knowing when to call your vet
Knowing and paying close attention to your goats and their behavior is imperative to catching any ailments that may come up. Like many animals, goats will mask symptoms of illness. By the time you see symptoms it is important to act quickly with the care of a veterinarian. If your goat shows any of the signs below, call your vet immediately. It is also important to create a goat first aid kit to have on hand.
- Changes in behavior
- Loss of appetite
- Anemic
- Weight loss
- Severe diarrhea
- Wet persistent cough
- Green or yellow snotty nose
- Lethargy
- Grinding of teeth (indication of pain, usually stomach related)
- Wounds
other serious, life threatening issues
Poisoning - often life threatening!
If you suspect your goat has been eaten something poisonous, call your vet immediately.
Signs of poisoning:
- Wailing
- Frequently lying down then getting back up again
- Foaming at mouth or green oral discharge
- Vomiting
Urinary Calculi - very painful and serious condition in wethers.
This condition can become life threatening very quickly. If you see the following symptoms in your wether, call your vet right away.
- Straining to urinate
- Noticeably uncomfortable
- Crying while urinating
- Stretching
Pneumonia
There are several kinds of pneumonia that can affect goats. The symptoms to watch for are yellow/green nasal discharge, a disinterest in food, depression, rattly cough and fever; (101.5 to 103.5 is normal) Contact your vet immediately if you suspect pneumonia in your goat.
Learning to take your goat’s temperature is simple and a sometimes necessary skill to learn and rest assured it doesn’t cause the goat any pain. A digital thermometer is used, rectally. Normal temperature range for goats is 101.5—103.5.