https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:13:01 +0000 MyBB https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6645 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 19:23:26 -0700 Starting Over]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6645
Too many years since I did this. I have forgotten. Thanks. Connie Losee]]>
Too many years since I did this. I have forgotten. Thanks. Connie Losee]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6531 Sat, 17 Jan 2026 14:54:20 -0700 Ken7491946]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=6531 https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5552 Sat, 13 Jan 2024 09:02:59 -0700 Nanno]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5552
https://baasandbleatsaasrp.buzzsprout.co...dyth-jones

Here is the research paper they are discussing: 
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf...jvim.14743]]>
https://baasandbleatsaasrp.buzzsprout.co...dyth-jones

Here is the research paper they are discussing: 
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf...jvim.14743]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5478 Sat, 28 Oct 2023 12:44:01 -0600 blackie's maiden]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5478 https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5382 Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:12:51 -0600 Drasmussen]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5382 https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5258 Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:03:36 -0600 blackie's maiden]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5258
Recommendations?]]>
Recommendations?]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5182 Sat, 15 Apr 2023 18:57:27 -0600 blackie's maiden]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5182 https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5142 Mon, 13 Mar 2023 16:02:15 -0600 NorthernHumboldtGoats]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5142 https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5062 Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:31:48 -0700 GoatPackr]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5062 Located in West Washington.
Got and recommendations?

Wanting the Mcmasters test. Our vet recommended that test due to being more detailed.  

Kris]]> Located in West Washington.
Got and recommendations?

Wanting the Mcmasters test. Our vet recommended that test due to being more detailed.  

Kris]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5040 Sat, 31 Dec 2022 10:08:19 -0700 Charlie Horse]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5040
But in trying to figure out exactly what to do with the kit they sent, I'm finding bits and pieces about the procedure in various emails and I still dont have the big picture.  I can see why there hasn't been a 100% rate of participants getting this done and my theory involves confusion, too many emails spread out, and of course, ancient alien astronauts... I have some questions:

The water seems straight forward, so no issues.


#1
But I have half a dozen hay envelopes.  Do they want one of the baled hay I use, one of the pasture (its snow covered now so kinda not going to happen till spring).  Or do they want some at various times of the year, or various cuttings?  

#2
I'm gathering that they want 1/2 lb of hay in the bag.  Fine.  But they show someone drilling with an auger, the likes of which nobody is going to have laying around.  Do I need to do it that way, or should I just grab a handfull from a few bales as I feed and add it to the bag?  If I need a giant auger, where can I get one? (link?)  

#3
Is hay gathered from a crop circle acceptable for the study, and could it be that aliens only mutilate cows or should goat owners worry?]]>
But in trying to figure out exactly what to do with the kit they sent, I'm finding bits and pieces about the procedure in various emails and I still dont have the big picture.  I can see why there hasn't been a 100% rate of participants getting this done and my theory involves confusion, too many emails spread out, and of course, ancient alien astronauts... I have some questions:

The water seems straight forward, so no issues.


#1
But I have half a dozen hay envelopes.  Do they want one of the baled hay I use, one of the pasture (its snow covered now so kinda not going to happen till spring).  Or do they want some at various times of the year, or various cuttings?  

#2
I'm gathering that they want 1/2 lb of hay in the bag.  Fine.  But they show someone drilling with an auger, the likes of which nobody is going to have laying around.  Do I need to do it that way, or should I just grab a handfull from a few bales as I feed and add it to the bag?  If I need a giant auger, where can I get one? (link?)  

