The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: CrazyGoatLady13 on January 01, 2019, 06:56:51 pm

Title: Can goats get Cushing's?
Post by: CrazyGoatLady13 on January 01, 2019, 06:56:51 pm

Hi all,

Has anyone come across Cushing's in a goat?
One of my wethers (all pets) is nearing 2yrs and over the last couple of months has been developing a curly patch on his neck that is growing in size. His coat has never been great but seems at it's worst right now.
He's not keeping weight on particularly well atm despite me throwing everything I can at him, he is a fussy eater and has always been slow to eat and I'm struggling. Spoke with the vet and all I got was "he needs more calories", like I hadn't worked that one out.

Had a worm count done recently and all negative so didn't need treating. Am checking his eyelids regularly and no signs of anaemia. Bright generally but every so often he goes quite quiet (like tonight).

He had a horrible bout of pneumonia at about 5 months old that he took a long time to get over as it wasn't hit hard enough by a goat-inexperienced vet at the beginning.

He has access to a red Rocky and a Himalayan salt lick too.

Any thoughts? Can goats get Cushing's?
Any help much appreciated.

Title: Re: Can goats get Cushing's?
Post by: Anke on January 03, 2019, 09:51:08 pm

What breed?



If he had serious pneumonia when quite young he may well have scarring etc in his lungs, not much you can do about it, but if you know, your management and expectations of him may well change. The vet could check his lungs, and maybe also you want to get some blood tests done - is he deficient in anything (like Copper for example). The young ones often don't take to the licks easily.

I would in the first instance give him a mineral/vitamin drench with Copper (a sheep one will do), even if the blood copper levels are fine.

How does he cope with the cold? One of my wethers is not that great in the cold and we have put two rugs/coats on him and during the night we put a heat pad into the straw in his favoured sleeping corner. they normally cope better if they have a pen mate or two and as long as you make sure they are not bullied by anyone. Our boys still get a bottle of warm milk at 10pm every night - they love it.


I have no idea about Cushings whatsoever...

Title: Re: Can goats get Cushing's?
Post by: Buttermilk on January 04, 2019, 08:10:37 am

It sounds to me like the pneumonia has caused too much damage for him to really thrive and he will probably always be thin.  If calves get it that bad they could never be finished and always looked off.

Title: Re: Can goats get Cushing's?
Post by: fsmnutter on January 04, 2019, 12:59:07 pm

While I've only heard of (and treated) cushings in dogs and horses, I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility to think that it could be found in goats. However the symptoms of cushings usually involve changes in fat distribution, drinking and urinating more as well as possible coat changes,  and is usually found in much older animals.
As above, I think there may be a combination of factors, likelihood there is some scarring from the previous pneumonia, and some mineral deficiencies (imo this is most likely the cause of a poor coat) I would suggest you could ask your vet to blood sample for deficiencies or give a drench or bolus containing copper, selenium and cobalt. The scarring in the lungs may well be irreversible at this stage but will require long term consideration and being very quick to identify any further bouts of pneumonia to prevent further damage. You say your worm egg counts were clear which is great, but do you know if they checked for coccidia and fluke? Either of these could also be knocking him back.
Good luck with getting him perked up

Title: Re: Can goats get Cushing's?
Post by: CrazyGoatLady13 on January 04, 2019, 01:05:08 pm

Thanks for all the replies :)
I had considered dosing with copper/selenium/cobalt a little while back but never got round to it so thanks for that suggestion. They definitely use their red rocky and I've seen the goat in question at it too which is good.
I asked for fluke but there wasn't enough poo at the time (and the vets took so long getting back to me that I was going away on holiday the next day by the time they told me!) so I do need to drop in a sample again soon to test for that.
He has no poo problems so I'm doubtful of cocci.
He really is an enigma- a couple days ago he was acting very strangely (hence my first posting even though it seems to have taken a little while to be put on the board) and then last night bouncing around like a loony when I put his rug on (we had -4 overnight).

Thanks for all the suggestions.