Miscellaneous Health Issues 

Overeating Disease

A toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium perfringens causes overeating disease or entertoxemia. The most prevalent types are C and D. Overeating disease can be prevented by vaccinating young kids with a toxoid. Often, the overeating disease vaccine includes vaccine for tetanus. Signs of overeating disease include kids laying on their side paddling with their feet and heads bent over their back. They show signs of abdominal pain and their abdomens will often be very hard and bloated. Death occurs very rapidly. Treatment is often ineffective, so kids should be vaccinated to prevent the disease from occurring. Vaccination with an antitoxin may treat problem if adminstered early enough.

White Muscle Disease

White Muscle Disease or stiff kid disease is caused by a deficiency of selenium, vitamin E or both. Soils in Pennsylvania are selenium deficient, so livestock producers should supplement mineral mixes or rations with additional selenium or give does a selenium injection. It is helpful to also include vitamin E with the injection because selenium and vitamin E work together to prevent the disease. Be cautious when adding selenium to rations or giving an injection, as the window between the requirement and toxic levels is small. Characteristics of the disease include stiffness in the hind legs, an arched back and inability to stand. Low selenium levels during pregnancy may also produce kids who have not develop a sucking reflex. Kids who are not able to suck will starve to death very quickly.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis or Circling Disease is caused by a bacteria that is found in high concentrations in moldy feed. The bacteria are found throughout the environment, but typically only cause the disease when goats eat moldy silage or hay. Listeriosis causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and signs of the disease include depression and disorientation. Goats with the disease often will walk in circles. Prevention is simply to feed good quality silage or hay. Treatment is difficult and is not always effective. Typical treatment involves an antibiotic and banamine to reduce fever. Some companies also sell a yeast based supportive product that helps the animal remove the toxins from their system.

Meningeal Worm

Meningeal worm or brain worm is caused by a parasite that is carried by deer. This parasite is passed in the manure and picked up by an intermediate host of snail and slugs. Goats pick up the parasite when they eat small snails or slugs on pasture grasses. This parasite is very difficult to control once a goat has become infected, therefore it is important to prevent infection.

Because snails and slugs live in a wet environment, you can help prevent the infection by keeping goats away from wet areas in pastures during late summer and early fall. At this time, you may also want to move to a very aggressive deworming program where goats are given deworming products every two to three weeks until a hard frost. Use the highest recommended dosage for the product at this time of the year.

Signs of brain worm infection include a loss of control in the hind legs of the animal, although the front legs can also be affected. Occasionally, goats will be only mildly affected and will recover after treatment with deworming products. Affected animals will continue to eat, but are unable to walk. At this stage it is best to have the animal put down.

Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis (CAE)

Caprine arthritis and encephalitis or CAE is a disease that is common in dairy, but relatively rare in meat and fiber producing goats. Most goats become infected with the disease as kids, but do not show any symptoms until later in life. Goat kids become infected by drinking colostrum from an infected goat, usually their own mother. The disease can also be spread through feeding areas and waterers.

Symptoms of the disease include swelling in joints and lameness. Usually, the lameness begins slowly and then progresses over time. There are no specific methods for treating the disease, but most goats with CAE will be culled to prevent further infection of the herd.

Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL)

Caseous lymphadenitis is a disease that causes abscesses to form in the lymph nodes and internal organs. Symptoms will include an abscess that forms typically around the head or neck. The abscess continues to grow until it ruptures and a greenish yellow or white pasty pus is released. It is very important to isolate any animals with abscesses to prevent spreading the disease to other goats. Treatment is typically difficult, although once the abscess becomes soft it can be lanced and flushed with iodine.

Abscesses may also form internally that can be life threatening. Superficial abscesses typically do not bother the animal unless they are located in an area that affects breathing or blood flow.

When working around goats with CL, isolate any with developing abscesses away from the rest of herd. If the abscesses recur you should consider culling the animals to prevent infecting the rest of the herd. You may also want to vaccinate the rest of the herd to prevent infection. Most CL vaccines are a complex that includes vaccine for overeating and tetanus.