[roddycm]

We've had goats for a few years now and just had our first loss. Maggie our big lovable bruiser died suddenly. She was always a very bossy goat who spent a great deal of time chasing everyone around making sure she wasn't missing out on anything delicious that she could pinch from a pals mouth. So when I went out to feed this morning and she wasn't waiting for me I thought it was very odd. I found her in her bed looking very sorry for herself. I got her to stand up and she was a bit unsteady, no diarrhoea but she did have a bit of clear dribble from her mouth that smelt a bit.

Her gums were pale so I called the vet who suggested antibios for pneumonia and drench along with some warm water with honey for energy... she was wormed recently and fecals were good. I am in south america and the weather has been very cold one day then mild the next for the past week to ten days.

She had about another month to go before kidding and was on hard feed, alfalfa hay and meadow hay. It's wintrer here so not much browse at the moment. All the other girls are doing great. We only have a small herd so we get to know them all very well and are super sad wondering if we missed something. The vet says pregnancy toxemia and pneumomnia... never had toxemia before with goats or the sheep so not much experience other than google, books and vet. She was such a strong goat and showed none of the symptoms before I found her in the morning. She lasted two more hours and then just died. She had been totally fine the previous evening. We really want to learn from this so that if we are doing something wrong we can avoid it... I know many people say sheep and goats die from anything, but we have not found this to be true at all in our roughly 15 years with sheep and 5 with goats. There is always a reason, some things can be fixed or cured others can't of course but it's good to know.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[Dogwalker]

Sorry to read this.It sounds too sudden for pregnancy toxeamia.Could she have eaten something poisonous, although if they're in for the winter that's unlikely.I think it will remain a mystery.

[Anke]

Pneumonia can be brought on by stress esp pasteurella. It could also have been CCN, even though it is usually covered a disease of youngstock, I have only ever lost adult sheep to it. (a pregnant ewe this last winter, though we don't pm our sheep, so it may not have been that at all).
It will probably be a mystery, but things like barber pole worm don't always show up in FEC's and may explain the pale gums (as would fluke, not sure you have that in your part of the world though).

[roddycm]

Sorry to read this.It sounds too sudden for pregnancy toxeamia.Could she have eaten something poisonous, although if they're in for the winter that's unlikely.I think it will remain a mystery.

I felt it was too sudden for toxemia too! They are in for winter, with an exercise yard but no overhanging plants or access to anything that is not fed by us directly... I think you are right, it's just a mystery

[roddycm]

Pneumonia can be brought on by stress esp pasteurella. It could also have been CCN, even though it is usually covered a disease of youngstock, I have only ever lost adult sheep to it. (a pregnant ewe this last winter, though we don't pm our sheep, so it may not have been that at all).
It will probably be a mystery, but things like barber pole worm don't always show up in FEC's and may explain the pale gums (as would fluke, not sure you have that in your part of the world though).

I will ask the vet about barber pole... I think it was likely a sudden severe pneumonia brought on by the stress of weather changes and pregnancy, but won't know for sure now I guess She was always the most robust of all the girls, full of energy and very feisty. Very odd and unexpected. I have her daughter from last year at least but its always sad to lose an animal.

Thank you both for your replies!