[fifixx]

Anyone else had a kid collapse with legs not working?  Vet thinks it may be a spinal abcess...waiting for blood results tomorrow.

He had a weird graze on the side of his neck and was a bit wobbly for a day before.

My best one.....

[wytsend]

Curiously....in the last few days I have heard of this.    Never experienced it in all 40 years of goatkeeping & now 2 !!!!!
My recent one ........on post mortem........was diagnosed as an internal abscess caused by infection entering the umbilical cord at birth.   Although the kid in question had had antibiotics several times, it proved to be a resistant strain.
My advice would be to pts now and get a PM done the same.  Sounds hard I know but the kid may get distressed at not being able to move.
I not only spray the cord at birth but all kids are given an AB within hours of birth to counteract just this sort of strange infection.   I have done this for several years now...........with so many diseases mutating you cant be too careful.

[fifixx]

The vet thinks it may be a spinal abcess - she's just been to see and was pleasantly surprised to see him up and grazing (although still a bit wobbly).  AB and steroids over the next 5 days then re-assess, she thinks 50:50

If he is pts, I'll mention your theory for the pm

[Anke]

obviously not tetanus then.... just as you were mentioning the graze on the side of his neck? were his legs stiff or just not working?
 
hope he pulls through.
 
My vets do not believe in preventative antibiotics straight after birth, and I tend to agree. I use Bactakill spray on all kids and lambs, and so far never had a problem. With the kids I also repeat a couple of hours later, as mum is often very quick to lick it all off...

[Lesley Silvester]

Hope he is alright.

[fifixx]

Not looking too good - he is managing to keep up but lies down lots to graze - definitely more than yesterday.  He's had antibiotics each day and another steroid injection last night.  The vet said 5 days before decision making time if not unhappy.

Best kid, biggest kid, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Blinkers]

  for him and you.

[fifixx]

Put to sleep just now.  vet will do a post mortem tomorrow to see if the cause was a spinal abcess.  She agrees that infection might have got in through the cord at birth.

Sad - lovely kid

[Brucklay]

So sorry o read this - heart goes out to you, give the other goats an extra hug - sorry I can't make things any better 

[Mammyshaz]

  so sorry you lost him.

[jaykay]

Oh no, I'm sorry. Rotten anyway, but why oh why is it always the good'uns 

[Anke]

Oh no...    so sorry.
 
Please let us know if there is anything the vet finds - it is always useful for fellow goatkeepers to learn about these unexplained things..

[Bumblebear]

Sorry to hear

[Lesley Silvester]

  So sorry to hear this. Poor lad. And poor you. 

[fifixx]

Watched the vet do the pm - really interesting!

She took out the spinal cord, but couldn't see any abcesses - mind you, with the blood etc, it is quite difficult! She also looked at the brain. She still thinks some sort of micro abcess on the spine as he lost use of both front and back legs.

It is caused by bacteria getting in - either from the navel at birth, a tick bite or even a scratch in the wrong place - so just unlucky I guess.