Mouth
Must be controlled from occurring. Animals exposed to the disease vesicles form in Disease - viral
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
disease of
following places: teats, or thecoronary band of the hoof. Tend to become lame and possibly salivateexcessively.
Foot Rot – Fusiformis
Hoof paring in order to remove the underrun hoof. Apply antiseptic nodosus infection enters
agents in order to remove any infection.
the hoof and causes
inflammation of the
it. Animals are reluctant to walk.
Drench with dewormer medicine such as Ivomec, Cydectin. Make
roundworms – infest
sure the worms are not resistant to your wormer.
stomach and intestines
sucking blood or
reducing the absorption
of digested food
materials from the gut
Goat Polio - see
Indigestion - - failure of Off of food,
Generally recovers within two days. Sodium bicarbonate given by normal rumenal
mouth may be of some use if there is a tendency to acid conditions movement. Associated
in the rumen. Offer animal a quart of salt water with 25 g of with high intake of
sodium bicarbonate dissolved in it.
Johne's Disease –
None. Slaughter animal as soon as possible to prevent spread to chronic incurable
other animals.
infection of the intestines
johnei bacterium.
Causes a thickening of
bubbles of gas in the droppings. Weakness. Thirstmay increase.
Ketosis – Lactating doe
Goes off food.
A glucose or treacle drench may be given. Corticosteroid drug and is unable to obtain large
Milk yield falls.
oral propylene glycol.
amounts of energy feed
and Ketones accumulate
the goat's breath in the blood
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
Lice – parasite
Intense irritation, Louse powder will normally control the problem. Insecticides for spray or dip repeated.
patches and itching, usually during the winter months Laminitis -
Place on a reduced protein/energy diet such as hay with a very inflammation of the skin
reduced or not concentrate ration and soft bed for lying down. Pain layers around the hoof.
relief with a Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as Often caused by
Phenylbutazone is essential. Chronis cases need careful foot consumption of a highly
trimming to relieve pain by reducing pressure on the sensitive concentrated or lush
forage diet. It may also
be associated with
sicknesses such as
pneumonia, mastitis, and
diarrhea and toxemia Listeriosis - caused by
Administration of Procaine penicillin every six hours for three to the bacteria Listeria
five days, then daily for an additional seven days.
monocytogenes, found in
appetite, fever, soil, water, plant litter,
silage and goat's
digestive tract. Brought
on by feeding silage,
sudden changes in kind
of feed, parasitism,
flank with rigid changes and advanced
paralysis on one stages of pregnancy.
side, slack jaw,and drooling, abortions.
Lungworms – worms
Drench with dewormer such as Ivomec
inhabit the air passages
and cause inflammation
(parasite pneumonia)
Mange, Chorioptic –
Itchiness may be Chorioptes caprae infest
noticed and there the skin of the lower leg
may be small crusty scabs.
Mange, Demodectic –
Response to treatment is generally poor. Discuss with your Demodex caprae invade
the hair follicles and
sebaceous glands of the
be like a cyst or bag of fluid.
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
Mange, Psoroptic –
Gamma benzene hexachloride and gammexane can be used Psoroptes caprae which
infests the ears
Mange, Sarcoptic –
Terrible itching, Infestation can be passed to other goats. Veterinary treatment is Saroptes scabei burrow
in the skin and lay their
eggs in tunnels
hairless round the eyes, ears and nose.
Mastitis - inflammation
Antibiotics, and supportive therapy of the udder, almost
always associated with
appetite lost, pupils of eyes narrowed to slits Mastitis (gangrene) -
inflammation of the udder, CD antitoxin -7cc SQ almost always associated Poly Serum - 10cc SQ 10cc Penicillin SQ & 5cc IM, Banamine - 1cc/100lbs IM depression, fever follow with 10cc Penicillin SQ per day for 5 more days.
If you have Nuflor, give her 6cc/100lbs SQ first day, and 3cc/100 for at least 5 days more Gangrene mastitis should be suspect if the udder is cold, seems excessive, but this type of Mastitis is a true emergency.
swollen with an excessive You can spray the udder with Scarlet oil as it sloughs, and it will accumulation offluid and the clean up all by it's self. I have had does loose half of the udder, and milk is watery orbloody.
never stop eating with this treatment. If you catch it fast enough, may actually save the udder.
Mycotoxin - "Myco
Varies according to the source of problem. Remove the means fungus and toxin "bad" feed or hay from the animals immediately.
means poison" - a Administration of activated charcoal may inhibit additional poisoning of an animal uptake of toxin from the gut. Mineral oil may help.
from a fungus growth normally in old hay or Navel Ill – dirty
Antibiotic injections. Area around the navel should be cleaned with antiseptic iodine, crusty scabs removed by soaking and any pockets the navel cord after
of pus drained.
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
Pinkeye – infection of
Flush eyes with 1 cc of penicillin or Oxytetracycline for several the eye spread by agents
with excess tears days. Isolate animal from others to keep it from spreading.
such as flies, dust and
spilling over on long grass
to the skin. May be reddening and cornea becomes cloudy. Animal sensitive to thelight.