#3
Is hay gathered from a crop circle acceptable for the study, and could it be that aliens only mutilate cows or should goat owners worry?]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5004 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 09:44:34 -0700 Rocky723]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=5004
Details:  
--Last Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) the Alpine was acting and seemed well.  He did seem a little light on weight but we had just had some recent snow and our goats were not very active or eating much for those few days with snow.  
--Thursday (Thanksgiving) we noticed he was limping on one leg only (right front). Otherwise, he seemed fine that day.  My son looked at his hooves and trimmed them a little.  
--Friday morning I went out to water and feed the goats and our other four were out of their shed walking around and just being goats.  The Alpine was still in the shed which seemed odd.  As I went in he stood up, stumbled on his right foot a bit and then went outside to sit in the sun.  Throughout Friday I noticed he was lethargic and very slow.  He did eat and drink fine that day.  Later that evening he seemed to be stumbling a bit more.  He went into the shed and stayed there that night.
--Saturday morning I went to check on him and he would not stand up.  I brought him food and water and he ate just fine.  I then noticed his eyelids were very pale on the FAMACHA Scale (almost white).  Saturday afternoon he was out of the shed on his own and sitting in a pile of leaves eating.  We did have to encourage him to go back into the shed that evening.  We did go to or local farm supply store and spoke with some friends with livestock and everyone pointed to worms and anemia.  Which all made sense.  We did purchase dewormer, b-complex, and red cell. We dewormed (6ml orally of the ivermectin) him that evening and started red cell (8 ml per day) and b complex (6ml twice daily) shots as well.  
--Sunday morning he had not moved at all from his spot the previous evening. His stool all looked normal and often.  He was urinated often as well.  We did get him to stand and move to a new spot.  We fed him throughout the day (fruits, vegetables, alfalfa pellets, other pellets, alfalfa grasses).  He also drank all day.  At this point he seemed to have lost a fair amount of weight.  His spine and ribs were very pronounced.  He was not vomiting or with diarrhea at all.
--Monday-Thursday of this week have been identical.  He doesn't want to move.  He did move himself one evening at some point in the shed.  He does not like being assisted to his feet.  He groans and wants to sit back down.  Although, he seems totally fine mentally.  He is very alert.  He interacts with you when we sit with him and feed/water him.  His pupils are normal.  The pinkness of his inner eyelids has started to return (certainly not bright pink yet, but significantly more pink than last week).  He had one or two sets of stool that did have a small amount of blood in it.  Nothing excessive.  Just some small streaks.  

Other details:
--We have been feeding him a lot of food each day.  He eats a lot. We also give him a lot of water.  And Kid Milk mix at times.  He certainly has an appetite.  
--We give him 2 b-complex shots a day (about 6ml per shot), about 8 ml of red cell a day as well. 
--He truly acts normal except for not wanting to stand.  
--Unfortunately, I did not take his temperature early on and have not.  Complete oversight on our part and a mistake. 

He does not show any other signs of sickness or disease such as polio.  Everything that we have been able to find out and with the assistance of friends it seems he may have had a very large worm infestation.  We checked our other four goats and all of them did have pale eyelids on the FAMACHA scale (not the level of our alpine).  We de-wormed them as well.  

We are still learning and have probably made some mistakes.  We acknowledge that.  Any insight or assistance would be great. 

Other questions we have:
--We have read that in some cases of severely anemic goats that it may take weeks for them to regain their strength.  Is this acurate and can that cause them to not stand on their own for several days?
--Any suggestions for getting him to stand and gain strength?  We have thought about making a "feeding" sling of some sort to support him in the shed for periods of time each day?
--Anything else?

Again, we are working with knowledgable people but have been able to have a vet out.  Yes, we understand that would be the best option to get more details.  Please understand we are truly caring and nursing this goat.  We want him to gain his strength and get better.  He is awesome. 

