I have a 6 week old buck kid that started to limp from what appeared to be a sore back left leg about 2 weeks ago.There are no cuts so I thought it might have gotten injured while playing. 2 days ago I noticed the front knees were swollen and it's becoming harder for the buck to walk.He eats well and seems to be ok besides this. His twin doe seems healthy and has no problems.Does anyone know what might be causing this and is there any treatment I can do to help him out? His dam is a yearling Nubian and sire is a French Alpine. Thanks.

-- SM Steve (brushgoat@cs.com), April 20, 2002

Answers

Usually it doesn't manifest so quickly into arthritis in kids, but could he be CAE positive? If so, then it may explain the trouble. Best to you.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.

I seriously doubt its CAE, however, usually in kids if its CAE they will have respiratory troubles too. I am prone to think its maybe mycroplasama, can't recall how young the kids have to be to have outward signs. I will try to look that up for you. It sounds like it may be due to the injury, may ahve jarred his knees.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), April 20, 2002.

I agree with the mycoplasma. 6 weeks is also not to old for naval/joint ill. Any fever? Honestly unless he is valuable I would not want him around my stock, especially if it is mycoplasma, joint fluid could be pulled to find out what it is. Was he as aggressive at bith as his sister, anything to point that he got less colostrum, though being a buck they usually demand more. Good luck with this. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002.

CAE was the first thing that came to my mind also.The buck kid doesn't have respiratory problems .I don't know if he has fever, I don't have a termometer but I will get one ,what temperture is normal? He was more aggressive then his twin and had the normal high energy of a kid until his leg first started acting up 2 weeks ago.He did get a good amount of colostum .When I first noticed his leg problem ,which I assumed was an injury, he was 4 weeks old and I had given him sulmet for coccidiosis prevention.Every time I gave him the sulmet , about 4 hours latter he'd start to play more and had more energy like he was feeling better.His stools look normal no diarreah, and his appetite seems normal.I have him seperated from the rest of the herd.He's valuable as food,(meat)no breeding values that I can see.But it's not worth the risk to the herd if he has a disease they can catch.He and his twin doe were born 5 days earlier than their due date.

-- SM Steve (brushgoats@cs.com), April 21, 2002.

Normal temp is 102. Though when it gets hot out you can expect elevated temps just from laying in the sun. I will have some extra time tommorrow and will look up mycoplasma for you, but just being me, I wouldn't eat a goat who is sick, even if it isn't passable. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002.