Goat Facts

Before you Call the Vet

For beginners, it is difficult to determine the difference between life and death situation; one which needs immediate attention or a minor problem which can wait until daylight hours. Here it is often beneficial to telephone an experienced goatkeeper for their opinion.

One common cause of alarm is when a goat that has kidded one or two weeks produces a bloody discharge - very worrying for the novice - but a phone call to an experienced goatkeeper will assure you that it is quite normal.

Whenever you call the vet, try to have as much information as possible about the animal’s condition so that they can assess the urgency of the situation. The more information you can supply, the better your vet will be equipped to deal with the situation. Here are a few things to check before calling the vet:

1) Take the animals temperature; whether it is low or high or normal will say a lot to the vet (39 - 40 degrees C)

2) Is the animal drinking and eating normally - is she off concentrates and or hay?

3) Have you seen the animal cudding?

4) Has the animal passed water and stools and are they normal?

5) Is the animal up or down, grinding her teeth, coughing or twisting her head?

6) Is the breathing rate normal? (15-25 per minute)

7) When did you last worm the animal? What product did you use?

8) If a milker - is her udder red or hot; are there any lumps present - is the milk normal? When did she kid?

9) If pregnant, when is she due/