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> Hello,
> I am new to goats in the past two years. I have Nigerian Dwarf goats. I have been trying to learn everything I can about the goats from this and other forums. I have asked a couple of questions before on here with wonderful results. I asked this on a couple of other forums to try to figure this out. I have a question about a three year old buck that I have used the past two years for breeding. He produces beautiful kids. About a month to five weeks ago he all of a suddened one morning started shifting his weight on his back legs. He also stands on tiptoes in the rear. Walks with very straight stiff back legs. Peeing and pooping normally. It progressed to laying down while eating his hay. He still will at times walk out to pasture and fight or play around with another buck in the same pen. I checked his temp which was normal. Retrimmed his hooves which didnt look bad but did it anyway. He is chewing his cud, eating and drinking up to a couple of days ago when he quit drinking water. He eats hay, a very small amount of pelleted food, beet pulp for a treat, free choice mineral and baking soda. I gave him asprin in the beginning thinking he hurt himself. I had my vet out who is very good with the goats and he said he doesnt know what is wrong with him. He said he was sure he didnt have laminitis. He had me put him on five days of banamine which did nothing. He seems depressed today and I hate to loose him. Can anybody help with ideas of what to try? Thank you so much inadvance for any help. Sincerely Connie
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Do keep us posted. I'm traveling for the next couple weeks, so won't be able to post much but will pop in as much as I can. I am so glad you feel at home on our little virtual community!
I am excited to try the dam raised kids, I really think it will be better for all involved. I started out with 5 adult goats two years ago. I bred three that first year. This year three out of five bred became pregnant. So from five two years ago I now have 22;). I made the mistake of letting all the nieces and nephews name the kids last year and when it came time to sell I didn't have the heart to sell any one of the kids kids. They all thought it was very unfair their goat would have to go. I know I will have to sell the kids from this year but even that is hard for me!!! LOL. My Vet was next door in the park attending on a horse in the horse camp and stopped to see how Leo was doing a few minutes ago. He took some more blood and is going to also check for the CAE just in case. He is also looking for something that shows muscle wasting. Will get results on Tuesday. I will keep you posted. I for one am glad it is Friday.
WOW! You do have your hands full! You were brave to take on so many goats at once without experience. I am sure you will be fine, but that is a lot of work doing it the hard way. I can't wait to see what happens with you next kidding season when you ease your work load. You will be thrilled at how awesome it is!
I thank you for your kind words Sweety. I am really nothing special. I was just blessed to have a lot of love for people, animals and the beautiful world that God gave us. If that is the same as having a kind soul then I guess I was blessed with one of those too!
I can't tell you how happy I am that you found this forum. I love your attitude that you are willing to try to help others with what you know and your desire to learn. You will soon realize that you know more than you think, and will learn a great deal very fast with your good attitude and strong desires. I look forward to seeing how much help you will be to others. I just know you are going to be a blessing to many. You keep up the good work, and keep us informed. May God Bless you, your family and your herd!
I really hope things go well for you and Leo!! I'm super happy that you have a knowledgeable GOAT vet, because so many vets out there really don't know much when it comes to goats, and a lot of applicable knowledge on other similar species just doesn't translate to goats well. :)
You have obviously done your homework, which is really all you can do, and then take your best shot. :) Hang in there!! This group is a wealth of knowledge and support. I'm so glad you feel at home!
HUGS!!
PS: I love love LOVE dam raising. It's just so rewarding to watch the relationships between my does and their kids... I enjoy plugging INTO the natural way of things rather than trying to control nature "my" way... it's truly beautiful to part of a system that happens on it's own. :) I can't wait to hear what you think once you try it!