Thank you for your insight and patience.]]>
Details:  
--Last Wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) the Alpine was acting and seemed well.  He did seem a little light on weight but we had just had some recent snow and our goats were not very active or eating much for those few days with snow.  
--Thursday (Thanksgiving) we noticed he was limping on one leg only (right front). Otherwise, he seemed fine that day.  My son looked at his hooves and trimmed them a little.  
--Friday morning I went out to water and feed the goats and our other four were out of their shed walking around and just being goats.  The Alpine was still in the shed which seemed odd.  As I went in he stood up, stumbled on his right foot a bit and then went outside to sit in the sun.  Throughout Friday I noticed he was lethargic and very slow.  He did eat and drink fine that day.  Later that evening he seemed to be stumbling a bit more.  He went into the shed and stayed there that night.
--Saturday morning I went to check on him and he would not stand up.  I brought him food and water and he ate just fine.  I then noticed his eyelids were very pale on the FAMACHA Scale (almost white).  Saturday afternoon he was out of the shed on his own and sitting in a pile of leaves eating.  We did have to encourage him to go back into the shed that evening.  We did go to or local farm supply store and spoke with some friends with livestock and everyone pointed to worms and anemia.  Which all made sense.  We did purchase dewormer, b-complex, and red cell. We dewormed (6ml orally of the ivermectin) him that evening and started red cell (8 ml per day) and b complex (6ml twice daily) shots as well.  
--Sunday morning he had not moved at all from his spot the previous evening. His stool all looked normal and often.  He was urinated often as well.  We did get him to stand and move to a new spot.  We fed him throughout the day (fruits, vegetables, alfalfa pellets, other pellets, alfalfa grasses).  He also drank all day.  At this point he seemed to have lost a fair amount of weight.  His spine and ribs were very pronounced.  He was not vomiting or with diarrhea at all.
--Monday-Thursday of this week have been identical.  He doesn't want to move.  He did move himself one evening at some point in the shed.  He does not like being assisted to his feet.  He groans and wants to sit back down.  Although, he seems totally fine mentally.  He is very alert.  He interacts with you when we sit with him and feed/water him.  His pupils are normal.  The pinkness of his inner eyelids has started to return (certainly not bright pink yet, but significantly more pink than last week).  He had one or two sets of stool that did have a small amount of blood in it.  Nothing excessive.  Just some small streaks.  

Other details:
--We have been feeding him a lot of food each day.  He eats a lot. We also give him a lot of water.  And Kid Milk mix at times.  He certainly has an appetite.  
--We give him 2 b-complex shots a day (about 6ml per shot), about 8 ml of red cell a day as well. 
--He truly acts normal except for not wanting to stand.  
--Unfortunately, I did not take his temperature early on and have not.  Complete oversight on our part and a mistake. 

He does not show any other signs of sickness or disease such as polio.  Everything that we have been able to find out and with the assistance of friends it seems he may have had a very large worm infestation.  We checked our other four goats and all of them did have pale eyelids on the FAMACHA scale (not the level of our alpine).  We de-wormed them as well.  

We are still learning and have probably made some mistakes.  We acknowledge that.  Any insight or assistance would be great. 

Other questions we have:
--We have read that in some cases of severely anemic goats that it may take weeks for them to regain their strength.  Is this acurate and can that cause them to not stand on their own for several days?
--Any suggestions for getting him to stand and gain strength?  We have thought about making a "feeding" sling of some sort to support him in the shed for periods of time each day?
--Anything else?

Again, we are working with knowledgable people but have been able to have a vet out.  Yes, we understand that would be the best option to get more details.  Please understand we are truly caring and nursing this goat.  We want him to gain his strength and get better.  He is awesome. 

Thank you for your insight and patience.]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4945 Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:55:24 -0600 blackie's maiden]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4945
I would like to learn proper equipment, carts and procedure for checking our own goats worm load rather than depending on vets a long drive from here and costly and often not well educated on goat ailments.

I.E., what is best microscope and where to purchase for just starters.

Thanks.]]>
I would like to learn proper equipment, carts and procedure for checking our own goats worm load rather than depending on vets a long drive from here and costly and often not well educated on goat ailments.

I.E., what is best microscope and where to purchase for just starters.

