[Daisys Mum]

I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you 

[Lesley Silvester]

Very good news.  You are an absolute star for fighting so hard for her.  I hope she goes on to produce lots and lots of female kids for you over the years.

[fifixx]

She is standing, trying to avoid me (good news!) but she seems to not be swallowing any of the food she eats - so I am pulling out big wadges of chewed/cudded food which have just become too big.

I also can't give her any liquid as it makes her gag - so I think there might be a leaf or something halfway down her throat. 

I don't want her to go downhill after all the hard work - should I get some lectade in with a stomach tube?  Her mouth is still paralysed on one side so she can't pick bits of food up well. 

I'll left a message for the vet to call me, just for reassurance for me really!

I've given her a multivit injection - perhaps she could do with a bit of calcium too?

[Anke]

I think the vet needs to have a look at what's in her throat. I wouldn't try and get anything down her until it's cleared. Vet can also give propylene glycol intra-venously to get her back up quickly.

[goosepimple]

could she have had a stroke?

[fifixx]

Well, I am slightly overtired and was being a bit pessimistic....

Made up some lectade (as opposed to twin lamb first aid stuff) - and she swallowed about 100ml - hurray!

Still waiting for vet's call - of course now it's Friday - I'll wait till Monday and re-consider

10 goats to kid (twins arrived last Tuesday all well, dead kid born at 5 this morning which was a shame) - I may have a talk with them to all hang on till tomorrow if they could!

[Lesley Silvester]

And you expect them to wait for a convenient time?      this is goats we're talking about.

[Anke]

All sounds very stressful.... have you got any help nearby. Maybe you just need a few hours sleep?
 
Our vets do often call back late in the evening if they have been out all day, especially if it is urgent. Do your vets not do this? Lets hope she continues to recover...

[fifixx]

Lovely chat to Leslie of Devon Fine fibres in Devon who has been my guiding star through all of this.  She thinks little Vixen has got cold with this bitter wind - a couple of days ago I raised the heat lamp to stop her getting caught up in it as she is now standing so it is not so warm.  She has straw bales around her pen but this cold is everywhere.

So she is now in a fetching M&S black jumper with her front legs through the arms and a tweed dog's coat on top!
I've given her 10 ml prop glycerol in her mouth and am making a soup of sugar beet, lectade, bit of pureed grass which I'll give her a bit later as a drench which should warm her up still more.

Leslie suggested getting some horse alfafa hay Alfa A which is chopped so she can hopefully eat it.

Have had a chat with the pregnant ladies and told them to cross their legs till tomorrow!

[fifixx]

Sadly, I had to put her down yesterday evening - she had made progress slowly and the vet last week said to get her outside for a bit of grass - so took her out a couple of days alone which she hated, then decided to put the yearlings with her, but keep a close eye in case they bashed her.  All OK for an hour, took my eyes off them for under 5 mins while i went to open the barn gate - and they knocked her down.

She didn't recover, I think she just realised she couldn't do it and gave up - I definitely got the message from her on Saturday and decided not to force her to drink or eat - and yesterday it was so cold, I called the vet out.  In retrospect, she would have had to recover to plus 100% as she had gone blind in one eye and would have had to defend herself on that side.

I have learnt a lot about the disease and will never ever ever ever feed haylage again.  Lesson learnt.  I know lots of goat and sheep keepers do feed haylage, but as I can make good hay - I'm sticking with that!

Good news: we have 20 happy healthy kids bouncing around the barn!

[goosepimple]

Too bad, you did your very best for her fifixx your a considerate keeper    nice to have the new kids bouncing around to keep you focused, all the best.

[Anke]

Oh, that's such a shame.... but listeriosis is bad and very few goats survive it. You hav etried to do as mch as you can. Good news about your kids.... well 20, that's quite a number!
 
My first one due in a weeks time... and looks like we have to start drenching as madame is not liking her concentrate anymore...

[Lesley Silvester]

So sorry to hear that.      At least you have the satisfaction of knowing you did your absolute best for her - more than many would have done  - and you are to be congratulated on that.  It's still hard though but focus on enjoying the new arrivals.

[Roxy]

So very sorry about your loss.  Its nearly a year ago since I lost my lovely Jinty to this.  She struggled on, and made some improvement, and I was hopeful, and then she had a relapse.
 
 
Unfortunately, this year we are struggling for hay in any shape or form, so have no option but to use haylage for our animals. 

[wytsend]

I too, will never ever use haylage for the goats again........listeria in goats, ultimately is 90% fatal.
It is especially worse when you get a glimmer of hope and then they pass over the rainbow bridge.
Hopefully this year will be better haymaking weather...............make/acquire more than you think you will need, at least goats will happily eat headland/hedgerow hay which a lot of contractors virtually throw away because it is unsaleable to horse owners.    Go and see every loacal contractor and tell them that you are happy to have 'weedy' hay.........usually they are grateful to sell for a smaller amount.   Thats how I get mine..................big bales can be got the same way.