Pneumonia – infection
Antibacterial drugs such as Oxytetracycline. May require of the lung
veterinary-only drugs if severe. hanging head down, sounds congested, elevatedtemperature, and coughs and breathes rapidly or with difficulty.
Thiamine is the only effective therapy, and treatment can result in (Goat Polio) - a
"stargazing", improvement in as little as two hours, if the disease is caught early Thiamine (Vitamin B 1)
muscle rigidity, enough. Dosage is related to body weight: deficiency. From
improper feeding,
staggering and/or Use 500mg/ml Thiamin. Start with a gram (1,000 mg) IM the first particularly feeding too
dose, then at least 500mg per day for as long as it takes for much grain and too little
complete recovery. Give 10cc Penicillin orally, and 10cc SQ at first treatment. Polio can be caused by plant thiaminase, or bacteria that diarrhea, muscle either inhibit production of thiamin in the goat's gut, or consume the thiamin. Since we don't know what the origin is, It is preferred against wall, and to sterilize the gut, and start over. So, the oral penicillin will kill the bacteria if that is the cause. On the morning of day 2, calf pac the goat, and give 500mg Thiamin orally, and 500mg SQ. Do not repeat any of the penicillin. If the goat will eat, feed her. If she can't eat, tube her or drench her with 100cc of Revive, 100cc of water several times a day until she can eat.
motion of the eyeball. As itprogresses,convulsions and high fever may occur, and if untreated, the animal generallydies within 24-72 hours.
Pregnancy Toxemia -
Give doe propylene glycol twice a day. We give 60cc drench in am a metabolic disease of
losses of appetite and pm. We also create a mixture of sodium bicarbonate with does in late pregnancy.
water and give 30cc drench am and pm. Help get the doe up and Most of the nutrition is
weeks, generally moving around during the day and offering food.
List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
going to the kids. Similar
to Ketosis. Ketosis is
Another Solution Give her 3 Tbs Calf Pac mixed with
100cc Revive and 100cc water. Give the doe 200cc of swelling of feet. Revive every 2 hours, with Calf Pac in it. Also, once you get the doe awake, always give alfalfa, and corn with the sweet feed. Give her at least 6-8 oz. Magic at night to hold them.
get up.
Sweet-smelling (ketotic) breath. Ketosis strips can be used toidentify if the doe is ketotic Ringworms – Fungal
Fungicidal preparations applied as a liquid dressing. Any of the following daily for five days and then weekly: appearance onsmall areas of 0.5% Lime sulphur usually thickened and the hairs thin or absent. Generally noitching or evidence of irritation. Enlargement of affected areas occurs.
(Sore Mouth)
Difficult. Dress with antibiotic spray or ointment. Isolate infected animals. There is a Ovine Ecthyma Vaccine against sore mouth infection to all animals. Vaccine to infected animals may reduce Dermatitis (ORF) -
hoofs. Turning to the time to recover. We do not recommend vaccinating. We let
Highly infectious viral
watery blisters, the soremouth run its course of 3 weeks and doctor severe cases.
disease to animals and
then to sticky and We use medication with Cephapirin Benzathine in it. Two brands humans. ORF is the
encrusted scabs.
are Cefa-Dri and Tomorrow. CHX-Guard LA gel antibacterial name for this in humans.
agent adheres to the gums of infected animals.
mouth and gums. Will run a course of around three weeks. Animalscan die if they are unable to eat or nurse because of the soremouth.
Tapeworms – inhabit
An anthelmintic such as albendazole can be used. Oral niclosamide the small intestine
is highly effective.
droppings.
Young goats willpass tapewormsegments in theirfeces during the List of diseases and conditions in meat goats.
summer months.
Tetanus - Infection of
Goats can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin and open wounds by the
antisera, but response is poor. The site of bacterial proliferation muscle stiffness should be searched for and whenever possible, the wound or tetani results in tetanus
is seen, causing infection site should be opened to the air, debrided, flushed with an unsteady gait.
hydrogen peroxide and infiltrated with penicillin. The area be Eyelid begins to infiltrated with tetanus antitoxin before the wound cleaning process is begun to reduce the chance that more pre-existing toxin will b absorbed during tissue manipulations.
looks "anxious".
The symptoms get progressively worse and convulsions may occur. The goatdies because it is unable to breathe.
Most treatment must be done by veterinarians. Often requiring the removal of the tip of the penis. Look at the details in the article on (Urolithiasis)- A hard urinate, pawing
mass of mineral salts
in the urinary tract
recurrent looking caused by a dietary
mineral imbalance,
usually in bucks
White Muscle Disease
Administration of selenium, together with vitamin E.
- deficiency of Vitamin
E and Selenium
Link to a map showing counties Selenium levels legs become stiff and unable to use. Can result in death Email us your comments

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