Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / May 2005

I have a mutt goat, part mini.  She started acting listless yesterday.
Today it got worse.  Usually, she is an "in your face" goat.
Yesterday and today she just lays in a corner in the feed stall.

She can move around, but just won't very much.  Sometimes when she
walks her gait seems off behind.  We temped her at 100.9 with a horse
thermometer.  She didn't even move when the thermometer was put in.

Usually her stomach is tight. Tonight it is soft.  She is drinking but
not eating.  I saw her urinate twice today, but no bowel movements.
Thinking she may be plugged up, we just chased her for a while (after
her temperature was taken).  What came out was formed round pellets in
gelatinous yellowish goo.  We did not chase her for long, but she got
out of breath.  We did notice that it looks like she has lost weight in
her hind quarters.

I can find nothing sore on her.  I couldn't get her mouth open
without getting bitten, but feeling around her jaw, I found no sore
spots when I pressed around her teeth.

I tried her favorites: horse feed, Honey Combs, grapes and Cheerios.
She is showing only a little interest, but not eating. I just closed
her in a stall with water, grapes, cheerios and some horse pellets
softened in water with a top dress of rice bran.  I am hoping to see
that she ate tomorrow morning.

There is no vet near me that will see her.  I have been calling them
all since yesterday - and all emergency clinics today with no luck.

The temperatures went from the 80's on Thursday up to the 110's as
of Friday and remains hot.  That is the only drastic thing that has
happened.  Today I turned on misters over her in her "hiding
corner"  to help keep her cooler.  The misters were turned off when
we got below 100 a couple of hours ago.  She did not get up until we
made her move around because we were testing the theory she may be
plugged up.

Abby Goat is family.  If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.