AboutGoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
(! During times of severe weather in the Midwest, I may experience a delay in internet service due to the interference of the satellite reception - but will answer your questions as soon as service is restored. !)
Note: Keep in mind, the goat expert is volunteering her time to help other goat owners, she also runs her farm with her own herd of 100 goats and may not be at her computer at all hours. Questions are answered as soon as she can possibly read and answer them, usually within 24 hours.
Experience 18 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction. The information I have to offer is not only from personal experience and years of research updated often as new information is made available to me, but supported by many Veterinary Research colleges and all medications and information I have to offer on how the medications work and what dosages "I" use, is information I have acquired by discussing directly with the company's veterinarians and staff research experts.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
Question Hi, one of our goats recently had male twins, one was born dead and the other has been very slow moving since then, doesn't walk but shuffles his feet along the ground, he is over a week old and alert he just can't seem to walk very well, he keeps his front legs slightly bent and his hind legs close together, he has trouble laying down also. About an hour before his birth the Billy and a younger male were following her around. Do you know what could be the reason for the kids trouble? and is there anything we can do for him?
Answer Hi Danielle,
I'm sorry you lost your one baby. There are a few reasons this could be happening with the live baby, the ones that come to mind first are:
1. congenital defect
2. nutritional deficiency with the dam while pregnant
3. possible selenium deficiency in the kid
The first thing I would try with him is to obtain some BO-SE from the vet as this is a prescription vitamin combination of VitE and Selenium.
It corrects white muscle disease. Also working physical therapy with the baby daily can help strengthen his legs. I highly doubt the boys following the doe had anything to do with this.
Call your vet and tell him you may suspect White muscle disease in your baby goat and ask him to prescribe and sell you some BO-Se the recommended dosage is 1cc/40lbs, make sure this is BO-SE and Not MU-Se- MU-Se is far too strong for goats.
I have an article on Goat Birth defects, you can read through this article and from your physical observation see if anything else may fit the baby- as I cannot observe him : http://goat-link.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=79
