Does anyone else automatically freak and think it's enterotoxemia every time a doe gets the scoots?

I vaccinated all of my does three weeks prior to kidding, so I don't think that is the problem. One of my does has diarrhea and I started them all on sulfaquinoxylene and have her isolated on grass hay only. She didn't have a fever and her appetite is good, and I also have them on electrolytes in the water. What else should I do? They were also all wormed about three weeks ago. I'm sure this girl just pigged out too much on all the fresh green. Thanks!!!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), April 06, 2002

Answers

Welcome to spring, Doreen! I had the same problem with some kids. Even though I limit them at this age to only short periods at a time on new grass, sure enough they came down with soft stools. But like you I got out the sulfa. With kids I get on any runs ASAP. But I've kind of learned to tell by composition, color and smell if diarrhea is a serious situation. But you're right about visions of overeating disease flashing before your eyes. Since you vaccinated I'm guessing the runs are just functional diarrhea. (But I sure hate seeing anything but a nice pelleted stool!)

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), April 06, 2002.

Doreen what is out in the green grass besides grass? Worms!!! What is the lifecycle of alot of the worms, 10 to 21 days. There are some wet springs, like now :) that we have no choice but to either keep the girls out of the grass or worm them, worm them often, and worm them again. Texas A&M Edwards Plataeu is alot closer to you than me and they found that they really needed to worm the does every time there was more than 2 inches of rain if the grass was 2 inches high, the worms float up to the level of the puddles and cling to the tops of the grass, waiting for the goats to reinfest themselves. Also remember to read the worming meds you are using, if they only kill the adult larve than your are ripe for the eggs hatching and causing problems. Hemoncous causes diarrhea, way before it causes anemia.

And then it could be just the new green growth :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 07, 2002.

Alright, I guess it's fecal time again then. My vet groans everytime I pull into his parrking lot now. I have no way to keep them without access to any grass. The boys are in the woods....here I was thinking it was dry spring.:)

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), April 07, 2002.