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Christine Schmitt
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Username: eyor913

Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2005

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Posted on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 08:25 pm:   

hi all!
this is my first post. i've had 2 nubians (a wether and a doeling) for 3 months. they are both about 6 months old. the wether has a persistant head tilt, which he's had since we got him. his head tilts to either side, and the goat is also very clumsy. he easily falls over and doesn't run in a straight line.
i've had a vet out here once-it was for cocci, not the head tilt, but she checked out the head tilt. she briefly looked in his ears (i assume she was looking for an ear infection, but i don't think she properly assessed him) and gave him a shot of ivermectin (sp?). she said if that didn't help, he may need a spinal adjustment.
does anyone have any advice on what this might be?
thanks!
chris
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Violet Knapp
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Username: violetknapp

Post Number: 5
Registered: 07-2005

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Posted on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 09:25 pm:   

Hi Chris, sounds to me like a case of listerosis, that the wether recovered from but could possibly have left the goat with some permenant brain damage.
http://www.angelfire.com/vt2/hilltopacres/
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Linda Houle
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Post Number: 29
Registered: 07-2005


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Posted on Monday, October 17, 2005 - 09:32 pm:   

It does sound like Listerosis, but I am not even sure. Maggie help???
Houles ranch
Buena Vista Colorado up in the clouds 8500 feet above sea level
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Christine Schmitt
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Username: eyor913

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Posted on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 - 06:40 am:   

if it is listerosis, and it's this old, is there nothing i can do for him now?

thanks!
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Maggie Leman
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Username: maggieleman

Post Number: 86
Registered: 07-2005

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Posted on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 - 06:48 am:   

If the goat is otherwise well it could be he had a bout of listeriosis or polio and that left permanent nerve damage resulting in a head tilt. This may sound gross but smell his ears. Most ear infections stink. If one ear smells bad he may have an ear infection. You can also try giving Fortified B Complex to help with nerve function. This formulation has about 100 mg/ml of thiamin, the vitamin used to treat both listeriosis and polio. I recommend keeping this at all times in your goat medicine cabinet. When you need it, you need it RIGHT NOW! And it is always good for giving when deworming, or when a goat is off feed or just not feeling well. You can give orally or by SQ injection. If it doesn't list a dose for goats give the sheep or 1/3 to 1/2 the cattle dose. It is hard to overdose, extra B vitamins are eliminated by the kidneys in the urine. I have also heard that some nubians like to "twirl" their heads much like arabian horses do, this could be normal for him. And some goats are clumsy.

Giving ivermectin as an injection for deworming goats is not very effective. The recommended way it to give the injectable form by mouth at 3 times the cattle dose by weight (about 1 cc per 25 to 30 pounds). This is from the University of Florida Veterinary College. Goats have a much higher metabolism than sheep and cattle, they eliminate most of this drug from their systems (when injected) before it ever reaches the digestive system where the parasites are. It is also very safe you can give 100 times the recommended dose and it won't hurt. Please go to the feedstore and buy some Ivomec Injectable For Cattle, a needle and syringe (you will need this to get it out of the bottle) and reworm your goats. Ivomec will do nothing for coccidia. For that you need to treat with a sulfa drug, such as Sulmet or Albon 12.5 percent drinking water solution (also from the feed store). This you give straight from the bottle, do not put it in their water. Give 1 cc per 5 pounds orally for 5 straight days.
Maggie Leman
Goat 911 Capri Medic
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Christine Schmitt
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Username: eyor913

Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2005

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Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 04:26 pm:   

thanks so much for all of the advice.

i failed to mention that the goats were given a sulfa drug when they had cocci. that was all resolved.

this goat is more than just clumsy. he often falls over when trying to jump on or off of their little platform area built of large bricks, and sometimes looks as if he's about to fall over just when he's walking. sometimes, too, his head is so tilted that it looks like his ear is about to touch the ground. he also doesn't stand up to get leaves from trees like his little doeling friend. he just seems to be getting worse lately.

i got both goats from a great breeder who has a very healthy herd. i've heard that listeriosis can be from moldy hay. what causes polio? he was pretty much like this from the day we brought him home. the breeder doesn't know what to think of it, and he wasn't like this at her house. i don't remember him being like this when we went to meet him at her house for the first time, either.

i'll get some B complex.

chris
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Maggie Leman
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Username: maggieleman

Post Number: 92
Registered: 07-2005

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Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 06:09 pm:   

Polio is often caused by moldy hay or feed or a medication which causes the rumen and intestinal microbes that produce thiamin to die off. Listeriosis is caused by a bacteria that is often found in hay that is dirty. Goats with an active case of listeriosis are gravely ill, high fever, paralysis usually on one side of the body, won't or can't eat as they have no control of their tongues. Polio causes an unsteady gait, head tilt or for the head to be pulled to one side, circling. Usually there is no fever with polio. Polio will usually progress very quickly and cause fatal brain and nerve deterioration.

It really sounds like he has an inner ear infection.
Maggie Leman
Goat 911 Capri Medic

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