Goats and Bloat( kind of graphic)

Okay CHrista, I know you are interesting in goats... So this is something it watch out for and vacinate for.

Goats can get what is called overeating disease. This is not because they overeat. It is when they get ino something they are not supposed to or sometimes it just happens.

Clostridium perfringins is kind oflike a bacteria that is normally in goats stomachs. Normally they shed this through their feces. Under certain situations this bacteria multiplies and produces a toxin. That is dangerous for a goat. They bloat have diareah and leads to death if not treated. Sometimes even treated death occurs. The toxin basically eats through the goats tummy and intestines and can cause internal hemoraging. Or they bloat so bad and the pressure on their lungs.. bascially sufficates them.

This hit me a few weeks ago. One morning. Chocolate one of my goats refused to eat. He looked like he was starting to bloat. So I ran inside and goat my Bloateze ( banana flavored. This is used for froathy bloat. Gave him a couple of cc's and you have to massage and rub his tummy. Kind of like a baby. Then you need to walk a goat. Kind of hard when they aren't leash trainned. So I attempted to walk a goat. The medicine is supposed to make the goat burb. Goats need to burb. If they can't release the air.. then they bloat. I have had goats bloat and after some medicine they are fine in a couple of hours. Now when you have bloat. You need to massage and walk.. until they start to burp ( usual) cases. Sometimes to help them burp. YOu pick up their front ends. This causes pressure in their gut.. Kind of like squeezing them. They burb. Well chocolate started to burp. At this point I thought it was a good sign. Now, you still need to leave them alone and check on them.

Throughout the day, chocolate started going down hilll. He would burp.. but he was still bloating more. Phoned my one vet.. and this is where I learned some interesting facts. He said to give chocolate some vegetable oil and mix baking soda with it. The vegetable oil will create bubbles in the goats tummy and help them burp. We tried this. With no effect. He did ask me if they were vacinating for overeating disease. All of my goats have this vacine. ( that is anoter topic how to vacinate a goat.. always under the armpits. Makes for an interesting day) Tried this... After a couple of hours.. NOthing. NO change. So I called my neighbor who breeds goats ( all sorts) SHe comes down. and says he doesn't look so good. DUh.. now this is about late afternoon. We tried some different burping techniques. Chocolate seems dehydrated and drinking a lot more. This is a sign that the toxins are at a severe level. ( found out later) He started having dierhea ( another sign) but he could of had diearhea from some of the medicine. I spent the whole day burping and walking chocolate. Phoned my other vet after supper. Because he wasn't getting any better. I have had vets tell me the case is pointless but I have proven them wrong time and time again. I wasn't ready to give up on chocolate yet. His breathing was normal. And he was still walking normal when I asked him too. So he was still fighting. Still have doubts whether I did the right thing by trying. Or maybe I shouldve put him out of his misery.

At 10 oclock that night. ( here is the graphic part) the bloat was so severe. That it was our last chance to try and save him. I have an instrument at home. For some reason I can't remember what it is called... It is kind of like a pen. with a bubble on the end. this is used to stab the goat in the tummy ( DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME.. if you have no experience. I have had to do this a long time ago.. and it worked then. You stab the goat in the tummy.. this knife releases the air from the stomach. This should be the last case sceniro. Most bloat can be treated. But at 10 pm... I couldn't get ahold of anyone.. Damn vets should be at my beck and call. But chocolate breathing was faster. So I stabbed him. A whole lot of air started coming out. This is a good thing. So I sat with him for an hour. He started to cry in severe pain.. Hard to explain the cry. Now most would think it was because I stabbed him. NOt so.. it would be like you getting a needle or drawing blood. Something wasn't working and he was in alot of pain.

This is the hardest time. Because you have to make a decision. I hate the decision. But it had to be made. I went inside and woke my hubby. I told him it is time to put chocolate down. Now, I can do it if I have to do it. But it is really really really hard on me. So if my hubby is home. I make him do it. I don't think it is easier on him but at least he is not crying when he has to do it. I said my goodbyes. as Hubby went out and took chocolate out of the goat pen to help him cross the rainbow bridge.

Now you may ask questions.. by all means do. I don't hide anything. this is part of life out here.

The next morning, I phoned my one vet and I demanded that he order me C D antitoxin. I research everything and talk to other breeders. Because I love my vets to bits.. but sometimes they don't know everything.. LOL.. CD antitoxin can be administered to the goat to help fight the bacteria. However, it needs to be done right away. And it doesn't mean it is going to work. Depending on when the bacteria start to eat away. Sometimes in this condition. Bloat is one of the last signs and it is too late for the Anitoxins to work.

ohh so interesting! okay lots to try to remember.. gotta keep rereading this lol