Thanks.]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4842 Fri, 10 Jun 2022 22:03:30 -0600 IdahoNancy]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4842       Once ingested the fluke invades the liver and will kill a goat. Although diagnosis can be done with a fecal apparently it is a very difficult process, not like looking for other parasites. There is a blood test for it but unless you know what you're looking for it's not ordinarily done. I had a sick 10 year old in late March. Unable to find anything wrong with him the veterinarian did blood work and found elevated liver enzymes, a low blood protein, and elevated LDH. He was not anemic which can happen also. Three of the four abnormalities lead the vet to believe he had liver flukes. Treating him with albendazole really improved his situation in a matter of a few days.
      Thinking this was a rare situation and not likely to affect my other asymptomatic goats I opted not to treat them. They were younger and stronger than my 10 year old. This proved to be an almost fatal mistake for my 7 year old goat Blazer.
      Blazer appeared to slowing down on Sunday but I couldn't put a finger on what was wrong with him. By Tuesday it became obvious he was very slow and uncomfortable. I treated him with the albendazole and expected him to ralley quickly like my older goat had. However, in the 10 weeks since I had treated my first goat this one had become much more involved. By Wednesday evening he had abdominal distention and was moaning. We have a great livestock emergency business in Sandpoint ID who saw my goat within a few hours of my calling on Thursday morning.
    Oddly, he nibbled on a little food occasionally, drank water, had a rare cud to chew, and made poop and pee. He was obviously distressed and uncomfortable most of the time. She did a portable ultrasound which showed his liver was full of spots and his intestine in one area was thickened and not moving. We treated him with an antibiotic injection, a vitamin B injection, and a Bantamine injection, this was yesterday. This morning the abdominal distention was gone, he was alert, and did not appear to be in pain. He seems tired with a poor appetite but he is moving around and may survive. It's difficult to know how the liver damage will affect him. The return blood work this Friday morning confirmed the high probability of a liver fluke infestation.
      These flukes have a life cycle dependent on boggy, marshy, perennial wetlands that have slow moving water. The oddest part is the fluke embryos have to invade a freshwater snail. Somewhere in the snail they turn into a cyst and exit on vegetation where they get ingested by an animal like a goat. They then migrate to the liver, reproduce and embryos exit in the feces.
      We live on dry land. Seven or eight months before we saw the first symptoms we did two pack trips into marshy lake areas. Having no knowledge of liver flukes there is not much we could have done. My vet is recommending prophylactic treatment with albendazole after our packing season in the fall. I will certainly follow these recommendations.]]>       Once ingested the fluke invades the liver and will kill a goat. Although diagnosis can be done with a fecal apparently it is a very difficult process, not like looking for other parasites. There is a blood test for it but unless you know what you're looking for it's not ordinarily done. I had a sick 10 year old in late March. Unable to find anything wrong with him the veterinarian did blood work and found elevated liver enzymes, a low blood protein, and elevated LDH. He was not anemic which can happen also. Three of the four abnormalities lead the vet to believe he had liver flukes. Treating him with albendazole really improved his situation in a matter of a few days.
      Thinking this was a rare situation and not likely to affect my other asymptomatic goats I opted not to treat them. They were younger and stronger than my 10 year old. This proved to be an almost fatal mistake for my 7 year old goat Blazer.
      Blazer appeared to slowing down on Sunday but I couldn't put a finger on what was wrong with him. By Tuesday it became obvious he was very slow and uncomfortable. I treated him with the albendazole and expected him to ralley quickly like my older goat had. However, in the 10 weeks since I had treated my first goat this one had become much more involved. By Wednesday evening he had abdominal distention and was moaning. We have a great livestock emergency business in Sandpoint ID who saw my goat within a few hours of my calling on Thursday morning.
    Oddly, he nibbled on a little food occasionally, drank water, had a rare cud to chew, and made poop and pee. He was obviously distressed and uncomfortable most of the time. She did a portable ultrasound which showed his liver was full of spots and his intestine in one area was thickened and not moving. We treated him with an antibiotic injection, a vitamin B injection, and a Bantamine injection, this was yesterday. This morning the abdominal distention was gone, he was alert, and did not appear to be in pain. He seems tired with a poor appetite but he is moving around and may survive. It's difficult to know how the liver damage will affect him. The return blood work this Friday morning confirmed the high probability of a liver fluke infestation.
      These flukes have a life cycle dependent on boggy, marshy, perennial wetlands that have slow moving water. The oddest part is the fluke embryos have to invade a freshwater snail. Somewhere in the snail they turn into a cyst and exit on vegetation where they get ingested by an animal like a goat. They then migrate to the liver, reproduce and embryos exit in the feces.
      We live on dry land. Seven or eight months before we saw the first symptoms we did two pack trips into marshy lake areas. Having no knowledge of liver flukes there is not much we could have done. My vet is recommending prophylactic treatment with albendazole after our packing season in the fall. I will certainly follow these recommendations.]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4818 Sun, 15 May 2022 06:12:56 -0600 Kat]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4818
Since he was still peeing, the vet said he would like to try medication that may allow him to pass the stones on his own - a method he has had good success with.

