Another TRAGIC Loss! BUT, We Will Get Answers!

in homesteading •  7 years ago  (edited)

peanut3.jpg

Gone Too Soon!


As many of you have already found out we had another very tragic loss on our farm. Our Beautiful brown Alpine Goat, Peanut, Miss Sassy Pants, was gone suddenly. This goat was my friend, my child and my entertainment with her quizzical stares over the stall door while I milked everyone in the morning. She comforted me when I was sad and laughed with me when I was happy. She really had bonded to us deeply. I am beyond sick with grief over the passing of another one of our family members and in such a short amount of time.

She began with diarrhea (just like the other goats that have been sick this past month) and had no other symptoms besides lethargy. She was gone in less than 24 hours even with all of my normal treatments. I couldn't save her and I am distraught over that. I was not expecting this outcome.

We did take the extra steps this time to get her to Auburn to have the State Diagnostic Lab determine a cause of death through a necropsy. The preliminary findings have ruled out parasites, food, toxins or pneumonia as the cause of death. That is a little scary because those are the common fast killers. The vet told me 90% of what she sees is death due to parasites. There were some signs of an infection and further lab testing has been sent off. We will not know any more thanthat for 2-3 weeks. The wait and worry is torture. The vet seemed very surprised and intrigued that it wasn't a run of the mill issue.

I am devastated and terrified. Whatever this is, I really hope it's preventable and treatable because she was with our herd every day so everyone is exposed. Her condition could be related to the other sicknesses but it's not likely because the other goats got better. Her symptoms were the same as Spice's who we lost at beginning of July. But who knows maybe the two we lost had other issues maybe they didn't? I won't ever know.

As of today, we have another goat that began having diarrhea. I started antibiotics immediately in case it is an infection. I am also doing all my other expert natural remedies to keep her strong. There is nothing else I can do. I hope it is enough. I have done everything I can!

We are very confused, sad, scared and tired. Please pray for answers and that all the others will be fine. Thank you for your love and support during our extremely difficult time. I will update as soon as we know more.

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@wholesomeroots I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Please share with us the outcome.

Thank you! I will as soon as I find out results.

So sorry to hear about the loss of your precious "Peanut", the hurt is so great when we lose a treasured member of our animal family. Hopefully the state vet will find the answer, let us know...

Thank you, it is! I will!

This post has received a 0.78 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.

scary hopefully, they find out soon.

Thanks we hope so too

i'm so sorry!!

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

It's feed. Try to change the feed. Just give them hey.

Same feed as entire herd for past year and vet already ruled that out.

Sorry for your loss @wholesomeroots, let her go in peace. But other goat in your herd, thier are natural treatments for scours , but it all depends on what is causing it. IF worms are the cause her lower inner eyelid will be light pink or white, if white she could be close to, death. If coccdi is the cause a sulfa drug is needed, if E-coli is the cause neomicin is needed. So here are the questions needed when posting a health question! the more info the better. Inner eyelid should be red. is it? what minerals do you feed ? what food do you feed ? have you changed her diet any? If you can what is her rectal temp? when was the last time you wormed her , with what, and what dose? and any other info such as she lays around alot , or seems to be in a daze etc...

All of this has been addressed and all is normal. This is not the typical goat illness. The State Vet is doing the testing. Everything is being looked at! Thank you for your concern. We will have tissue culture back in 2-3 weeks.

I am sorry for your loss. I hope they can find an answer.

Thank you! We will get to the bottom of this

I hope the rest of your herd are safe from this mystery threat.

This is an excellent post - very revealing to see the difficulties of losing animal family members you've formed deep bonds with.

I'm following you and look forward to happier news soon!


I just found a baby swallow and posted a philosophical story about it. Check it out here!. Or don't. It's cool. :)

Thank you. It has been a difficult time!

No prob and best wishes :)

Really sad, I hope that the tests will show what caused this.

Me too!

Mejores amigos parecen

@wholesomeroots, what a shame. It is so hard to loose an animal, and especially one with whom you have bonded. My heart goes out to you and your family. Prayers that you will discover what is causing this before your entire herd is gone.

Thank you!

Gosh, I'm so sorry. I hope the results come sooner rather than later and that the latest goat makes a ful recovery.

