Hello again. I want to thank all the answers that I have been getting. I have a couple other questions. We have not lost any more kids and I am really THANKFUL for that!!! We do have 6 that have the scours. They have energy and they eat their grain and hay. We have been giving them electrolytes plus for 1 1/2 days and have taken away one milk feeding per day. We feed the electro. every 6 hours. We just gave them each a teas. of peptobisom and I was wondering how often we can give that. We are wanting to give them something to get rid of the scours also. Not just keep them hydrated. Although that is good.:o) Any ideas on anything else that we can do. They have been treated for tetanus and CAE and for cocci.They are in a very clean and dry and well ventilated barn.Although we would prefer them outside in the fresh air.Our other goats are doing well and we have them away from the sick ones. Thank you agin for any help.

-- Wendy Cole (dwcole686@juno.com), March 22, 2001

Answers

There are probably drugs at your feed store that will work to stop the scours, or you can use things from your kitchen if you want to treat them ASAP. Burnt flour works great,so does slippery elm or charcoal. I've used the Pepto but all that did was give pink scours :- )

-- Julie (julieamc@excite.com), March 22, 2001.

Pepto has worked for me. You can give it several times a day if need be. Easiest way to get it in them is to use a syring(without needle, or course) to squirt it in the side of the mouth.

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 22, 2001.

I would recommend continuing treatment for cocci (scours) until the symptoms disappear. You can't treat for CAE. Did you mean to say that you vaccinated for type C&D perfrigens? (this normally comes as a combination vaccination called CD&T. The T is for tetnus.) Keep doing the other things you mentioned also until their stools firm up. I'm not sure that I would cut back on bottle feedings. They still need the nutrition and the milk will help keep them hydrated as well. Perhaps Vicki M. has some better advice?

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), March 22, 2001.

Hi. This may pertain to your problem. Last year I got 5 bum lambs, and bottle fed them. A couple of them got scours and the breeder told me to dilute the feeding with water, about 1/2 strength, for a day or so. I did that and the scours stopped. That way they were staying hydrated, while letting the digestive tract catch up with itself.

-- Deborah Bauderer (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), March 23, 2001.

Wendy, You did not say how old your kids are, but if they are eating grain and hay really well, you may need to wean them. I have had that happen to me, when the kids are just getting too much of everything. I would probably treat for coccidiosis again, but I get nervous about that stuff, since it affects their growth so much. But, usually, I take it as an indication to stop the milk when the kids are eating and drinking water and eating hay and still on the bottle and get scours. Good luck

-- karen (kansasgoats@iwon.com), March 23, 2001.