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     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 399 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141  Rating: N/A |
Bless you for giving him a fighting chance. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| K. Daughett (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 216.177.162.90 Rating: N/A |
Well, despite all of our efforts, the baby didn't make it. I think he had been without anything to eat for a pretty long time and he just came to us too late to make a turnaround. It's hard when you get a sick goat and don't know anything about its background, but I feel like we did our best to help him. I really appreciate all your good advice, and at least I learned what to do if this happens again. Thanks! | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 395 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141 Rating: N/A |
He will need an enema too. If you can get some Ringer's Lactated IV fluids from a vet and give 15 cc under the loose skin over each shoulder. This will really help turn him around. Warm it first on a heating pad or in hot water. This is a great way to rehydrate a kid without stressing the digestive system too much. I keep a bag of fluids and some large syringes. It has saved many kids as has having a feeding tube and not being afraid to use it. It is likely he hasn't passed the meconium (those first black tarry feces) and they have probably gotten a bit hard and dry. What goes in must come out or you have a very sick baby. The goat serum should help no matter when you finally get it, you will just have to give it by injection. And if he were mine I would give it once a week or once every other week until he is 8 to 10 weeks old. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| K. Daughett (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 216.177.162.90 Rating: N/A |
I followed your advice and seems to have helped him as he is more alert when I wake him, but he still won't stand or move around. He responds to a bottle a little bit now, and I am trying again every half hour. You are right that he is pretty dehydrated, but I guess the milk will hydrate him enough that we don't have to give him any other type of fluids right now? We did get him warmed up as you recommended, too, so his body temp is good. I don't have Goat Serum, but will get some. Hopefully, we can save him and get him healthy despite his rough start. Thank you again for your help! | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 393 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141 Rating: N/A |
I would warm him up to at least 100 degrees on a rectal thermometer and tube feed him a couple of ounces of whole cow's milk (if you don't have any goats milk). He will have a low body temp due to low blood sugar as much as anything. Try to get him to nurse every 30 minutes or so, every couple of hours is fine for a healthy kid but he's missed out on alot already. It is too late for colostrum so he won't have any antibodies to speak of unless you have some Goat Serum (Hoegger sells this) and you inject him. He needs somehing in his tummy now. I am willing to bet he is pretty dehydrated and probably constipated due to this. You might also give an enema in a while too. A Fleet's Infant Enema from the drug store works fine, or do like me and give about a 10 to 12 cc warm water enema with a feeding tube (lube with vaseline and insert about 1 inch). Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| K. Daughett (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 216.177.162.90 Rating: N/A |
Maggie, you helped me so much before when I had a sick goat, so hopefully I can learn from your experience again this time... A neighbor brought me a newborn Spanish/Boer cross billy that they found in their pasture yesterday. None of their nannies would take it and they didn't know what to do with it so brought it to me. They said they tried to feed it some regular milk, but didn't have a bottle, so I don't know how much he has had to eat, if anything since birth (presumably sometime yesterday, but they didn't know). Now the kid is lethargic due to hunger, I assume, but still alive and conscious. I have never had a baby so weak because we always make sure they have either their mom's milk or a bottle within the first few hours of birth, and since this is a first for me, I don't know how to treat him, being without milk for so long. I gave him a dose of Nutri-Drench to get him going, and got a little bit of bottle milk down, but he is still not sucking. Should I try to force him to drink some more now, or just keep him warmed up and try every couple of hours? Do you think he just needs time to absorb the nutrients from the milk and Nutri-Drench, or should I take him to the vet right away? There appears to be nothing wrong with him other than the lethargy. Thanks SO MUCH for all you do to help worried goat owners!! |