Me too! Thank you

  ·  7 years ago (edited)

Sorry for your loss. Very Nice post, beautifully presented and explained. detail oriented with nice pics. thank you for sharing this with us, Upvoted

Thank you for that. It was a hard one to w

I'm sorry for your loss. We truly can bond with animals and it is heart breaking to know you weren't able to save her, but know that you did what you could with the knowledge you had.

thank you!

Sad to read this, first thoughts that come to my mind is food/ environment. I hope the tests come back along with a solution...Sharing in case others are having this and may have a answer.

Thank you. Vet ruled out food... we will know in 2-3 weeks.

When you get this figured out please let us know. I know this is a terrible thing and sorry you have lost some friends, sharing this will help us if it happens to anyone else.

I will, thank you

So sorry to hear about your problems. Do you have ticks in your area? We are having a dreadful time this season. They are also carrying blood borne viruses that can kill quickly. We've lost 7 animals this year already. We are trying to eliminate the ticks but is a never ending battle.

we do have ticks! What disease is it and what are symptoms?

Our animals all died within a day or two of becoming listless, off their feed, diarrhea, and falling over. I can't tell you the names off hand because they have different names for these diseases in Spanish. I will consult my neighbor who we call to treat our animals and get back to you. We seem to have the problem under control but has taken almost a year of continual fumigation and extra guinea foul to clean up the sheep paddock.

oh wow, that's scary! I will definitely get some guinea if it is tick born! The scientific name is helpful but if you give me Spanish name I'll try to research more! I appreciate you sharing this with me!

Ehrlichiosis is the most common here, but it is difficult to cure. As much as 6-8 weeks on doxycycline. And you need to get rid of the parasites and ticks or risk re-infection.

Another friend suggested that you look at the food source. Climate changes can affect food producing toxic substances.

I have turned to friends to help me out with the names for you. I'll get back to you soon.

The method of the transmission of the diseases is: tick bite introducing parasite to the blood. Parasitic infections will cause diarrhea, dehydration, and lack of appetite. The animals look "triste" or lack of energy.

this is eerily similar!

Hoping the answers come and y'all can know exactly what was going on.

me too Tara!

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss! What must be even worse is the uncertainty regarding it's cause, and whether the others are affected. I hope your vet is going to provide some clarity soon, and even more so that your goats will get better, and past this horrible affliction.

It's terrifying! Thank you!

NO! I'm so sorry for you to lose another. I'm sad it's not run of the mill but happy at the same time that it's not because then you know you've done all you can. I'm anxious to hear of the test results!! Good luck with the newest sicky, I Hope I think gets well quick!!

Are you doing grazing rotation?

Thanks, me too! Coco is doing much better now! thank goodness. We do rotational grazing!

Oh man, I am glad she is doing better!

I am so sorry, it is so horrible to loose a part of the farm family. I'm sad for your heart. Sending a cyber hug and understanding of what you feel like right now.

Thank you. I appreciate it. I need all the hugs I can get!

We are so sorry about loosing Miss Sassy Pants, it's even tougher when you have a special connection with the animal. My wife and I have taken much teasing for taking our chickens to the vets and have even shed a tear when one has passed away. I hope the vet finds out what caused this tragedy. TC&GB

Thank you

Sorry for your loss. We have 2 Alpine/Nubian cross girls. We would be devastated to lose them. Hugs.

thank you!

So sorry to hear this!! Goats are so much fun!! i hope the rest of your herd will be fine. Please share once you know what happened!

Thanks, I will.

I am so sorry about your loss! I have had losses like that but due to things you have ruled out...it is so hard....once the go down it seems like it is so hard to reverse....thank you for sharing your grief, I hope it helped. Thank you for keeping us up to date :) Very curious as fellow homesteaders can learn from each other ...maybe a bright light will result....happier times. Blessings,
Melissa

I am so sorry about your loss! I have had losses like that but due to things you have ruled out. This post is very useful, I really listen to every sentence you explain in this paper, this paper has given banayak knowledge and knowledge that is useful for me, hopefully I can continue to follow you, glad to be able to see your post nice day you.

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I'll be interested in finding out what happened. We also have goats and I've heard about the parasites, and I've heard about the possibility of even getting crone's from eating their tainted meat. Anyone know if that is true? I wonder if you have a deadly plant on your homestead like water hemlock.

We are getting closer to the answers

Wow, another one, very sad....

Hey, Great post - Thanks! Let's follow each other!