I am desperate!

I have six Nigerian Dwarf kids- 2 each aged 2, 4 and 6 weeks. The 6 week old kids are scouring badly. The 4 week olds have minor scours. The 2 week olds are fine. This has been continuing for 7 days. The scours are greenish-brown and foul-smelling. No blood is evident. They are not watery-thin, more like paste.

The kids are being fed the milk-evaporated milk-buttermilk mixture. They have free-choice Bermuda hay, supplemented with a handful of alfalfa daily. They get about 1 cup of grain for all 6 daily (although I have stopped graining them during the scours). They are all in the same pen. There were no feeding or management changes before the scours started.

When they started scouring, I began treatment with sulfadimethoxine (generic name for Albon). I gave this with electrolytes. None of the kids appear dehydrated. Temperatures are normal. The kids are eating and playing normally, except for that 2 kids had 1 episode each of crampiness (standing hunched, fur ruffled, refusing to eat) that lasted for 1 feeding.

I've now finished the 5-day treatment of sulfa and they are still scouring. I tried 24 hours of no milk, just electrolytes and Karo. No change.

What to do next? I have had a sugegstion or two to treat with Biosol/neomycin/spectramycin, but I haven't been able to find it yet locally (will try a couple more feed stores tomorrow- tried 3 today).

-- Cris Waller (criswaller@cox.net), May 19, 2002

Answers

Hi Cris. I have to admit, I'm not familiar with evaporated milk and buttermilk combo for kids. I know buttermilk can become exposed to bacteria real quick. How did you come to this? I would switch over to whole cow's milk myself. Sounds like it could be something like E. Coli infection. If the sulfa's not working, likely not cocci. If four of your six babies have this, I'd look at what's going into their systems. The milk sounds suspicious to me, but let's see what the more experienced board members have to say. PS. I have nigerians too.

-- (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), May 19, 2002.

Hi Cris, It does sound like you need some spectramycin-tell the guy at the feed store you want some pig scour halt. I've had them tell me they don't have the spectramycin and my husband would go right back to the same place and come home with pig scour halt(which is spectramycin) It comes in a pump bottle, costs about $12. In the mean time you can try to stop the scours with liquid Imodium. (for people) Start them out on an adult dose. We had a set of triplet this yr that this worked for, they had the scours Easter weekend when all supply stores were closed, they didn't respond to the sulfa drug, I took them off milk, nothing worked but the ImodiumAD. I'm not familiar with the evaporated milk-buttermilk thing either. Why not just give them cows milk if goat milk isn't available? Good luck.

-- Judy Corwin (corwinsusa@netscape.net), May 20, 2002.

Hi Chris, First of all, Immodium will stop the peristalsis in a goats rumen, it is not advised to give to goats. Bismuth from a Vet, or Pepto Bismol will work well to stop the diarhrea. Give plenty of water w/ some Karo Syrup and some Baking Soda mixed in to help prevent the dehydration that occurs w/ the Scours. How much Sulfa are you giving the kids in your treatment, and what is the percent of it? I will check my bottle of Sulfa when I get home from work, and post what I have from the vet. I will also check my Goat Health Handbook when I get home from work and post more info. Marlene Williams

-- Marlene Williams (marysiaone@aol.com), March 03, 2005.