Goats and kids are very hardy compared to other domestic animals. But, like any kids from the animal world, goats can have different diseases that occur for various reasons. Any intestinal disorder leads to exhaustion of animals, makes them weak and exhausted, which can lead to death. Let’s try to figure out how to treat diarrhea in kids, why it appears, and what needs to be done so that this does not happen again in the future.
Diarrhea in goats
The content of the article:
Causes of diarrhea in goats
Diarrhea or diarrhoea is an acute, fast-acting illness. Signs appear clearly and violently, so diarrhea is quickly detected. If you correctly determine the cause of the disease and immediately take measures for treatment, the kids can be saved.
Causes of diarrhea in young goats can be:
- Irregular meals;
- Lack of mineral supplements;
- Sudden changes in ambient temperature;
- Non-compliance with the gradual transition to another diet from mother’s milk;
- Changes in the composition of mother’s milk;
- Cold or dirty milk;
- Diet change;
- Cold;
- Overfeeding.
The body of little kids can react violently not only to the slightest change in diet, but also to the temperature of the products compared to the ambient temperature. It is undesirable to feed the goats with cold food in the cold season, at least at this age they need warm drinks and food not contaminated with various garbage.
Diarrhea in a goat can occur for the same reasons with slight differences, since the body of an adult animal has a stronger immune system than that of small kids.
Symptoms of the disease
The correct direction of treatment depends on the correct determination of the signs, which will lead to the cure of kids from diarrhea:
- infectious diarrhea. Fecal masses are covered with foam or have the appearance of a foamy, or watery and liquid mass. In addition to this, the kid has an unhealthy appearance, loss of appetite, and signs of abdominal pain are visible. The body temperature rises, which can be easily determined with a thermometer inserted into the anus for 10 minutes (at the same time, it must be fixed with a clothespin behind the wool cover for the time of measurement). After eating, the painful symptoms intensify even more – the goats scream and try to kick in the stomach.
- non-infectious diarrhea. Stool without frothing and intimidating color (i.e. it is not red, white or green). Also, the kid has not lost his mobility and appetite, and he looks quite healthy. A newborn kid requires special attention. For him, even cold milk can be fatal. Two-week-old kids can get diarrhea because they are usually switched to a different diet at this age. It happens that after weaning the kids from the mother, the goat constantly cries. This may be stressful or a sign of some kind of disease, in connection with which it is desirable to consult a veterinarian.
Treatment of diarrhea in goats folk remedies
The first aid for diarrhea is to feed the kids with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then it is necessary to urgently clean up the goat’s rue, and transfer the young animals to a special diet with the exclusion of dairy products from the diet for two days.
Effective and popular folk remedies for the treatment of diarrhea in kids:
- Oak bark. It can also be used as a preventive measure against diarrhea. It should be treated with a decoction, for which 1,5 tablespoon of crushed bark is poured with 2-1 cups of boiling water and insisted in a closed enameled vessel for 30-40 minutes. After filtering, it is necessary to give the resulting decoction of oak bark to each kid with diarrhea a quarter cup 1-3 times a day until digestion is completely normalized. You can add a single dose of decoction to 0,5 cups of warm milk.
- With non-contagious diarrhea, a decoction of rice can also be used to treat animals. Preparing it is quite simple. It is necessary to pour a cup of rice with seven cups of water and boil over low heat. Give the goats in a warm form every two hours for a quarter cup.
- If you give the kids from non-contagious diarrhea a decoction of pomegranate peels, which is prepared in the same way as from oak bark, this will also help to defeat the disease. Give a decoction until the diseased young are fully recovered.
- Decoction of cherry fruits. It should be taken at least 3-4 times a day for a quarter cup until the diarrhea stops.
- As a folk remedy for diarrhea, you can give 2-3 teaspoons of castor oil.
- Table salt may help. In this case, do not give milk. Dip a wet finger in salt and rub it into the goat’s mouth.
What should you do if you find that your kids’ diarrhea is contagious? It is urgent to consult with a veterinarian to determine the effective treatment with medications, otherwise the animals can die quickly.
Treatment with medicines
Diarrhea of a contagious type is treated only with antibiotics. Among them, the most commonly used:
- Biomethycin;
- Levomycetin group and others.
Since the action of antibiotics is directed to a certain group of viruses and bacteria, it is necessary to choose them correctly in each specific case of diarrhea in goats. Diarrhea is also a symptom of many dangerous infectious diseases that can result in the death of an animal if not properly treated. Be sure to check with your veterinarian.
Why is it recommended to buy antibiotics only in veterinary pharmacies? To exclude the possibility of acquiring a fake, low-quality or ineffective drug. Every day of delay in case of illness of small kids and goats with contagious diarrhea can lead to a mass death of infected animals. death of animals. It is undesirable to give such a drug without advice from veterinarians.
disease prevention
In order to eliminate the signs of diarrhea or diarrhea in kids and adult goats as soon as possible, during and after treatment, observe the rules of hygiene in the goat house.
- Reconsider the conditions of detention and diet. Such a problem appears with a sharp change in nutrition, for example, drinking dirty or cold milk.
- It is desirable to give small kids warm food, especially in the cold season.
- If the transition from goat’s milk to artificial nutrition is abrupt, the body of the kids will react with violent diarrhea.
- Eliminate dampness in the barn and grazing in wetlands, as well as in dew and after rain. All year round in the stall should be dry, and in the cold season, the goat’s rue must be protected from cold and drafts.
- It is desirable to mix coniferous sawdust into the litter. Instead of dry food should be steamed.
- Provide kids and goats with round-the-clock access to clean fresh water.
Compliance with the rules for keeping kids and goats will help to avoid diseases and maintain the health of animals.
