Constipation was not an issue I considered the first time I had a sick baby goat, because I’d never read of it being an issue. Now that I have experienced and read about it, I have come to the realization this is may be one of the causes of "mystery deaths" in young kids.
Often times constipation is misdiagnosed, and the kid ends up being treated for everything else, or it goes unnoticed until the kid becomes more lethargic. Kids born from herds with low selenium are especially prone to this issue. When it happens here, I find it usually happens between two to four days old. This is when the colostrum their dams are producing is making a change over to milk, which I suspect may cause some kids to get stopped up due to the change.
The signs of constipation:
If any young kid is acting “off” and I’m not sure it’s pooping, I treat immediately for constipation while also taking their temperature and investigating for other potential issues.
The signs of constipation are similar to the signs of Urinary Calculi, so even if you choose to give an enema right away, make sure you watch and make sure the bucklings are peeing well. In some rare cases, baby bucks can be born with urinary stones.
Signs of constipation can include:
Treatment:
As mentioned before, I treat immediately for this issue. If left untreated, the unpassed stool can build toxicity in the kid’s system and can make them very ill. In fact, if the kid has gone awhile without pooping I would give him a shot of CD Anti-toxin (not the toxoid) or a good dose of Milk of Magnesia. Thankfully, once you get over the fear of giving an enema, it is actually very simple.
I mix up a solution of warm water and mineral oil. The ratio isn't an exact science. I’ve also read of people using warm water and the original, plain dawn dish soap.
To give an enema, I use an oral medicine syringe (no needle!) Insert the tip of the syringe - but just the very tip so as not to irritate the kid's anal wall tissue more than necessary. Syringe 5ccs of the solution into the kid's anus. Remove the syringe and encourage the kid to run around. Massage the belly. Don’t get discouraged, it can take awhile for the kid to pass anything. Continue this cycle until the kid begins to pass stool. I personally don’t stop the process until the kid is done pooping and now squirts water with no stool, just to make sure all the blockages are cleared. In most cases, kids will not need a repeat after the first enema.
One year I had a very unusual case from a kid who was overall unthrifty and very selenium deficient. Not only did he end up needing two shots of BoSe before he started to strengthen and poop, but we had to give him enemas several times a day for a week until he could poop by himself, combined with an occasional dose of Milk of Magnesia and olive oil. He is a strong and happy 11 week old as I’m writing this. That process taught me not to be timid about giving enemas to struggling kids.
Prevention
While it’s not always possible to avoid the unpleasant, prevention is always preferable to treatment. I would recommend checking the selenium levels in your area. Since my herd had a disproportionate amount of kids who needed enemas, I believe in my case this issue was caused by selenium deficiency. Our current project to skirt around this issue is to water our goats from a rain barrel, copper bolus as needed, and give all pregnant does a shot of BoSe four weeks from their due date.
BoSe can be overdosed, so be careful if you choose to use it, and do your research. Selenium gel is also available, though I haven’t found that to be strong enough for my herd. Other signs of selenium deficiency are double-jointed or “noodle leg” baby goats, and non-Nubian kids born with floppy ears.
An Important Note
Sometimes dams will actually clean up their young kids' poop. If you are dam raising and don't see any poop, it doesn't always mean the kid is stopped up. The kid's behavior is the best indicator of them being stopped up.
Often times constipation is misdiagnosed, and the kid ends up being treated for everything else, or it goes unnoticed until the kid becomes more lethargic. Kids born from herds with low selenium are especially prone to this issue. When it happens here, I find it usually happens between two to four days old. This is when the colostrum their dams are producing is making a change over to milk, which I suspect may cause some kids to get stopped up due to the change.
The signs of constipation:
If any young kid is acting “off” and I’m not sure it’s pooping, I treat immediately for constipation while also taking their temperature and investigating for other potential issues.
The signs of constipation are similar to the signs of Urinary Calculi, so even if you choose to give an enema right away, make sure you watch and make sure the bucklings are peeing well. In some rare cases, baby bucks can be born with urinary stones.
Signs of constipation can include:
- Kid is not as active as its siblings. While the siblings bop around, this kid seems “off”.
- Kid may get up and down, wagging its tail. It seems uncomfortable, almost like a doe in labor.
- When kid lays down, it may stretch out its hind legs. It’s straining to poop.
- Kid will have decreased appetite. It cannot digest any more milk.
- Especially if it’s been awhile, the kid may be hunched up. Its belly will be tight. If you palpate under their hip-bones, you may be able to feel a firm lump in the intestines.
Treatment:
As mentioned before, I treat immediately for this issue. If left untreated, the unpassed stool can build toxicity in the kid’s system and can make them very ill. In fact, if the kid has gone awhile without pooping I would give him a shot of CD Anti-toxin (not the toxoid) or a good dose of Milk of Magnesia. Thankfully, once you get over the fear of giving an enema, it is actually very simple.
I mix up a solution of warm water and mineral oil. The ratio isn't an exact science. I’ve also read of people using warm water and the original, plain dawn dish soap.
To give an enema, I use an oral medicine syringe (no needle!) Insert the tip of the syringe - but just the very tip so as not to irritate the kid's anal wall tissue more than necessary. Syringe 5ccs of the solution into the kid's anus. Remove the syringe and encourage the kid to run around. Massage the belly. Don’t get discouraged, it can take awhile for the kid to pass anything. Continue this cycle until the kid begins to pass stool. I personally don’t stop the process until the kid is done pooping and now squirts water with no stool, just to make sure all the blockages are cleared. In most cases, kids will not need a repeat after the first enema.
One year I had a very unusual case from a kid who was overall unthrifty and very selenium deficient. Not only did he end up needing two shots of BoSe before he started to strengthen and poop, but we had to give him enemas several times a day for a week until he could poop by himself, combined with an occasional dose of Milk of Magnesia and olive oil. He is a strong and happy 11 week old as I’m writing this. That process taught me not to be timid about giving enemas to struggling kids.
Prevention
While it’s not always possible to avoid the unpleasant, prevention is always preferable to treatment. I would recommend checking the selenium levels in your area. Since my herd had a disproportionate amount of kids who needed enemas, I believe in my case this issue was caused by selenium deficiency. Our current project to skirt around this issue is to water our goats from a rain barrel, copper bolus as needed, and give all pregnant does a shot of BoSe four weeks from their due date.
BoSe can be overdosed, so be careful if you choose to use it, and do your research. Selenium gel is also available, though I haven’t found that to be strong enough for my herd. Other signs of selenium deficiency are double-jointed or “noodle leg” baby goats, and non-Nubian kids born with floppy ears.
An Important Note
Sometimes dams will actually clean up their young kids' poop. If you are dam raising and don't see any poop, it doesn't always mean the kid is stopped up. The kid's behavior is the best indicator of them being stopped up.