One of our 4 week old kids between noon feeding and this evening feeding has major issues. In their very large cage (indoors in unheated garage since it's -2 right now - an extra large dog crate 4 x 5 x 4 high) one is ok, but the other's neck is held back and to the side, he isn't standing, isn't eating, muscle spasm's, edge of death.
He is not "valuable", planned to wither him soon, wasn't going to dehorn, since he was going to extra pen, and later freezer camp. However, any thought on this? I'm thinking he got hyperactive and bounced off the side wrong, but so unsure. I've never had this in so many years, don't know what to think.
He's now in a padded box (can't stand at all, can only cry out to us - not strong) in the warm milk room, and the vet will run by in the morning on his way in around 6 am if he's still alive, but in the meantime.... Thoughts? Experiences?
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First, Marty, my condolences for the loss of your little goat. Having lost three in April, I can totally understand the heartbreak. Two were lost because of birth issues but the third one died at ten days and had been just fine. I paid the money, very expensive for a baby already gone, to verify why she died as I felt I could not risk losing any others if it was something contagious, etc. Though the necropsy was expensive, with four other kids and three does, it was worth the peace of mind to know for certain. In her case, the vet's portion was non-conclusive so tissue went to the University of Washington. I am very glad I took that route and highly recommend it for an unexplained death. I wish I had seen your post earlier to share my own experience and suggestion.
Thank you for this useful information Deb.
Now that I'm on my computer -- here is some info from Raising Goats Naturally:
Listeriosis
This is an infectious disease caused by the listeria bacteria, which can survive in the environment for years. The disease can lie dormant in an infected animal until the animal becomes stressed. A goat with listeriosis does not necessarily walk around in circles, in spite of its common name, circling disease. An infected goat may seem uncoordinated, not want to stand, hold its head twisted to one side, stop eating, and lose muscle control of its face so that its ears and eyes are droopy and its tongue hangs out. You should seek veterinary attention as soon as possible. Goats with listeriosis can die quickly if not treated.
A goat with listeriosis will shed the organism in its milk, and it can be transmitted to humans if the milk is consumed raw.
Polio (Polioencephalomalacia)
Goat breeders usually use “goat polio” and “thiamine deficiency” interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. For years, the two terms were used interchangeably because goats with symptoms of polio responded to treatment with thiamine, leading people to believe thiamine deficiency was the cause of the symptoms. There are a number causes for goat polio, however, such as lead poisoning, sulfur poisoning, salt poisoning, moldy hay, too much grain, and not enough water.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is produced in a healthy rumen, so it is not a vitamin that goats need to consume. Thiamine deficiency can happen whenever the rumen is upset by any number of things, including ingesting excessive grain, which is why it is most often seen in feedlot cattle and sheep. It can happen on the homestead, however, when a goat gets into the chicken grain one time too many. Administration of white dewormers, levamisole, or amprolium can also upset the rumen and cause a thiamine deficiency, especially when used long term.
Stargazing is the most often cited symptom of thiamine deficiency, and I’ve seen more than a few new goat breeders start giving their goat vitamin B injections for days or even weeks simply because a goat was tipping its head back and moving it from side to side as if it was looking at the sky.
Polio is a disease of the brain, however, so there will be multiple symptoms, and the goat will be very sick. It will be depressed, off feed, and often have diarrhea. Unfortunately, these symptoms are very similar to enterotoxemia and listeriosis. And as the list of possible symptoms gets longer, it just gets more confusing. A goat with polio may also be blind or start circling, which are also symptoms of other diseases. As you have probably realized, a quick trip to the vet is your best bet.
A goat with polio can die within a day or two if left untreated. Because diagnosis is so challenging and treatment for polio is most likely to be effective if started early, the vet usually gives an injection of thiamine, which is by prescription, if polio is suspected. If treatment is going to be effective, it will work within a day or two. In the worst cases of polio, treatment may save the goat's life, but it will never completely recover and will be partially blind or mentally impaired forever.
So, why is a goat with polio treated with thiamine if it isn’t the same thing as thiamine deficiency? It often works to reverse symptoms, although no one knows exactly why. Studies have shown that a goat suffering from lead poisoning or sulfur toxicity will respond positively to treatment with thiamine, even though it is not thiamine deficient. This is important to know because the treatment of a goat with thiamine injections is not supposed to be long term. If the goat continues to relapse or if other goats are having the same symptoms, there is something in the diet or the environment that is causing the problem, such as a diet with too much grain, which upsets the rumen balance. You may also want to test your water for the presence of lead or sulfur.
Meant to say "without" a necropsy. I'm on my phone at the moment so can't edit my post. A necropsy is really your only way of knowing.
I do not feed the boys raw milk. If it is listeria, could he have nibbled something with dropping on it perhaps? I moved the boys inside to our largest dog kennel for this super cold weather. They are given grain and alfalfa hay there, plus daily milk, but no raw milk.
He had died when I checked on him a little while ago, so I could tell the vet not to come. His twin appears normal and fine.
Perhaps it would be prudent to get everyone into the vet for a check to be sure they don't have parasites. It was so fast....
I'm not sure he still can. He went down so fast. Yes, he pulls his head to one side mostly, and he curves around a bit.
If he is twisting his head and body to one side, it could be listeria. Can he see?