Pneumonia in Goats

Goats are known to be hardy creatures yet things will and do go wrong every once in a while. The greatest tool of the farmer is her eye. Animals give us warning if only we take a moment every day to observe. Tess, my nigerian girl, has been off color for a few days, staying away from the herd commotion at feeding time, not calling out to me like usual.



This morning, when I went out to feed, she had a touch of grain. I let her out of the fence into the yard because she is like a 3rd dog around here. Any visitor to our farm will surely recognize the goat who wanders around the place with the dogs. Our Fedex man just jumps for joy when she climbs into his truck. Well, this usually pesky but loveable girl just stood in the driveway for about 1 hour, completely still. I quickly put 2 and 2 together. She isn't feeling well. Symptoms are labored breathing, slight runny nasal discharge, off feed, fever, few ruminations. She is up on all fours and that is a good sign with ruminants. A standing animal is the best you can ask for when they're sick.



I am very much against conventional medecine but will definitely use it if warranted. Thus, my treatment plan will be:

1.) Penning in a huge bed of fresh, dry, straw.

2.) Bucket of strong sage & garlic warm tea with raw honey &

apple cider vinegar

3.) Oil of oregano internally

4.) Vitamin C

5.) Vitamin B Complex

6.) Hot mustard poultice with sweater to heat things up

7.) No grain (she is dry and bred to kid in 2 months)

8.) Probiotics

9.) Homeopathy if I can find it...



If I don't see some rapid improvement in the next 24 hours, I probably use Nuflor, although without a vetcheck it may be impossible to know what type of respiratory problem I'm dealing with. Viral or bacterial?



Stay tuned to see if she responds.