Persistent cold and cough

[Nanno]

I've had a problem with my goats coming down with colds this summer. It started with Finn, but he got over it within a few days. Next, Snickers got it and he can't seem to shake it. He gave it to Sputnik, who doesn't have it as bad but also doesn't seem to be getting better. Petunia started a runny nose the first day of State Fair (just over a week ago) and gave it to Nubbin before I brought them home. Nubbin's cold is very minor and she seems to be mostly over it. I thought Petunia was getting better but this morning her nose was crustier than ever. And I'm a little worried about Snickers. He's had this thing for a month now, and he gave it back to Finn about three days ago. He has a good appetite and plenty of energy and is growing like a weed, so I'm not worried that he's going downhill or anything, but I'm really tired of hearing him cough and seeing him come in with snot all over his face, not to mention I'm tired of being used as a walking handkerchief for a herd of snotty goats. How do we get rid of this thing??

The symptoms are mostly just snotty nose, no temperature. The snot is clear or white, usually not thick (although that seems to vary from day to day). They have a minor semi-wet cough. I was giving a multivitamin immune booster paste for a while, but it didn't seem to help. I recently started giving vitamin C drops to everyone. I'm not sure if they're helping or not. Is this something that just needs to run its course, or is there more I can do? I know there is no known cure for the common cold (and I'm pretty sure that's all this is), so I'm kind of at a loss what to do.

[Teckelhut]

Has it been unusually hot or humid recently. I have seen that happen in goats during that type of weather.

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Goats dont really get a common cold. Id start giving them zinc tablets to build up their immune system a bit more. Wormed lately? What brand? How much? Did you do it again 10 days letter?
Worms can cause cold like symptoms.

[Nanno]

I think the vitamin C I'm giving them has zinc in it, but I can double-check to make sure. They all got wormed in July. I used Ivomec and wormed three times, ten days apart, 1cc/30 lbs. At the time, Petunia and her kids had a dry cough which I suspected was lungworm. The dry cough cleared up after worming and everyone but Snickers was fine until recently. With Snickers, I'm not sure when the dry cough stopped and the snotty nose and wet cough started. For a while I suspected it was because he was inhaling almost as much milk as he was drinking after I started having the boys nurse Lilly twice a day. Snickers is an enthusiastic eater. But now that it's gone round to so many of the other goats I've decided it can't just be milk inhalation.

We haven't had unusual weather this year, although there have been some cool, damp spells in the last few weeks. A friend of mine said several of her baby goats came down with snotty noses after the last wet spell.

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Could be a low grade viral pneumonia.

[Taffy]

With the description you gave when you took the goats on a walk yesterday and they were coughing, wheezing and had snotty noses I'd give them a round of Nuflor. You can give it one time at twice the dose SQ which would be 6cc/100#. This has been going on long enough it's going to start dragging down their system.

[Nanno]

Yeah, I'm kind of wondering what I can treat them with that will do any good. I can't get Nuflor unless we go to Pueblo, and I probably won't be making that trip till next week sometime. It doesn't sound like it's in their chests. It seems like it's mostly a sinus thing. All the wheezing is coming from their nostrils. Cuzco and Pac-Man turned up with snotty noses yesterday morning, so whatever this is, it's making the rounds. Nubbin seems to be all clear, so now Petunia is the only one in the gal's pen that's sick. Finn looks like he's on the mend as well. Petunia, Snickers, and Sputnik are the ones staying sick and it's interesting that they're all related. It seems they've got weaker immune systems than the others. Does anyone know of any long-term stuff I can do to improve their immune systems? This seems like the sort of thing they should be able to shake on their own like the other goats are doing.

[Nanno]

Another thought... is it possible that Snickers (and maybe Sputnik) have developed sinus infections? Cuzco and Pac-Man already look like they may be over it, and Finn is doing well enough that Phil took him hiking this afternoon.

[Taffy]

If they have sinus infections you'll see the thick yellow-green snot that means there's an infection. My vet sold me an entire bottle of Nuflor to keep on hand. It's good stuff. Maybe your vet will sell you a bottle.

[Nanno]

Hmm, we don't have thick yellow-green at all. It's clear and runny or white and thickish, but not a trace of green or yellow (except after it's dry or when there's alfalfa bits stuck in it). Everyone but Petunia and her kids seem to have shrugged this off in a couple of days, no problem (although it's supposed to get very cold tonight and tomorrow, so we'll see if anyone else gets worse again). I'm sure my vet would be very good about selling me a bottle of just about whatever I said I need on hand, but it's going to be next week before I'm able to go fetch it.