Deborah and Margaret thank you both so much for taking the time to think about both Leo and I. I really appreciate you trying to help me figure out what is going on with him. You have made me feel like a friend. As I said I am pretty new to this and there is so much to learn, it is at times overwhelming. I love the goats though and don't want any to suffer needlessly but also don't want to give up on Leo too soon. He seems a bit better today. I did start the ivomec injections just in case and am giving him some Vit E. He is now drinking water more and coming to the feeder when I go out. Deborah I looked up the scrapie and you are right it does kind of sound like what he is doing. He does rub a lot on the fence and is biting some at his sides. I can't believe how much you know about goats and hope someday to have a 100th of that on my side. I had him on the milk stand to give the ivomec and brushed him to get the mats out from biting ( he loves the attention). Thank you also for sending the Link on Rosewood, it was touching and made me cry reading about her. It sure makes me feel better about loving the goats and trying very hard to make things right. I am hoping he continues to improve but I also feel better just to let him be if he is not in pain and eating and drinking. Sorry I didn't write back yesterday but we have had rain for several days and everything including my lawn has been neglected. I am bottle feeding 8 kids and milking 5 and have 9 more goats for a total of 22. I also have 5 rescue dogs and 56 acres to attend so life has been very busy. The person I bought the goats from has been mentoring me somewhat and that is how he does things (bottle feed) so I really didn't know any different. After reading about how you raise your goats I am going to try doing the natural thing and let the Does raise there kids. I love that idea. I just need to redo fencing and housing to accomplish that. So I am sure I will have questions about that. I love this forum and intend to pay it forward and try with the little knowledge I have to help in anyway I can. Hugs to both of you also. Margaret I can tell you are a very knid soul;), I have a couple of goats that look just like yours. I will get some photos posted on here later. Hugs to Rachel also for thinking about Leo and I also and to let me know you understand what I was trying to say about the meds. The Vet I have is really very knowledable on goats as about 45% of his farm customers are goat people. He was just at a loss on what to try without having me spend thousands by sending Leo to The U of MN. Thanks again, Sincerely Connie
Never!! I'm not sure I'd have what it takes to nurse a goat along with as bad an injury as yours, but I think those of you who can are awesome people, or a special brand of crazy that more of us should be! I hope I can if I have to...I loved your post as well. I can relate to how God really does give us the desires of our hearts in His time. :)
Margaret Langley said:
Thanks! I really thought after that ya'll would all just think I really was slap crazy!
I am currently doing the final read on my manuscript before it gets sent off to the page designer to be turned into a book, and when I read this on scrapie, I thought of your buck:
Goats can have TSE for a couple of years before developing symptoms, which include scratching and rubbing on fencing and housing, as well as biting at its legs and sides. A goat may lose weight and have neurological symptoms, such as tremors, incoordination, excessive salivation, and blindness.
It's probably not scrapie, but the part about biting at its legs and sides jumped out at me, and I thought it would be worth it to mention it to you. There is a test available.
Not at all! It sounds exactly like something I would do! That's why almost everyone I know thinks that I am slap crazy, because they don't understand those things. You have to be a certain kind of person to understand some people. I fall into that some people catagory and I don't know many in the certain kind of person catagory!
Those of us who do such things, have FAITH, something most people do not "get" carries into every aspect of life, INCLUDING our herds, pets, gardens etc. I don't have much faith that I will ever be rich, own a huge house or a bunch of fancy cars, because I don't need that and wouldn't know how to handle it, therefore I don't see God placing it in my future! However, I do have faith that we will have what we need from one day to the next and that when the time is right we will have our hearts desires. So far we have had those and in due time we shall have the rest of them.
When I was little, I wanted to grow up to be a loved and loving wife and mother! I know that doesn't sound like a "Dream Profession" but although I thought about lots of others, that was what I really wanted. I also really wanted 7 children. I have also, always really wanted enough land to be self sufficient and have room for all of the family to stay together if they choose to. God gave me a husband who loves me so much he doesn't even look at anyone else and he got a wife like that in the bargain too! He gave us 7 gorgeous, intelligent children who love their Mom & Dad! And one day when I have learned all the things I need to know to be successful at running that homestead I want, he will put it in my path also.
We don't have much besides each other and Faith in God! We don't need much else! So we have everything we need! Therefore it isn't hard for me to have Faith that my goat who had a totally ripped open leg would be just fine and she is. It isn't hard for me to believe that Deborah could have a suddenly paralized goat live a happy 1 more year with her family or that Connie's buck may make a full recovery or learn to adapt to some disability. It happens everyday! It's called a miracle and they are all around us. We are blessed to get to see as many as we do each kidding, hatching whatever season! Aren't we all just so blessed to be Mommies to SOOOO many creatures? My prayers are with you and your buck Connie!
Replies
WOW! You do have your hands full! You were brave to take on so many goats at once without experience. I am sure you will be fine, but that is a lot of work doing it the hard way. I can't wait to see what happens with you next kidding season when you ease your work load. You will be thrilled at how awesome it is!
I thank you for your kind words Sweety. I am really nothing special. I was just blessed to have a lot of love for people, animals and the beautiful world that God gave us. If that is the same as having a kind soul then I guess I was blessed with one of those too!
I can't tell you how happy I am that you found this forum. I love your attitude that you are willing to try to help others with what you know and your desire to learn. You will soon realize that you know more than you think, and will learn a great deal very fast with your good attitude and strong desires. I look forward to seeing how much help you will be to others. I just know you are going to be a blessing to many. You keep up the good work, and keep us informed. May God Bless you, your family and your herd!
Awwww, THANKS!!
I really hope things go well for you and Leo!! I'm super happy that you have a knowledgeable GOAT vet, because so many vets out there really don't know much when it comes to goats, and a lot of applicable knowledge on other similar species just doesn't translate to goats well. :)
You have obviously done your homework, which is really all you can do, and then take your best shot. :) Hang in there!! This group is a wealth of knowledge and support. I'm so glad you feel at home!
HUGS!!
