Although goats can be quite rugged, tough little animals, like any other animal, they can get sick. Sometimes it’ll give hints or a helpful symptom will tell you that something is wrong. Other times, your goat could be in a very bad way before you even realized that it was ill. For this reason, it is important that you watch your goats and get to know their routines and personalities, as picking up on an off day could save your goat’s life and you a lot of grief, aggravation, and even loss.
The following are a few examples of what can affect and infect your goats.
Caused by bacteria, mastitis is basically an infected udder. Although meat goats may contract it as well, mastitis is usually found in heavy milkers. Symptoms of mastitis include a swollen, hot, and hard udder, milk that is stringy and specked with blood, and a decrease in overall milk production (if there is any milk at all).
Treatments include removing the kid (which you will need to bottle-feed), milk out the udder, and infuse the affected teat with intramammary medications or antibiotic injections and teat infusions. Hot packs and massaging the udder with peppermint oil can help increase circulation. You may need to treat for fever as well. Mastitis may cause permanent damage to the udder. Prevention involves keeping the udder and teats clean and the does’ area clean. Mastitis can be chronic.
Ketosis is a buildup of excess ketones (made when the body breaks down fat for energy) in the blood. It will occur right before or not long after the doe kids. It is caused by the doe not getting the correct nutrients during its pregnancy. As a result, the doe’s body will use its own protein reserves to feed the kid. Its own body then starves by producing more milk than it is actually able to handle.
Some signs that your doe may be struck with ketosis include:
• Teeth grinding
• Breath and urine have a sweet, fruity odor
• Dull eyes
• Doe separates itself from the herd
• Staggering
• Backs off of or completely stops eating
Treatment for ketosis is propylene glycol, molasses, or Karo syrup. Prevention is proper nutrition for the pregnant doe. Ketosis can be fatal.
One of the most common respiratory problems in goats is pneumonia, which is associated with the lower respiratory tract of the goat, and can be due to virus, parasite, or bacteria. Kids are most often affected by the viral type.
The upper respiratory tract can have sinusitis. Causes may be nasal tumor and foreign objects in the goat’s nasal passages, among other things.
The pharynx/larynx area can be affected by an abscess. These injuries are usually caused by improper administration of oral medications. Rather than the medications themselves causing harm, the equipment used to give the medications can harm the goat, as it usually means having to put something down the goat’s throat to administer. When equipment is not used properly or is used too roughly or aggressively with the animal, it can result in injury. These injuries could end up interfering with the animal’s ability to swallow.
Any upper respiratory problems can affect the breathing of the goat, and you need to contact a vet or experienced owner. New owners should not handle these problems until they are more experienced.
Mange is a highly contagious parasitic-mite infection. It is not deadly. Symptoms of mange include hair loss and rubbing and scratching on posts, feeders, etc. The scratching and rubbing could, in turn, result in open wounds. The continual scratching can also affect weight gain.
There are three types of mange:
Sarcoptic: This type is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei var caprae mite. It lives under the skin in the head/neck area, where they burrow to lay eggs.
Psoroptes: Caused by the Psoroptes cuniculi mite. This mite usually spends its time in the ear region, and is also a burrower. This is called “ear mange,” too.
Chorioptic: Caused by the Chorioptes bovis mite. This type affects the legs and feet, where crusted areas and lesions may form where the mites are active.
Most cases of mange spread through direct contact, and overcrowding will be a factor in rapid spreading. It should also be noted that this is species specific, meaning mange mites of goats cannot affect other animals or humans.
Contrary to the name, ringworm is a fungal disease, not a worm. A common skin disorder in goats, ringworm can be identified as a round patch with a hairless ring.
Treatment for ringworm is a thorough washing of the site with a topical skin disinfectant. Dry the site and apply Clotrimazole 1 percent cream, repeating daily until the ringworm is gone. Always use disposable surgical gloves when treating ringworm. Treatment may take weeks.
Ringworm is contagious, even to humans.
Common causes of poisoning are two things that have already been discussed: too much grain and toxic plants (Chapter 4). Good management is the best prevention.
Caused by the pox virus, sore mouth is viral, but needs some sort of break in the skin to actually get into the body. Symptoms include scabs/blisters on the lips, udders, teats, and/or nose.
Sore mouth can result in susceptibility to other diseases, starvation (as it may be too uncomfortable for the goat to eat), and condition loss. Sore mouth is transmitted through direct contact with other goats or anything that may have come in contact with the virus.
There is an injection available for sore mouth; however, it can also be treated with an iodine/glycerin treatment. Alternatively, it can be left alone and allowed to clear out on its own; keep in mind that you need to make sure that the goats are not starving due to a discomfort in eating.
White muscle disease is a degenerative muscle disease, usually found in newborns, and caused by a selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency. It affects the skeletal and heart muscles, and, in older goats, may cause low conception rates, low milk production, and fetus absorption, among other concerns.
Treatment is an injection of vitamin E and selenium.
Also known as keratoconjunctivitis, pinkeye is an inflammation of the inside of the eyelid. Caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae and Chlamydia trachomatis, pinkeye is highly contagious.
Pinkeye can occur through the introduction of a new goat, relocation, transport, or even stress from weather conditions. Symptoms include red, swollen, and watery eyes, as well as squinting and/or cloudiness in the white of the eye. There can also be pain in and pus drainage from the eyes, along with crusting. If left untreated, pinkeye can cause permanent blindness, and temporary blindness may occur as well.
Treatment includes isolating the infected goat or goats from the rest of the herd. Flush the eyes of the infected animals using a sterile saline solution, and then apply an antibiotic ointment. Wear disposable surgical gloves when treating the animals, changing gloves with each animal.
Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium, Johne’s disease is a fatal gastrointestinal disease in which the intestinal wall inflames and thickens, resulting in the intestine no longer functioning properly. It usually happens early in the first year of a goat’s life, but symptoms may not show for years. It can spread.
Symptoms include weight loss (even when eating well) and/or diarrhea. Herds can be infected when an infected goat, which looks and acts quite healthy, is brought into the fold.
The best control against Johne’s disease is to avoid introducing it into the herd in the first place. Either purchase Johne’s-free animals or maintain a closed herd (meaning that no new animals are introduced from the outside and that any new stock comes from your own herd).
Coccidiosis is due to intestinal parasites, usually affecting young kids with immature immune systems and recently kidded does due to body stress. Along with stress, it may be caused by overcrowding, wet pens, and/or dirty water.
Symptoms include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, dehydration, fever, and weight loss (which, should the goat survive, could become chronic).
Although coccidiosis is species specific, it is very contagious. Treatment is the use of coccidiostats, which will inhibit development. It’s important to note that deworming will not help.
This is just a sampling of what can affect your goats. Some are treatable; some are not. In some cases, danger can be totally avoided simply through the good management of your goats.
However, as a new goat owner, until you can begin to recognize problems and familiarize yourself with treatments, it is best to contact either an experienced goat owner to help you with health problems in the herd or your veterinarian.