Doe with cough and fever

I have a 11 month old Nigerian doe who has had a hacking cough for a few days now. I grew concerned yesterday (I should have been concerned earlier I know) and took her temperature and in the morning it was 104.9. By the evening it had risen to 105.4. I gave her 15ml of Nutridrench, some Vitamin C and Echinacea yesterday. Then first thing this morning her temperature was down to 104.1 but by noon it was back up to 105.2. The cough continues but I have not seen anything produced from the cough nor is there any nasal discharge. She is still eating and drinking but she definitely is lethargic and slow in moving around. She does still follow the other goats around outside the barn and I have noticed her chewing her cud. Any help would be appreciated. These are my first goats and this is my first sick goat and I am worried and not sure what to do.

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  • It's been years since I used it because it's been years since I had a goat with a cough, but I'm pretty sure it's fine for pregnant does. As I recall you just put a drop on each nostril. It's Canada balsam, camphor, oil origanum, oil rosemary, blended in a corn oil base. 

    Bronchitis just means swollen bronchial tubes. The question is what caused it. Eliminate the cause, and the problem usually goes away if you have an otherwise healthy animal. Dusty hay is a common culprit for coughing, living on a dusty road, or something else where they're inhaling too much dust.

    Also, some people can kill their goats with kindness by keeping them inside the barn. They only need to be protected from wind and wetness (snow and rain). Cold doesn't bother them. Keeping them in a barn can kill them because the air quality is so bad. We have such a poor sense of smell that a goat's lung can be damaged by ammonia before we can even smell it. If your goats are being kept inside, I'd suggest putting them outside every day so they can get plenty of fresh air. Our goats have been going outside every day for 18 years unless it's raining or snowing. 

    Melissa said:

    Our two does have had an awful cough since the beginning of January, with no other symptoms.  We started them on LA-200 as directed by the breeder we got them goats from and that didn't clear it up.  We took them to the vet who said they had bronchitis and we treated them with Draxxin.  One doe only had one dose and the other has had two.  The cough hasn't cleared completely up, but they definitely have had some relief.  With them both being pregnant, what else would you recommend we do to help them with their cough? Would VetRX be safe in pregnancy?

  • Our two does have had an awful cough since the beginning of January, with no other symptoms.  We started them on LA-200 as directed by the breeder we got them goats from and that didn't clear it up.  We took them to the vet who said they had bronchitis and we treated them with Draxxin.  One doe only had one dose and the other has had two.  The cough hasn't cleared completely up, but they definitely have had some relief.  With them both being pregnant, what else would you recommend we do to help them with their cough? Would VetRX be safe in pregnancy?

  • Five days is about the max I've heard a vet suggest giving penicillin. Do keep in mind that it's killing the good bacteria too, which is really important for proper rumen function. Sometimes a cough can hang on even after an infection is gone. Some people like VetRX for coughs.

    That's good that you have plenty of air flow if the goats are stuck inside. 

  • I did go ahead and start her on penicillin.  12 hours after the first shot her fever was gone and her temp has in the normal range.  Her cough is slowly improving.  I am now on day 7 of the course of penicillin.  Should I keep going until her cough is completely gone?

    As for air quality, while we have had the wettest December and January on record her in South Carolina this winter, so the goats have been in their barn area more than I would prefer, my barn is a wide open design.  In fact when I posted a picture of it on here you were concerned about too much air flow in the winter.

  • Sorry for the delay. Ning was not sending me post notifications, and then it was not letting me respond to posts for a few days.

    Pneumonia often has no outward symptoms at all. I do hope your doe is okay. I would have started her on antibiotics with a fever that high. 

    Pneumonia is usually caused by poor air quality because people keep their goats indoors too much. The best thing for them is to get plenty of fresh air, so unless it is raining or snowing, my goats are outside every day. They only spend the night in the barn, and the big barn door is always open unless there is a blizzard. (I just don't want my barn filling up with blowing snow.) 

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