PS: I love love LOVE dam raising. It's just so rewarding to watch the relationships between my does and their kids... I enjoy plugging INTO the natural way of things rather than trying to control nature "my" way... it's truly beautiful to part of a system that happens on it's own. :) I can't wait to hear what you think once you try it!
Deborah and Margaret thank you both so much for taking the time to think about both Leo and I. I really appreciate you trying to help me figure out what is going on with him. You have made me feel like a friend. As I said I am pretty new to this and there is so much to learn, it is at times overwhelming. I love the goats though and don't want any to suffer needlessly but also don't want to give up on Leo too soon. He seems a bit better today. I did start the ivomec injections just in case and am giving him some Vit E. He is now drinking water more and coming to the feeder when I go out. Deborah I looked up the scrapie and you are right it does kind of sound like what he is doing. He does rub a lot on the fence and is biting some at his sides. I can't believe how much you know about goats and hope someday to have a 100th of that on my side. I had him on the milk stand to give the ivomec and brushed him to get the mats out from biting ( he loves the attention). Thank you also for sending the Link on Rosewood, it was touching and made me cry reading about her. It sure makes me feel better about loving the goats and trying very hard to make things right. I am hoping he continues to improve but I also feel better just to let him be if he is not in pain and eating and drinking. Sorry I didn't write back yesterday but we have had rain for several days and everything including my lawn has been neglected. I am bottle feeding 8 kids and milking 5 and have 9 more goats for a total of 22. I also have 5 rescue dogs and 56 acres to attend so life has been very busy. The person I bought the goats from has been mentoring me somewhat and that is how he does things (bottle feed) so I really didn't know any different. After reading about how you raise your goats I am going to try doing the natural thing and let the Does raise there kids. I love that idea. I just need to redo fencing and housing to accomplish that. So I am sure I will have questions about that. I love this forum and intend to pay it forward and try with the little knowledge I have to help in anyway I can. Hugs to both of you also. Margaret I can tell you are a very knid soul;), I have a couple of goats that look just like yours. I will get some photos posted on here later. Hugs to Rachel also for thinking about Leo and I also and to let me know you understand what I was trying to say about the meds. The Vet I have is really very knowledable on goats as about 45% of his farm customers are goat people. He was just at a loss on what to try without having me spend thousands by sending Leo to The U of MN. Thanks again, Sincerely Connie
Never!! I'm not sure I'd have what it takes to nurse a goat along with as bad an injury as yours, but I think those of you who can are awesome people, or a special brand of crazy that more of us should be! I hope I can if I have to...I loved your post as well. I can relate to how God really does give us the desires of our hearts in His time. :)
Margaret Langley said:
Thanks! I really thought after that ya'll would all just think I really was slap crazy!
Love your post, Margaret!
I am currently doing the final read on my manuscript before it gets sent off to the page designer to be turned into a book, and when I read this on scrapie, I thought of your buck:
It's probably not scrapie, but the part about biting at its legs and sides jumped out at me, and I thought it would be worth it to mention it to you. There is a test available.
Not at all! It sounds exactly like something I would do! That's why almost everyone I know thinks that I am slap crazy, because they don't understand those things. You have to be a certain kind of person to understand some people. I fall into that some people catagory and I don't know many in the certain kind of person catagory!
Those of us who do such things, have FAITH, something most people do not "get" carries into every aspect of life, INCLUDING our herds, pets, gardens etc. I don't have much faith that I will ever be rich, own a huge house or a bunch of fancy cars, because I don't need that and wouldn't know how to handle it, therefore I don't see God placing it in my future! However, I do have faith that we will have what we need from one day to the next and that when the time is right we will have our hearts desires. So far we have had those and in due time we shall have the rest of them.
When I was little, I wanted to grow up to be a loved and loving wife and mother! I know that doesn't sound like a "Dream Profession" but although I thought about lots of others, that was what I really wanted. I also really wanted 7 children. I have also, always really wanted enough land to be self sufficient and have room for all of the family to stay together if they choose to. God gave me a husband who loves me so much he doesn't even look at anyone else and he got a wife like that in the bargain too! He gave us 7 gorgeous, intelligent children who love their Mom & Dad! And one day when I have learned all the things I need to know to be successful at running that homestead I want, he will put it in my path also.
We don't have much besides each other and Faith in God! We don't need much else! So we have everything we need! Therefore it isn't hard for me to have Faith that my goat who had a totally ripped open leg would be just fine and she is. It isn't hard for me to believe that Deborah could have a suddenly paralized goat live a happy 1 more year with her family or that Connie's buck may make a full recovery or learn to adapt to some disability. It happens everyday! It's called a miracle and they are all around us. We are blessed to get to see as many as we do each kidding, hatching whatever season! Aren't we all just so blessed to be Mommies to SOOOO many creatures? My prayers are with you and your buck Connie!
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