Hi, my husband brought home a goat that was stuck in a ditch out next to where he works, no one had come to claim it, and she is a pygmi (sp?). She is shaking, I am sure she is a little nervous. We have petted her and given her water and some hay. I am concerned about her rectum (?) Compared to the size of this little gal, it's huge. I'd say about 2 inches in diameter and it looks very sore and quite possibly infected. We have a homestead and we would love to keep her, but I am thinking she needs some fairly immediate attention. I knew I could come to you folks for ideas. Could she have just given birth? Thanks a bunch, Pam

-- Pam Harsh (harshhaus@aol.com), November 09, 2001

Answers

Look carefully. Is it her rectum or vagina. She could have a prolapsed vagina or a prolapsed rectum, either of which are causing the poor thing immense pain and should be taken to a vet immediately.They can both be treated. It sounds as if she is in shock. If its a prolapsed vagina, she might be trying to give birth. Is her abdomen large as if pregnant. Are there hollow spaces in front of her hips? A sign of getting ready to deliver. Does she have any udder formation.? It sounds to me that some very cruel person dumped her as she was having problems and didn't want to deal with it. Lucky for her that you found her. Keep us posted.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), November 09, 2001.

Go to goatworld.com and than click on to 911 for goats and find someone in your area to call or contact Vicky in Texas, probably the best goat person around anyway.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), November 09, 2001.

Kate, Greetings from Colorado and thank you for your concern! She is doing really just fine. She has been eating some hay and dried corn and drinking water and having regular bowel movements and urinating. We think she either was dumped or accidently fell from a truck or something like that. She had seemed somewhat in shock and afraid but I think and I hope she is feeling better. Our kids have lavished pets on her and we have kept a close eye on her. Her hind end looks a little better. We have decided to spray her rectum with a mix of water and hydrogen peroxide to loosen some of the crusted stuff and help with keeping it clean. Her teets don't look as though she has had a baby any time soon. I have felt her abdomen and it is soft to touch and she doesn't act like it is painful at all to touch. Now we think she needs a freind! Do goats prefer company? Thanks again and God bless you and your homestead, Pam

-- Pam (harshhaus@aol.com), November 11, 2001.

Yes, goats are herd animals, they need company of some sort. Tana

-- Tana Cothran (tana@getgoin.net), November 11, 2001.

Sounds like she is very lucky to have found you! For now keep up all the TLC. May want to scour the archives for vaccines and wormer information, a severely stressed animal can also be timid from anemia. Not enough energy to flight! Dried Corn is not a very good idea, it wears down the molars very quickly, and is only 8 percent protein. Might want to slowly introduce her to some better feed, also discussed in the archives :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 11, 2001.