Treatment was (240 lb goat):

*Two injections at time of visit: Acepromazine, Midazolam
*Acepromazine tabs 25mg - 1x daily for 30 days
*Phenazopyridine tabs daily - I think this was 3x/day for about 2 weeks
*1/8 teaspoon salt 2x/day - I did this for 30 days, now have him down to 1x/day. This was to keep him drinking even tho I always have salt blocks out also.

In my case this treatment appears to have been successful, so far - 3 months since the incident. He is peeing great.

There was a discussion of diet - the vet found nothing wrong. I decided to make some changes anyway. For the last 5 years I have been feeding one handful of Purina Equine Senior "grain" in the evenings - this has the proper calcium/phosphorus ration and a lot of beet pulp - quit that anyway.  I went back to wetting down his hay nightly - quit that a year ago as I was only doing this for another goat that had asthma type symptoms. Rest of diet is chaffhaye and orchard grass hay, a bit of soaked orchard grass pellets. I had been giving ammonium chloride 1x/month (it is also in the minerals I have out.)  Increased this to 2x/mo for 3 days. Added back ACV to water occasionally.

Do not know what type of stones they were. Vet's advice was "keep him drinking" as the best ongoing treatment and it possibly just could be age related.]]>
Since he was still peeing, the vet said he would like to try medication that may allow him to pass the stones on his own - a method he has had good success with.

Treatment was (240 lb goat):

*Two injections at time of visit: Acepromazine, Midazolam
*Acepromazine tabs 25mg - 1x daily for 30 days
*Phenazopyridine tabs daily - I think this was 3x/day for about 2 weeks
*1/8 teaspoon salt 2x/day - I did this for 30 days, now have him down to 1x/day. This was to keep him drinking even tho I always have salt blocks out also.

In my case this treatment appears to have been successful, so far - 3 months since the incident. He is peeing great.

There was a discussion of diet - the vet found nothing wrong. I decided to make some changes anyway. For the last 5 years I have been feeding one handful of Purina Equine Senior "grain" in the evenings - this has the proper calcium/phosphorus ration and a lot of beet pulp - quit that anyway.  I went back to wetting down his hay nightly - quit that a year ago as I was only doing this for another goat that had asthma type symptoms. Rest of diet is chaffhaye and orchard grass hay, a bit of soaked orchard grass pellets. I had been giving ammonium chloride 1x/month (it is also in the minerals I have out.)  Increased this to 2x/mo for 3 days. Added back ACV to water occasionally.

Do not know what type of stones they were. Vet's advice was "keep him drinking" as the best ongoing treatment and it possibly just could be age related.]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4778 Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:09:02 -0600 blackie's maiden]]> https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=4778
I should add these are all very mature goats, even somewhat elderly but are still fat and healthy before.this happens so quick so hard to believe it could.be coccidiosis. I understood.that generally hits young goats.]]>
I should add these are all very mature goats, even somewhat elderly but are still fat and healthy before.this happens so quick so hard to believe it could.be coccidiosis. I understood.that generally hits young goats.]]>